Stanage Sand bags!

I was keen to get out and the weather was great so took the motor on a spin over the strines (note its very easy to ground the car when accelerating down dips)..

I met Jim, Jon and Luke at Plantation and was immediately suggested the HVS 5b of Fina, a quality looking route which involves a traverse and some high steps feling high for small holds to balance you. Well i suspect i was sandbagged but the route was excellent - felt tough for HVS maybe E1 but well worth getting on.

Next we headed over to some random 1 * HVS that Jim had seen but he had his bottom handed to him on a plate - i peered over the top thining about a go but it looked desperate. Another Sandbag perhaps.

We found a few random things to try Lookout flake a HS i topped out in very dodgy style almost rolling myself off the top.

Dodgy rolling top outs

I was again beated on a very straightforward looking Severe - i chickened out before even getting on the crack.

Me backing off a severe crack as it was too scary to solo

 

We then soloed Ampitheatre Face which was an excellent VS with a boulder problem start and pleasant finish

Jon on Ampitheatre face

We also did a couple of Craggsy 'route/problems' which were pretty tough both getting HVS some desperate moves gained the top and it wasn't a nice landing. Shard and Splinter - some thin slab moves!

All in all a good day but a lot of sandbags - who said the peak was soft?