Finally been able to go climbing at the weekend again. Was going to go out and climb on real rock with Jonny from work for the first time, but the weather was a bit rainy and windy! So, we went indoors instead.

We were leading, I took the first climbs, starting on a 5+ which was pretty easy and then onto an absolute pig of a 6a+. I’m sure it’s harder than that… or perhaps I just can’t gauge lead climbs yet. I came off twice at the same point, but managed it in the end. After that, we stepped down to a 6a, which tbh was easy, so went back on to another 6a+, which I knew was hard. The crux move on it is horrendous, far harder than most of the other moves in the main toproping hall. I came off it pretty badly and then when went to get past it, was held back by a bit of sloppy belaying. Don’t you hate it when your belaying pins you to the wall. Calling “you’ve got me too tight” was probably a bad plan too, as it was heard as the opposite. Next time, I need to call “more slack!”. After getting past that, I wasn’t in any fit state to finish the route properly and so just used pretty much anything to get to the top. PUMPED!

After that we finished up on a 5+/6a, which was pretty easy, but my arms/fingers were so tired that I was very close to coming off in a number of places. When jonny attempted it, he managed to get his leg looped around the rope just as he came off. This meant I was having trouble managing the slack and he ended up falling about 3-4 metres, lifting me in the air too. Quite hairy!

Still, he didn’t hit the ground, which is I guess the point! I needed to have moved closer to the wall when I realised there was a problem, rather than just trying to reduce the slack in the system as far as possible despite it being around his leg. Oh well, no harm done and I’ve learned a lesson.