Cold Fusion Blog

After a week in Spain the next decent climbing session outdoors in Scotland seemed a long way off, especially as it was snowing when I returned. However with a good forecast for the weekend I didn’t hesitate in replying when Iain Moody suggested we head up to the North West for some sport climbing. The plan was to visit Gruinard Bays fabled sport crag Am Fasgadh which I didn’t have time for during a trip last summer. So with a grid ref and a topo courtesy of local new route Mafioso Paul Tattersal we trudged off toward some promisingly steep hillside. It turned out that the first crag wasn’t Am Fasgadh but in fact another crag called Goat Crag which held a few good looking long routes. After a quick call we were back on course another 300m along the hill to find what we came for. On first impression Am Fasgadh was slightly shorter and less steep than I imagined (funny how imaginary crags do that). The rock looked amazing like a fusion of Dumbie and the tunnel wall with calcite coated streaks.

Am Fasgadh (the shelter) basking in spring sunshine.

The routes at Am Fasgadh ranged from 7a-7c. What they lack up in height is made up for in powerful sustained moves. Lawrence’s route at 7c looked particularly appealing so I jumped straight on. However, I was quite shocked that it took all afternoon to workout and complete the moves. Iain didn’t seem to be fairing much better. A mixture of hot sun, bad technique and a big reach wasn’t helping me out. Finally, with the beta at hand I managed to puff my way to the chain 1st RP as the sun faded.
The next day (with the locals looking at us like we were crazy - as the Spanish do) we headed back to Am Fasgadh for another grilling. This time I decided to go for the right hand 7c which I was told was easier. Funny then that again I couldn’t do the crux section. After two dogging sessions I finally worked a way through the deviously technical middle section. With the light fading again I fired up the engines and blew my whistle, but sadly didn’t quite have the steam to fight my way past the final greasy crimp. However, my failure didn’t seem to matter and was by far made up for by the fine effort in wobbling up to that high point. I’ll definitely be back, but maybe on a cloudy, winder day! I dunno about the grading off these routes, that day they both felt 7c/+. It would be good to see what they feel like on a good day and what a wall technician on OS could make of them. Note to self sequence is: From jug, RH cross edge, LH side crimp. RF top square notch, LF small flake, RH 2F slope, RF jug, LH slope crack, RF top corner smear, LF small 70deg smear, RF edge, pop RH flat pinch, adjust to side, lift LF to small crack break, LH slap big round side pull, RF small edge in white patch, RH side edge, LH big side pull – fuck thats a technical 1.5M section!!!

Goat Crag looking like a peak bank holiday with Stork starting up the 7c.

It was also great to see so many folks out. Sunday was busy with nearly a dozen folk out to enjoy the great routes, sun and banter. That day Paul Tat. Succeeded on a new 7b+ and I’ve later heard Stork managed the LH exit to the prowl at F7c+. I’ll have to get back up soon with some fitness to try those.

After much searching I finally managed to find myself a new car before going on holiday. To an extent I had to get over my self pity a little bit. In a way I had something to prove to myself that I wasn’t a person that needed a car to get everywhere. Traveling to bus by work and walking was no trouble, neither was cycling to the new house with building gear on the bike. The simple truth was that these methods took far to long to execute leaving me knackered from the late nights and early mornings. Then I’ve not even started on the effects on my climbing, the word terminal seems to sum them up nicely. Later that week I also managed to get my specs fixed (It only took me 4 months!). The headaches at work from the 6 year old beer goggles have now stopped, so hopefully I wont drive into any more stationary cars on the way home. Cause and effect.

After a very hectic couple of months working hard and moving house I have been feeling very stressed out and run down. Good form training and on Sabotage has again slipped from my fingers. I was therefore glad to get back to Catalonia for a climbing holiday but understood that my ambitions would not be met. Without much of a plan I headed back to Siurana with Dave Macleod hoping for some inspiration.

Climber Tackling the crack of El Logurin on the middle right of Campigi Pugi.

On the first day back on Campigi Pugi I had play on El Membre F8c (a route with a particularly powerful crux) hoping it would suit me. My fears of not training enough seemed to be confirmed as I struggled to do the moves. Both of us decided we were a bit Siurana’d out so decided to check out the Margalef valleys a 40min drive away at the other side of the Monsant range. Mr Tweedley’s recommendation was a good one and we found plenty of hard routes to try. On are arrival to Margalef we headed straight to the Laboratori Cave. This didn’t disappoint and held several steep well chalked routes. After a scan at a topo we were happy to find out they were all F8b+/c, so jumped right on. I decided to try a F8b+ called A la Puta Rue, the left hand solution to the cave. Dave tried Darwin Dixit F8c. My initial impression was however poor and I binned it. Again I felt weak and got sore skin, a common problem at the start of a foreign trip.

The steepest section of sector Laboratori, Margalef contains loads of steep roadside F7-F8’s.

The next day we explored the southern valley and were quite impressed. The mid crag above the road looked superb and had a range of F7c-8a’s all tackling well pocketed steep (and importantly solid) limestone conglomerate. Knowing my own stamina weaknesses I decided to try a shorter F7c+ (15m). This I managed 3rd RP after another rest day fighting a chain pump on the final moves. Later that day we returned to the Laboratori where Dave managed the F8c first RP (that day) and even chalked up off the crux mono!!! He then went on to OS his first F8a, before casually finishing the day by dispensing the F8b+ first RP.

Dogging A La Puta Rue F8b+, Laboratori, Margalef. (Pic Dave Macleod Col)

After getting Daves beta for the F8b+ I decided to come back for another go. Surprisingly I managed all the moves with out too much fuss which goes to show the difference a bit of beta makes. By the end of the week I could do it in overlapping halves and even had a few RP’s but sadly time ran out and it was time to leave again. I also wasn’t convinced on Daves soft grading recommendation. On the last day at Siurana I tried the F8a+ on the boulder under sector Espero Primevera. This I found suited me very well with a nippy little crux reaching for a 2 finger press. After loads of RP I finally pulled through the crux but the bat wings popped out on the top wall and I couldn’t finish it. After I finished my minor tantrum I gave Dave a quick belay before catching the fight home.
The trip has again opened my eyes to how much my climbing improves with more stimulus. I’m now going to try and train three times a week and get out more at weekends! I now understand just how much work its going to take to complete my own projects. I just hope that my lifestyle is stable enough now that I can maintain these training sessions.