After living in France for three years, I’ve written a tongue-in-cheek piece about the joys and maddening moments from my time here. From la baguette to le best of, and from cheese to champions, there’s a lot to learn!
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A trip to the American desert: crack climbing! Christelle and I became part of the sand, the sky, and the cracks after a few weeks here.
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Running through a park on a winter equinox, I look around. The shadows lengthen at the end of the day. I soon hope to be spending the festive season with Christelle in the UK but covid and brexit threaten the trip. Traveling during these times is complicated (I remember the faff coming back from Pakistan) and climbing during winter is a rarity.
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With the fire roaring in a winter refuge, we find comfort from the storm. With the glance at the mountains, I remember climbing those icy faces over a decade ago. And with the passing of time I find myself on a balcony watching the mountains set fire.
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Climbing runs through my life like a chord. The highs, lows and lucky days have made for a rich journey, where nothing is quite like it seems and covid-19 gives pause for a new reflection
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I have only memories of some my most enjoyable and richest experiences in life. I might’ve forgotten (or ignored) my camera, phone and watch. Does everything need to be shared? Does everyone need a GoPro on their ice axe to capture the ‘extreme’ selfie?
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Covid and climate change are deep concerns to our liberty, health and ability to go climbing - both here in Europe and around the world. But there’s hope on the horizon, and I’m motivated to do my part to help make positive change.
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A piece of writing about the encroaching fear that comes with the night, and bivvying in the mountains. A storm caught Pete Graham and I near the top of the Walker Spur (Grandes Jorasses) during a winter ascent. We slumped onto the only ledge we could find for a long, cold night…
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A short piece of writing about the ritual of coiling the rope at the end of another climbing day: tired arms and repetitively going through the motions, stacking loop over loop…
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After an eventful alpine climbing trip to Pakistan, I continued the ‘duffle shuffle’ lifestyle and then spent four months in Europe (mostly) living in my van. The simple existence of climbing, and where it takes you, is great fun. From sport to alpine to trad, and then almost to the mountains - before the corona virus arrived…
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A short piece of writing which delves deep into climbing, risk and reward. Climbing is everything, right? But what’s the point of it all?
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A short piece of writing about onsighting Authentic Desire, an E7 6b at Cloggy, with Alex Mason. I lured myself on with numerous optimistic, non-committal ‘maybes,’ until I was lay-backing the knife-edge arête and gunning for the top. Worth doing, and the route certainly lives up to its name.
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Returning to the sport climbing mecca of Ceuse was supposed to be ace - instead, it confirmed a minor injury and I looked for a change of scene. A solo of the Matterhorn’s Hornli ridge provided the answer.
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A short piece of writing about wanting to fly. Whenever I’m on a belay ledge, I look up with envy at the birds flying high above, and wish I was up there. Imagine if you could fly!
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Three short blogs, about New Year’s Eve 2018/19, sport climbing in Spain, and Van Life.
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