At least a million people

Kev on 'The Funk' (7b+)

'You southsiders should just stay over your side of the Liffey' were the taunts that met us as we came around the corner to Aytons Cave today -

Claire, Matt, Eamon, Paddy, Carole, Andy and others were already there already and myself, Tim and Barry had just arrived!

It had been an fun trip across town to get there, I just missed a train out to Howth and had to wait a half an hour at the station for the next one, which was mind numbing, but then Tim text me and said himself and Barry were heading out and would pick me up along the way - happy days!!

The cave was wet when we arrived - the foot holds of Carolines traverse were slippy wet, glistening in the sunlight with wet!! It took me three attempts at the opening move before I got a bit angry at my feet slipping and tore through the warm up twice in a row just to remind myself I could climb - I felt a little out of touch with the cave having not been there in two weeks.

Tim and Barry had both blasted through it first go.

Tim and I started to work Loco Total, which was in bad condition. It was really wet and we plied it with tissue paper to dry it. While it did improve, it was really important to keep moving on it. The damp seeping holds were not allowing us to hang around on them as they would on dryer days. I made it all the way to the final hold, and if I'd milked the rest a while longer I think I'd have sent it...

But it occurred to be that I wasn't overly bothered about the end... the cool moves are in the middle, and I'd done them already.

Shane and Ron arrived along, followed by Chris a while later and Colm later still and while I sat for a minute, taking a rest, I looked into the cave and it just looked manic! The guys were working Carolines Traverse (6b), Chris, Matt, Kev and Eamon were on 'The Funk' (7b+) , Loco Total (7a) was occupied and Ron was on Solstice (7a+)... It seemed like there were at least a million people there!

Quite a bit into 'the epic session' it would turn out to be and not before Carole and Claire had braved the Irish Sea for a swim, Carole, Claire, Paddy and Andy left, Matt, Barry and Tim called it a day soon after that and it became a far quieter bouldering session after everyone had gone. By the time we were having our final attempts, energy levels had dropped significantly...

Ron on Solstice (7a+)

Ron had been showing me the moves on Solstice and I was getting really excited about the line. Having done Loco, and read in the guide that it was the 'classic of the cave', I wondered would the rest of the lines in Ayton's Cave be as good?

Solstice starts at the same point as Loco Total and moves through that line until all the cool moves have been completed.

Me on Solstice (7a+)

THEN!, it bails right instead of left, and the holds get smaller and the moves get harder and better. All in all, I think it's better than Loco Total, because all the best bits of Loco Total are still included and THEN, there's this gnarly toe hooking, foot jamming, can't see what I'm holding onto, finish that's WAY better than the finish to Carolines!!

Psyched to get back on again!!

Ron made great progress on it, stringing together nearly the entire final sequence and Chis and Kev were both looking solid on 'The Funk' - This calls for another session soon methinks!!

Chris on the Funk (7b+)

I left my house at 2pm today and got to the cave at 4pm... Got in the door this evening at about 9.30pm give or take (thanks for the lift home Ron!)... I'm absolutely shattered!!

It should be noted that I only started taking photos when most people had gone!