6c, little bother...

Glendalough was in sweet condition today as we headed to the boulders, the more I visit that place the more it feels like home - I find it pretty cool that others just see big boulders where boulderers see beautiful, classic and sometimes new lines to climb.

Got stopped by an unusually high amount of inquisitive walkers asking about boulder pads... a phenomenon that's still new to me... though it's getting old - at this stage I think there should be an information stand explaining what we do with a big - DO NOT DISTURB on walk ins and walk outs sign at the bottom!


Having said that, Glendalough is a popular spot not only for boulderers, but for the general public and if I didn't know, I'd probably ask too!


So this weekend marks the one year anniversary of my outdoor bouldering career and I really wanted to do something that was going to push my grade.


A year ago I was taken to Glendalough by Sean Marnane and it pissed rain! I was bouldering indoor problems up until then and was interested to see what all this talk of outdoor bouldering was about! In the rain Sean showed me around the pathside boulder problems of Glendalough and I thought... pff, this is just dangerous and indoors is much better!!


I clearly had no idea what I was talking about!!


On the way home it stopped raining and Sean suggested we check out the Scalp and it was there that I topped out on my first problem beside the road on some easy warm up arete thing. I hit the top hold and said, "I'm gonna jump off now", to which I was told, eh no! over you go!


Good memories!!


Back to the present and today a year on, I wanted to see if I could get a 7a in, but it didn't look good! I wasn't in the best form I've ever been in and though we warmed up well, meeting up with Dec half way through, I just wasn't as strong as I thought I'd be today, but these things happen.


Kev found 2 new problems near the path and sent them, the first is very easy, but worth doing as part of a warm up, the second is super tricky and left me and Dec stumped for a while! Dec soon topped out though and I reckon it goes at about 6a. I didn't get it and though I was just happy to be out, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach that this wasn't going to be my day at all!


Dec suggested we check out the Egg Traverse and we all made good progress on it, but the end is so tough!! None of us had an idea how to get around the corner, so Barry if you read this, pass on some beta please!!!





Moved on to Black art and I was psyched to try it again! But alas, I think my power training needs a few more weeks development before I go near it again!!! Dec did laps of it, Kev nearly topped out but came off the VERY end twice! We'll go back tomorrow for his send!

So that sinking feeling in my stomach was well established as we moved on to White Stick. Aside from the warm up I hadn't sent anything - not even Kev's new 6a! This wasn't how the day was supposed to go!!


Using Tim's beta of sticking a heel on the corner of the arete of White Stick and then bringing you foot around (As opposed to sticking your heel around the corner, which seems more natural) proved invaluable though and I was able to skip the initial slap and reach statically to the higher crimp... Holy moly I felt solid and the whole thing felt easy!! moved my right foot up to the launch pad and jumped for the top missing out by only a fraction! Dec took his next go and SLAP, he hit the lip and over he went - SWEET!


Two attempts later I was on the high crimp, my right foot was in position and I was ready to go, Dec shouted 'GO!' and I just jumped, blindly put my hand out and STICK! I was there! I was there and I was comfortable, I took a breath, looked around, left hand up to the jug, feet up, over I went, 6c eile liomsa!!


Sinking feeling gone, still smiling!!


Went then to check out 'The Goat' but all three of us were a bit tired and it's a tough problem!! So we moved on to see 'F@%k all Left' and though I had at that stage blown two tips and was wasted tired, I thought... hmmm this seems doable with a bit of work!


My first 7a?