Cave Life

Kev working Man Eater (7b+)

Got in from Ayton's Cave last night at about 11.30pm after an ok session on Loco Total...

It beat me again, but conditions were awful - the holds never dried and though I got a move further on the line, dry features and holds would have been a nice bonus!

Getting to the Cave last night was great craic - we arrived too early and the tide was in so we couldn't walk around - Naomi and Paul didn't have pads so they just climbed up and over a fairly high bit of cliff, but Kev and I didn't like the look of it with so much weight on our backs so Kev rolled up the ends of his tracksuit bottoms and strolled through the water in his runners...

The sun was shining and it didn't look like he got THAT wet... I thought it looked like fun...

I followed him around the corner through the water and it turns out - it was fun, but I have had soggy squelchy runners ever since... not a good move!!

Naomi, me, Tim, Chris, Kev, Paul, Tom, Ron, John and Claire were all there and though it wasn't the most productive session ever - with wet holds everywhere - it was great craic!

Tim even abandoned his climbing shoes for his swimming trunks mid way through the session and braved the evening waves of Howth for a quick swim... Needless to say he was on his own!

...

I'm convinced Loco Total will go next session. (hope I don't have to eat my words!)

Getting around the corner now feels solid after the link up between Loco Total and Caroline's Traverse... I knew what I was doing last night.

If it hadn't been for a foot slip from a slippy foot hold on one of my efforts I believe I had more in the tank to continue on further - but the end move is going to be tough, so after I was finished last night and too tired to climb anymore I practiced Kev's knee bar rest in the corner of Caroline's Traverse just before the final few moves.

That's going to be crucial!

Great night in what has to be Dublin's Premiere Bouldering Facility!!

Naomi Working Caroline's Traverse (6b) nearly in the dark!!

A 'Nearly There' Session!

The view from Howth out to Bray

After such a beautiful day yesterday, I was pretty happy out this weekend for bouldering fun, Portrane and Ayton's Cave were on the cards today, and Ayton's Cave won out in the end -

I was psyched to go, and John had said he was going too, so generously - Portrane was put on hold and Barry picked me up from Cherrywood and we drove out to Howth.

This weekend's weather has been nothing short of spectacular by Irish standards... 20 degree heat and clear blue skies - but the Cave makes no sense!

I was there last Wednesday and it was hailstoning/raining the whole time - totally dry cave... Today after 3 days of no rain what so ever - some of the holds were damp - none we actually wet - but the dampness was a constant concern...

John had the answer when he arrived, tissues plaster on to the holds amazingly well and soak up all the dampness, getting into every little groove - it's the way forward and far more effective than towels or cloths -

Barry blasted through Caroline's Traverse but I had trouble remembering the sequence and it took me a few attempts to figure it out - I wasn't too concerned though - my mind was on linking the moves of Loco Total -

The start moves held me back at first, but Barry put it all in context for me when he made the point that sometimes I'm not going to hit a hold perfectly - but I just need to keep going and get the move done!!

I took that on board and the whole thing came together for me today - I made it almost to Caroline's Traverse where the two lines join about 3 times and on my final attempt I linked it all up but I fell off the move coming around the corner of Caroline's Traverse - just after the join up... just before the rest!!

I was totally psyched to have made progress, but gutted to have fallen off at that point!

I was deliriously pumped and all systems failed at once!

I lay in a heap on the ground, unable to move!!

Barry on Maneater (7b+)

Barry made progress on Maneater and he looked solid on it - As I watched him work the problem time and time again, it occured to me that it wasn't that much different to Loco Total - the holds are just smaller, and the heel hooks are more tenuous and higher... the idea's the same though!!!

The guys arrived and John looked like someone had pressed the 'fast-forward' button as he climbed Carolines Traverse!

He went on to work the moves of a potential new line and the sequence through 'Maneater' looked like an absolute breeze - amazing to watch...

I nearly did Loco Total (7a) today, Barry nearly did Maneater (7b+) and John nearly sent his Project (hard!)... Nearly nearly nearly!!

Epic evening's climbing!!!

Stamina fail at Ayton's Cave!

Barry working on Maneater, I think?! (7b)

Met Frank at Sutton Dart Station today and we set off for a lovely walk through Howth to get to Ayton's Cave. When we reached the Martello Tower we were stopped by a random man who asked: 'Are you going bouldering in Ayton's Cave?!'

Nice to meet a well informed member of the public!!

The forecast looked dodgy yesterday, but the weather ended up being lovely and sunny and super warm - which didn't seem to matter at all in the cave.

I thought I'd just have a quick warm up on Caroline's Traverse (6b) and while I moved fairly easily through the opening 3m or so and around the corner my arms were pumped to bits by the final sequence which is a further 2m, give or take...

Barry and Chris completed the traverse and moved on to Loco Total - They both Flashed it. (that problem looks AMAZING!)

Myself, Kev Frank and Paul worked away on Caroline's Traverse. A few attempts later Kev sent it and suggested to me that I practice the end of it. I started at the corner and seemed to move fairly hassle free (though I had a small amount of faffing with my feet) through the final moves.

Paul working Caroline's Traverse (6b)

Attempting it from the start however, was a totally different kettle of fish! By the time I got to the end moves the small amount of faffing I had done before, and repeated again was enough to spit me off as my hands were left unable to hold on any longer.

Barry suggested a pretty straight forward sequence to me, and I hopped on the problem from half way again and practiced it, again, completing the end with relative ease...

I thought - ok, I have it wired now!

Frank and Paul both made progress on the traverse between my attempts, but we all seemed to have the same issue...

Stamina!

The moves were mine, but I failed each time in the same spot quite simply because I couldn't hold on anymore.

The cave is definitely the Summer venue for bouldering around Dublin, and I intend to get out there as much as I can -

In order to make it work though, (and it hurts to admit it) I may have to practice climbing more than 3m at a time...

All in all we spent nearly 2 hours working on the traverse and got more and more tired as the time passed. I can't wait to get back there again and finish it!!