Tremadog climbing

Crag: Craig Bwlch y Moch, Tremadog
Routes: Hail Bebe (VD:led p.2,4), Striptease (VS 5a:sec), The Fang (HVS 5a,5a:sec), Meshach (HVS 4c,5a:led p.1)
Despite the supposed arrival of high pressure after weeks of unsettled weather since we returned from France, dispiriting steady drizzle accompanied my drive west. Tremadog is the obvious choice in such circumstances, but it was still raining as I met Mick at the cafe, so we went up to Bwlch y Moch to do an easy route. I'd never considered doing Hail Bebe before, but it's a nice route. Mick led up a short thrutchy chimney, before I 'led' the scrappy path through a jungle to merge with the next pitch, which takes a nice clean crack up to a comfortable tree. Mick led up the continuation crack, pleasant, to the stance on One Step. The rain got heavier as I led the final pitch which takes the obvious exposed traverse line also taken by the final pitch of One Step (which I last did in 1994). This is polished and hence required care in the wet conditions: I foot traversed the flake, as the grade suggests. We then met Vic, and waited in the cafe for the rain to stop. It was still spitting after a cuppa so we did the classic wet weather option up the steep chimney of Striptease. I've led this before and remembered it well, so Mick brought us both up as a warm-up. It's a good little route - with three distinct cruxes up small overhangs, made much easier by adopting a 'traditional' approach. The rock in the chimney is almost like juggy tufa limestone in places, reminiscent of some routes at Chateauvert for instance. By the time we abbed down, the rain had stopped, so Vic led the first pitch of The Fang. This goes up an awkward crack before traversing across to good moves laybacking a steep crack with little footholds on a small arete. Tricky to do it as a rope of three, so I waited on top of the pillar while Mick led through. The second pitch gives superb and varied climbing, across the steep wall below 'the fang'. Very fingery until you find the crucial pocket. Then a blind grope around the arete, for which I went too high and was faced with delicate edging until I moved lower down to gain better holds. The route than changes character as you inch up the long slab - immaculate, quite delicate climbing with small positive holds and superb rock throughout. Little pockets and flakes make it straightforward but never too obvious or simple. I then led the first pitch of Meshach, another very obvious gap in my Tremadog CV. This was just what I needed after a summer with little climbing: long (35m), absorbing, well-protected and very enjoyable. It takes an intricate, weaving line between Grim Wall and Shadrach. Up blocky rock to a nice groove, then easily up to the flake on Shadrach before a delicate traverse left on little positive holds to a tiny ledge. Up a crack to a perfect spike, after which I continued up the crack rather than moving left to the belay - I was obviously enjoying myself too much! This gave another traverse and meant event more weaving around. The top pitch is even better. Steep flakes and ledges lead up to the peg, before superb moves above the overlap using a small pocket and one polished foothold gain easier climbing. Another intricate pitch, which then moves left before a long traverse right on perfectly positioned small positive holds. Surprisingly unpolished and a really great route - probably does warrant HVS, but low in the grade.

Moel Famau fell race

Race: Cilcain Mountain Race (5m/1237ft/AS)
Time/Position: 35:59 (9th from 165 [2nd V40])
Although I was one place higher up the field than last year, and took 25 seconds off my time, I failed to retain the veteran's trophy - probably just proving that I was a tad lucky to win it last year. That said, given the fact that I still had Ras Beca in my legs from Saturday, I felt this went reasonably well (a novelty pre-race haircut at the Cilcain show helped by removing 0.5 grams!). It's a very different style of race to Ras Beca, of course, with a lot more climbing and a lot less bog. However, I did feel a bit tired and stiff until we got to the steeper section up the zigzags where I got into my stride and began to pick up places. Got to the top in less than 20 minutes and retained my place during a reasonable descent (by recent standards anyway, given achilles problems). Felt stronger than usual on the final climb back to the village and gained a place here. Unseasonably cold throughout. My 8th running of this race.

Ras Beca

Race: Ras Beca (5m/1050ft/BS)
Time/Position: 41:03 (10th from 110 [3rd V40])
A classic short race across the Preseli Hills in North Pembrokeshire, perhaps better suited to amphibians and other aquatic creatures than normal bipeds. Although I didn't really need to do this as a Welsh Champs counter, having already done a 'short' at Llangynhafal, it was a good excuse to make a family weekend of it in this lovely area. We camped in a tranquil spot below the hills in Blaenffos and enjoyed some pleasant outings before the race, which starts in the middle of nowhere and involves plunging into a neck-deep bog after an initial 400m sprint. This sets the tone, bog and tussocks across an empty moor heading for the mercifully dry(ish) slopes of Carn Goedog. Local knowledge helped for this initial section, and so I inevitably lost ground before clawing a bit back as we ran across the main Preseli ridge to Mynydd Bach and along the side of Foel Feddau. Not really enough climbing to suit me, but I had a good descent and felt reasonably strong as we re-entered the bog of Waun Brwynant. At least one headlong fall on this section (I later discovered I'd bruised my armpit, a novel injury) but I gained a place or two during the manic finish, which involves negotiating a taped-off maze through a giant bog with numerous stretches of waist-deep open water. All this for the benefit of the spectators: excellent fun, a great event, and particularly satisfying to have visited all four corners of Wales during this year's Championships.

Tryfan climbing

Peaks/Crag: Tryfan (East Face)
Routes: Grooved Arete (VD:led p.1,3), Belle Vue Bastion (VS 4c,4b:led p.2), Linear Climb (S 4a:led), Gashed Crag (VD: led p.1,3), Bubbly Wall (HS 4b:led)
A bit of a trip down memory lane, as it's been 20 years since I last did the classic mountaineering routes of Gashed Crag and Grooved Arete. The day had a bit more than that, though, and was a very satisfying outing. Some mist and black clouds as Mick and I slogged up to the Heather Terrace, both of us still a bit tired after Saturday's tough race and a 10k recovery run yesterday. I led the first pitch of Grooved Arete, which goes up a very polished corner before taking steeper cracks up to easy slabs. The second pitch is better, culminating in a lovely delicate groove. The route was obviously even more polished than it was back in 1991! I led a scrappy third, then we moved together for another 50m pitch, finding the most continuous line up broken rocks to the base of Terrace Wall but sadly missing the best upper pitches of GA. There was a good reason for this, though, as neither of us had done Belle Vue Bastion before, and it is a wonderful line up the imposing front of the steep Terrace Wall. Easy climbing over blocks leads to a short groove, before a tricky move on little positive pockets gains a curving narrow slab. Neat moves up this to the Grove of Bollards, a fantastic place with mist swirling around and intermittent views down to Ogwen. Superb rough rock throughout this route, a huge contrast with GA's polish. I led the spectacular but easy second, with its famously photogenic traverse above the void to gain a groove and mantelshelf which leads to easier climbing. This section was mossy and wet, however, after several weeks of unsettled weather. A fine climb, low in the grade with only one tricky move, marred only by its brevity. We descended North Gully, then I led Linear Climb - on the left of Terrace Wall - after a brief lunch. This was slightly disappointing, not helped by the fact that it was wet and dirty. A nice groove goes up to a small roof, good moves left avoid the roof to gain a slab, then steep moves on flat holds lead to another groove. I climbed above the belay for a few metres and brought Mick up. The rest of the second pitch looked pointless - a wet, mossy scramble, so we traversed off into North Gully and enjoyed scrambling down Little Gully back down to Heather Terrace. It seemed very likely that our next target, Munich Climb, would be soaking, so we did the other uber-classic Gashed Crag instead. Again, 20 years since I did this and, again, it was even more polished than I remembered. We romped up the route in just over an hour, though, really good fun. I led the long first up surprisingly steep and polished cracks, while Mick merged the thin grooves up to the 'Gash' with the polished chimney, a notorious thrutch. The chimney is particularly awkward with big sacks, which is what we both had, and I had vague memories of Tim and I having to dump ours and come back for it later! Fine alpine climbing up the easy ridge led in two pitches to the final wall, where I decided to lead the alternative (much better) finish up Bubbly Wall. I had no memory of doing this before. An awkward scramble up to a wet crack precedes an exciting sequence across the left wall on small holds to gain a small arete and then the upper wall. This has lovely rough pocketed holds, as the route's name suggests, but was wet and mossy in places today. Nothing too troubling, though, and a fine way to finish on the South Summit in atmospheric mist. Well over 1000ft of climbing today, I would have thought, which was nice after such an inactive summer in rock climbing terms. We jogged down the south ridge to the stile, then down the scree to the Cwm Tryfan path. More gentle running down the cwm below the increasingly mist-shrouded East Face back to Ogwen.

Lletty fell race

Race: Lletty (9m/2900ft/AM)
Time/Position: 1:25:57 (3rd from 44 [1st V40])
When I last did this route two years ago I came away thinking that it was the hardest fell race in NE Wales. Although I surprised myself by taking well over five minutes off my 2009 time today, I still think it is the toughest local race: a splendid, satisfying workout. The start is brutal, a vertical (seemingly!) mile of climbing from the bottom of the Vale of Clwyd up to the main ridge, followed by a short-lived descent to the ultra-steep climb up Moel Arthur. I didn't feel very good on this, having not warmed up properly, and found myself well behind Neil, Jez and another runner as we crested Arthur. But then I gradually started to gain on third place during the climb back up to Moel Llys y Coed. Good running along the ridge, light rain and wind, before the long descent down to the Cilcain reservoir. Then comes the contouring and boggy climb all the way up to Moel Famau. I felt slow and over-cautious on all the descents, concerned about the achilles, and lost sight of the third runner on all of them: particularly the very long descent from Famau back down to the bottom of the Vale. However, as we climbed yet again back up to the ridge at Moel Dywyll, a viscious climax, I realised I had the legs to gradually gain on him and passed him just below the ridge. He was still close for the long run along the ridge, but I managed to pull out a bigger gap along the undulating ridge to finish 3rd overall. My first race since Snowdon, so quite pleased that all the recent cycling doesn't seem to have done any harm.

Filiast scrambles/Glyderau run

Peaks/Crag: Carnedd y Filiast, Mynydd Perfedd, Foel Goch, Y Garn
Routes: Solo Slab (D:sol), Underlap (VD:sol), Little One (M:sol), Undulation (M:sol), The Waved Slab/Seagull (D:sol)
Area: Glyderau, Eryri
A small weather window in an unstable week, and an even smaller two hour window for me to squeeze some scrambling and running into a family day out. Kate dropped me off on the A5 at Ty'n y Maes and I ran flat out down the old road to Tai Newyddion. The usual tough steep slog along the wall into Cwm Graeanog and straight up to the Red Slab. All the routes here are in the same vein, easy slabs and excellent friction: a perfect spot for solo wandering. I climbed the left side of Solo Slab up a quartz crack, then did Underlap on the main slab. This is a fine companion to Central Route (see May 2010) and takes a sort of tubular groove curving rightwards up the slab. Lovely simple movement, leading to a ledge and dirty corner. I went up this to the block, but it was very vegetated so I descended the corner and nipped up the slab of Little One before traversing across to the scree and slogging up to the waved slab. After all the recent rain, I was not surprised to find wet black moss across the lower 20m of this. The solution was obvious, however: I took the clean narrow rib of Undulation in the left-hand gully, pleasant scrambling which eases quickly, then traversed right to the Waved Slab a little higher up. This is unique: a dried-up seabed which gives an unusual slabby scramble moving from 'wave' to wave. Wet in places, rather insecure higher up with more moss and vegetation, and surprisingly lengthy (at least 150m). I took the left-hand edge of the slab for the most part, which is actually the VD line of Seagull. At the top, it deteriorates into heather shelves so I moved left into the gully. Fine running over the summit of Filiast then along the ridge to Perfedd. Clouds clearing Snowdon, some watery sunshine through the high cloud. Ran all the way up the steep zigzags to Foel Goch, then up Y Garn before running down Banana Ridge to meet Kate in Ogwen cottage. Exactly two hours in total.

Tour of the Peak

Cycle Sportive: Tour of the Peak long route (100m)
Time/Position: 7:40 (153 from 280)
This was a pleasingly tough way of concluding the year's road cycling interlude, always with the knowledge that if I hadn't picked up my running injury last Christmas I wouldn't have even sat on a bike. It was nice to be able to exploit any bike-specific fitness gained from my recent Alpine trip, but I am still way off the pace in these events - very much the novice - and completely unable to generate any kind of speed on the flat and therefore painfully slow overall compared to the serious cyclists. The climbs, where I presumably benefit more as a fell runner, are a different story: I am rarely passed on the steeper stuff, and there was plenty of that today as this route (based on the oldest bike race in Britain) takes in the Peak's three most notorious climbs of the Cat and Fiddle, Winnats Pass and Holme Moss. They are not what makes this event hard, though. Rather, it is the smaller digs scattered throughout the 100 miles which sap the energy (over 3000m/10000ft of climbing spread over the 100 miles apparently). I set off at 7.20am from Chapel en le Frith, riding up into the mist during the first climb past Windgather rocks (memories of my 40 rock climbs here last September). Some steep sections, and short drops, gain the descent to Macclesfield. The climb up the Cat and Fiddle was perfect for me - Alpine style, longish (7m) and gentle, with no need for the small ring. Exactly 30m from Macc to the pub, an ideal echo of my trips up the Galibier, Izoard et al a week or two ago. After a fine descent across the moors into the pretty limestone of the White Peak, the route climbed Miller's Dale to the first feed at Tideswell after 33m. Felt very fresh at this point, as the route swung round various climbs to Castleton and the savage climb up Winnats Pass. Lovely sunshine and a slight headwind for this famously steep 2k, which ramps up to 20% towards the top. I managed to ride it all without stopping, seeing at least three cyclists topple over. The climb continues over Mam Nick, and I comforted myself with the knowledge that the last time I passed this point I was in far more discomfort (the final stages of the Edale Skyline fell race in March 2009!). A great ride down the Vale of Edale all the way to Bamford and Ladybower reservoir. Then a climb up the Sheffield road and an unwelcome series of steep climbs and descents which lasted all the way north over Strines Moor and Bradfield Moor to the second feed at Langsett. Some brutally steep sections. Steady light rain and a headwind for the crossing of the bleak moorland around Crow Edge before a wet descent to Holmfirth. Then comes the crux: the climb up Holme Moss. In normal circumstances this would be OK but after 75 miles and much climbing its steep hairpins were rather painful. A fast descent, sunny again, led to yet more climbing above Torside Reservoir over Devil's Elbow to Glossop, then another dig up Chunal Moor for which I got a second wind and blasted it in a big gear. Another pull from Hayfield over Chinley Head gained the final descent to Chapel. Much harder than the Cheshire Cat (see March 2011), this was a satisfying circuit of the Peak, even if the dank moors, drizzle and poor road surfaces did made me pine for the Alps a bit!

London riot run

Needed a long road run, as late and inadequate preparation for the forthcoming Vyrnwy half marathon - but I never expected it to involve sprinting through riot-torn streets. Left Dunkirk at 8am after a long drive from Provence yesterday, and arrived in Chingford at midday after driving past the burning warehouse in Enfield Lock. All a bit of a culture shock after my last run amidst the vineyards of Gigondas, and Saturday's ride up Ventoux! I ran from Chingford through the industrial estates to the Sony warehouse, huge plumes of choking black smoke billowing across the road with bits of debris scattered all over the road. A unique experience running through the smoke, past police, onlookers and firemen, followed by the weird atmosphere around Ponders End and Chingford Mount - boarded up shops and a palpable tense air following last night's violence. An interesting run, but actually quite valuable in training terms as I kept a decent sub 7m pace going throughout the 11 miles.

Dentelles de Montmirail

Peaks: Les Florets (620m), Dent du Turc (626m)
Area: Dentelles de Montmirail, Provence
Routes: NW Arete (uII), Chambre du Turc route (uII)
Last night's thunderstorm passed over in the early hours, but the rain did not relent. We were eventually forced to evacuate the campsite and head for a motel in Bollene. After an hour or two drying out, I realised we still had most of the day left, our last before heading north and home, so we decided to put the original plan into action and forget about the weather. I drove down through the Rhone Villages vineyards to Gigondas, which even in torrential rain looked like paradise on earth. A delightful perched village, with vineyards all around producing its famously superb wine, and a sharply pinnacled limestone ridge rising above it giving hundreds of climbs at all grades. As so often in this part of the world, it just seems a little unfair to the visitor from less fortunate parts! After walking round the village in the rain, I ran up to the Col de Cayron with torrents of mud pouring down the unmetalled track, and jogged up the steep forest tracks to the climber's path traversing the crags below the main summit of the Dent du Turc. This looks like a spire from both sides, but there is a rather remarkable 'voie normale' up it. However, I had no guidebook so initially looked for a way onto the spine of the ridge after an enjoyable though slippery scramble gained a col between the Dent and Les Florets. I spied a square-cut groove just left of the ridge crest and took this - very wet - up to the Florets ridge, which was quite spectacular even in this weather. After descending I followed a path below the Dent du Turc but couldn't find any feasible route. After returning to the col, however, I did spot some old route markers. These led up slabby shelves, fine scrambling, to some cables which give access to the Chambre du Turc - a large (bone dry!) cave. Amazingly, a green arrow pointed upwards at the back of the chamber, so I followed it, squeezing into a tight slanting tunnel that twisted up and round towards daylight. A further wet squirm through a puddle saw me pop out of the tunnel to gain a ledge above the west face and an easy scramble to the top. Unexpected, to say the least! I was completely soaked to the skin by now, because the rain did not relent throughout. After reversing the scramble, I ran flat out back to the car, arriving less than an hour after leaving.

Mont Ventoux

Road cycling: Bedouin-Mont Ventoux-Bedouin
Distance/Climb: 50k/1622m
Peaks: Mont Ventoux (1909m)
If Alpe d'Huez was a predictable way to start the holiday, the 'Geant de Provence' was an equally predictable finale, squeezed into a brief halt on our long journey home. The most legendary climb of all, it did not disappoint. After pitching the tent just outside Bedouin, I began the classic route up, the one always used by the Tour. A headwind battered me even as I made my way up the gentle slopes above the village with vineyards on either side: a buffeting higher up seemed likely. This first section is easy, but there is no chance of being lulled into a false sense of security as the peak looms directly above - the way it rises directly from flat Provencal vineyards is what makes it so special. Then comes the brutal first hairpin, which leaves you fumbling for small gears, followed by the relentless climb through the forest. This is very different from the Alpine cols of last week, as it just goes straight up with no hairpins to ease the angle. It was quite humid, with sunny intervals, but I felt comfortable and well trained after last week's exploits, so just churned upwards in a small gear. The long pull is disrupted by one steep hairpin, before you leave the main forest section and see the summit again, still looking pretty distant. The route makes you work hard, staying steep all the way to the Chalet Reynard, where Kate was waiting. I was setting a reasonable time, so didn't linger, particularly as they'd understandably already spent the budget on crepes at the chalet! I'd taken about 75 minutes to Chalet Reynard, and felt great as the angle eases for the top section of the climb, which is hugely atmospheric and completely unique. All vegetation is left behind as you climb through the bare scree slopes of the upper mountain. I clicked up through the gears and went for it, passing numerous struggling cyclists. The wind was swirling around, giving me the classic Ventoux treatment. At times, it came from behind, at times from the side, until it battered straight into me for the final 2k past the Simpson memorial. This gave me a taste of the battle I'd been hoping for from Ventoux. Black clouds glowered ahead as I passed a Dutch cyclist to take the brunt of the wind past the final very steep hairpin to the summit in 1:49 from Bedouin, which I think is a relatively respectable time - for a runner at least! The summit was suitably hostile - cold and windy, with dark clouds overhead and limited views of the plains beyond. I descended to the Simpson memorial to pay my respects before enjoying the sensational descent, plummeting down the slopes into the warm air of the plains. Kate only caught up with me as the road levels out beyond the forest. A lovely evening in Bedouin followed, before the black clouds we'd been watching all day really got their act together and flooded the campsite with a violent and lengthy thunderstorm.

Corniche d'Or-Col du Testanier loop

Road cycling: Esterel-Cannes-Col du Testanier-Frejus-Esterel
Distance: 70k
Hard to imagine a more glamorous, scenic or varied short cycling loop than this. I left the caravan later than I would normally leave for a run, but still before 7.30am, and headed down to Agay before heading east along the Corniche d'Or. I've driven down here on many occasions, and cycled part of it on Tuesday, but to do the entire ride in morning sunshine was still memorable. Hundreds of other cyclists were doing the same thing, with the superb red walls of the Esterel peaks rising to the left and the low sunlight glittering off the sea to the right. The Corniche is surprisingly hilly at times, as the road negotiates the tight calanques beyond Antheor. All the fun ends as you enter the suburbs of Cannes after La Napoule, however. I had no map, and had a bit of a nightmare locating the N7 to Frejus through the Esterel massif. After several detours, I got the right road after consulting a bus stop map, and it gave a 15k climb up to the Col de Testanier. This was excellent, a miniature version of my Alpine ascents with perhaps 1000ft of climbing, and led through St Jean to shaded woodland and an easing of the angle to the Col de Testanier. It's probably a more consistent climb from the Frejus side: that side certainly gave a brilliant descent, very fast, before leaving me with the tricky task of negotiating the Frejus suburbs past St Raphael and Valescure to the campsite. We all had a family bike ride around the Perthus loop yesterday, which was equally good fun.

Dramont climbing

Crag: Cap Dramont, Esterel
Routes: Mirliton Productions (f4:led), RER (f3+:led), Slab Route 1 (f3+:sol), Slab Route 2 (f3+:sol), Slab Route 3 (f3+:sol), Slab Route 4 (f3+:sol), Slab Route 5 (f3+:sol)
After a rest on Sunday completed an entire week off running and gave my achilles a much needed chance to recover from the Snowdon race and other recent traumas, I enjoyed my favourite 8 mile run from the caravan round the Esterel via the Gorge du Perthus yesterday. Enjoyed so much, indeed, that I did it again at 6.30am this morning with low shafts of sunlight through the eucalyptus woods. The problematic achilles felt relatively good throughout. We then headed off for another family climbing session at Dramont. I led the fun and slabby Mirliton Productions at UK S (done before), which M managed quite easily, and then both E and M followed me up RER which takes the slabby lower arete. Dramont works as a morning summer venue if you stick to the west-facing walls, but RER was in full sunshine and therefore a tad uncomfortable, so we retired to the pool after I'd played around on the simple routes on the delightful slab of superb rough rock above the sea and opposite the Ile d'Or.