North Wales Climbing
9th June 2009
I was over in North Wales for an SPA training with Phil George, despite being certain of rain it was actually great weather and we had a great couple of days. Phil is a great teacher, he’s an IFMGA guide and really knowledgeable and enthusiastic on all everything mountaineering and climbing. After the first day out me and the other two guys decided to go climbing up in Bus Stop Quarry, this is on the HVS Solstice which I think Phil did the first ascent of in the mid-eighties, my old guide has that I repeated in 1987 which sounds about right.
We found time the next day to visit the Beacon indoor wall, this is amazing. Walls have altered beyond recognition since I last went to one. At the Beacon I was fascinated by a self belay device, basically a tape on an inertia reel that takes in as you climb, when you fall it releases slowly and you’re lowered to the floor. When completing the route you basically jump backwards off and it lowers you off. The next two shots are of me on it, it took me two goes before I was happy to jump off, the first time I couldn’t do it and back climbed to near the floor. It’s the weirdest thing to just let go like that but a great, great piece of kit, I’m not sure if any of the walls at home have this or not.
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