Finally managed to get up to Lord’s Seat after a dry spell and get the second ascent of ‘The Uncertainty Principle’, this was recently put up by Tom Peckitt and he gave it font 8a+. I’d had a brief play on this a few months back and loved it but found it hard. I’d been dying to get back and try it again but after doing the 50 minute walk in twice and finding it wet and unclimbable I was beginning to lose the love for chancing it again so when I was training I would keep the moves in the back of my mind and try and simulate them when I had the opportunity!

However a chance to go back up with Naomi on a stunning winters day got my fully psyched. The conditions were top and the first two goes saw my falling off the last of the hard moves with only a few tricky moves above. I began to worry though as each go got worse as I got tired and my toes started to go numb as the sun was going down. I went for a snowy run and necked a load of ginger tea and felt ready for action again. Next minute I was at the top a happy man, only to be told to hurry up and get down by Naomi as we were facing an epic walk out in the dark on the icy path down, it was cool. I only fell over badly once!

A few weeks previously I got to a snowy brimham and repeated the 8a+, MR C. This is a cool traverse the has a bit of everything on it, I even found a bat hang!!

The training for the spring season is going well, this does mean that Im not managing to feel fresh all the time but hopefully the peak will come when I want it and Im happy just to tick over outside.

Really cant wait to tick off a few off the new gritstone routes I ve lined up. Some will be classics of the future!!!

JB