A little indulgence this weekend by getting out onto the rock, bouldering, for the first time since I left the UK. It was only an hour stolen from a hectic schedule of cars, visits and preparations for my parents visit on thursday. It was bloody excellent however, back to a little spot I found a while ago on the coast. Really nice clean granite beside the sea but with the nastiest landings I've ever seen - the rock has contrived to break up into thin sheets leaving the base of most of the best lines scattered with almost knife sharp boulders. Last summer I found one face unadorned with such cleavers and spent some time tinkering around at its base. On my return this sunday I found it had not only grown in size but my climbing had improved - a rather unfortunate combination leaving me stranded halfway up the rock face whimpering as I comtemplated the absolutely committing nature of the hitherto unreached last move. I leapt off, avoiding the bacon slicers at the bottom, on more than one occaission before gaining the realisiation, as usual quite slowly, that this ones a bit hard - a project for the summer then. For those of you who are really interested its a pefectly vertical face with a hard starting move off poor crimps and a layaway to gain a good jug on the left arete. Step up on poor foot holds to gain a small crimp for the right hand (long stretch), leave the security of the jug and.......who knows, in my case peel off the rock with a cry of terror.

The good news is that I'e got a job interview next week, which is nice, a biotechnology company, or rather, one which links companies with companies and encourages colloboration - all good.

weather: blue skies, 20+.....but will it last?
how can you resist the temptation.....
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