Flapper dabber doo!

Whitehouses opitimises all that is the wierd sport of bouldering

Regretting staying out late last night i emerged from the pit about 11. I knew i should have got the last bus home - oh well. Once caffeine levels were  restored and Jo had fed me a sausage butty i felt i had the strength and motivation to snatch some climbing on one of the nicest days for a while. I headed up to Whitehouses which is a little reasonably newly developed crag between Summerbridge and Pateley bridge, its for rock jocks only as the problems only really kick in about 7a+. There are only a few easier things that even tickaholic me didn't think were worth wasting skin on, a very good 6c and then you're into the 7's. Arriving and seeing the crag i thought it opitimises all that bouldering is. Its a random bit of rock with about 3 moves to get to the top with weird hanging starts of the lip of the roof i.e. nothing like real climbing but hey ho I quite like it.

Its been nearly 3 weeks since i last climbed and this has had a detrimental effect on my psyche levels so much so that the blogs psyche-meter didn't even go down that low. So getting out today was important for rebuilding my enthusiasm. The crag doesn't have much to  warm up on so i hung of a couple of holds to remind myself what this climbing malarky was all about and launched up the 6c "Fat punter's roof". I made pretty good progress holding the high hold from a big move but trying to avoid a scary heel hook that Huw had told and shown me was the way I eventually ran out of ideas and accepted i as going to have to man up. At this point i no longer managed to stick the hold so turned my attention else where.

A view of the crag - Rageh Omar climbs the short arete on the left hand end where the pads are. Fat Punters roof goes through theobvious massive hold on the left hand block

Next to this i tried a great arete called Rageh Omar Font 7a+,  My initial attempts were poor - i couldn't even pull on but after watching Huw i re-tried, suddenly with a crafty heel on I was actually hanging the starting holds. Quite a few goes later I managed to catch and more importantly hold the high hold and sent the problem.  I'm really pleased with this as:
a.) Font 7a+ is my top grade although i've now done a few,
b.) I did it in a single session and
c.) I did it feeling hungover and after a 3 week lay off.

Lanking it on Rageh Omar Font 7a+ (Huw's photo) 

 Looking hungover whilst lanking Rageh Omar (Huw's Photo)

I attempted another 7a+ that Huw was keen on but got nowhere; Huw tickled the finishing holds but then didn't get as far again, and eventually gave up trying to conserve his skin. Whilst Huw was trashing himself on this i tried to put Fat Punter's roof to bed but it tore 2 big flappers out of my hand as i was quite tired from all the big throwy moves that Whitehouses delights in. Huw was keen to head to Brimham to show me some new problems but I decided that conserving skin should be a priority so that i can get a day in at the weekend.

Flapper-tastic I tore another chunk out of my little finger after this was taken - nice!

On my psyche board at home one of my targets is a 7b this year so i'm on the look out for a problem that suits me. I have a feeling it could be at Whitehouses - I like the setting, i liked the rock and the style seems to play to my strengths. I will have to revisit and see.

 Huw cranking it out on Peshmurga Font 7a+