tdobson

[tdobson]

Someone asked me the other week if I'd taken up a new hobby during lockdown. "Zoom" was my reply. It didn't take us long to move the Climbing Clan to Zoom and those first few weeks were memorable for the excitement and the novelty. "Should I try and table boulder my table?" "Yeeeeeeeees" everyone shouted. "Do you want a tour of my house?" "Yeeeeees" came the reply. The Wednesday evenings continued and soon it became clear that chitchat and climbing different bits of furniture might not be enough to keep the Clan entertained. Lockdown continued... (at Zoom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBUuK--D2iM/?igshid=1eabp4hu1balb

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I was very young when I first did my first scramble up Eagle Crag. I loved it. So when we needed a fun little Scramble off we went up Eagle Crag. Stomp stomp. We walked along the valley. Stomp stomp stomp. We walked up the hill. "Are we nearly at the scrambling yet?" asked Alex Stomp stomp stomp stomp. We continued walking up the hill. We started using our hands. "Is that it?" said Alex. Apparently, what felt like a good scramble as an under ten yro isn't quite what the seasoned scrambler calls a scramble. Eagle Crag would be a scramble to the seasoned walker, and a walk to the seasoned scrambler! (at Eagle Crag) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBQQrQRDQYy/?igshid=c2mkpv34f8hj

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What was your last adventure before lockdown? Even as restrictions start to ease, things aren't going back to before straight away and some of the memories and stories of before will be important for some time to come. Technically, this wasn't my last adventure before lockdown - that happened the next day... (at Blencathra) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBNJz5sjoRA/?igshid=zk4ulyiuhoif

[tdobson]

The thing I miss most about the Climbing Clan weekends isn't climbing, it's community. On this trip just before lockdown, Antonio got everyone helping make dinner - and what a dinner it was! 👉Lots to chop? No problem, everyone wants to help. 👉Inadequate hobs? No problem, we can make it work. 👉Inadvisable batman toe hangs? No worries, I'll spot you! One of the really hard things to explain about Climbing Clan weekends sounds too twee when I say it: "You may arrive as strangers, but you leave as friends." But no matter what the weather, what you've accomplished, how few people you knew when you arrived - this always seems to be the case. Right now, I'm looking at the weekends away we have planned in the autumn and hoping we can make them run. I can't wait to go away with the Clan again 🤩 (at White Horse Inn At Scales) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAwuxpvDP8X/?igshid=a7dll6fx2acl

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Shortly before lockdown, The Caving Crew headed out to help show Matt, Max and Alan the ropes. Caving ropework is quite different to climbing ropework. Rather than using ropes to catch you if you fall, ropes are used to help you go up/down/along ropes that are the main route along there. The rope is part of the route and helps you move along. Your equipment for caving with ropes is called an SRT-kit and is different to climbing kit. There is a harness, but it's a caving harness with some differences - including some form of chest harness. There are two cowstails - like a sling is sometimes used in sport climbing, or via ferrata lanyards - these keep you safe when you need to clip into something. There is the hand jammer, footloop and security link - that helps you move up ropes. There's the chest ascender - that you use in tandem with you hand jammer and footloop. And there's also a descender and braking carabiner. For the Caving Crew, that means a Petzl Stop. On this evening trip to near Castleton, Alan, Matt and Max got their first taste of using caving gear to go up and down simple setups - which will help them visit more interesting and challenging caves! Once we can, we'll be doing more skill sharing evenings like this - if you fancy hearing about them - join The Caving Crew group on Facebook - all are welcome! (at Castleton) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAvN_Yejhv-/?igshid=2a3k20zc8q91

[tdobson]

Later Ashleigh would describe this trip as "the most scared I’ve probably ever been!!" but as we abseiled down to Garlands Pot to the long crabwalk, there was a bounce in our step. We'd been due to meet at 10am, but since Ashleigh was still incredibly hungover, by the time me and (Ashleigh kitted up in a brand new Caving Crew oversuit and SRT kit) headed into the cave, it was 3pm I’ve been told that one of the best places to be hungover is a quiet, dark cave and as we made our way down the high long passage at the start, Ashleigh made some spirited and successful attempts to avoid getting damp. Giants Round trip is a natural obstacle course with most of the notable obstacles occuring after the halfway point but Ashleigh was so eager to avoid water, that she climbing down the back of a ladder. Suddenly, Ashleigh's hangover and brief attempt at "dry March" ended abruptly in a mandatory pool of water. In one of the photos taken shortly afterwards, she's smiling, but possibly with the rage of a recently awoken cave monster planning to avenge the loss of the its self-inflicted alcohol-induced pain. Next came a traverse - the main challenge is psychological. If you can control your fear, if you can do anything but focus on the thing you want to focus on, you'll be fine... But if you focus on it, and it's right in front of you, you'll see a big drop that you're feeling very unsecured above. I pranced along like an underground bambi, forgetting perhaps that the newly awoken post-hangover zombie giving chase might prefer some encouragement and guidance and possibly slowing down a bit. There were bits that followed. Some were easy. Some were challenging. Some would have been easy had they not happened after everything else. Eventually, we made it to the bottom of the rope we had to go up. I went first. Would Ashleigh make it up - after everything she'd been through? Would she remember what she needed to do? Not long afterwards, we were laughing and heading out into the quiet evening. "I'd like to do it again" said Ashleigh, "in like 3 years time!" (at Giant's Hole) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAo0xrlj06J/?igshid=1dxtyq0e5gyfn

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One of the best things about my lockdown living arrangements is getting to see this ball of tail wags and licks. No matter how frequently she sees me, the first time every day is a whirlwind of affection. And if I had a tail, I'd probably wag it if I saw her too. Is anyone else spending more time with some four legged friends? (All photos taken before lockdown) (at Glossop) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAm9XANDLYw/?igshid=1um5p2u41bd8e

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"Will you take a photo?" Mum had stopped me. "I want a photo of me that's not in a nice beginner cave" I took the photo. We were exploring a well known mine newr Stoney Middleton and taking Mum on a "real" evening caving trip. When mum started Caving, we kept to large, gentle, horizontal caves. You can walk in, walk out. But as Mum stuck with it, we started to show her the ropes. How to use caving Single Rope Technique to go up and down vertical sections. This evening we were hoping to give mum her first opportunity to use her training on a trip. The mine has an extensive horizontal section that we made the mistake of thoroughly exploring every miserable corner of, before we headed to the pitch. Alex went down first. Mum got in position. I watched at the top to make sure everything was done right, ready to jump in and help if required. And then she was off, down the 8m pitch to Alex waiting below. When it came to return, off she went, complaining "I'm not going anywhere" whilst visually disappearing upwards away from me towards Alex. I think Mum is going places, and going there fast. Now she's learning basic SRT ropework, she can start joining the fun trips that are mostly large walking passages but involve short pitches. So many more opportunities present themselves! If you fancy getting involved, search "The Caving Crew" on Facebook. There's no cost to join our Facebook group and everyone is welcome to lurk and listen. (at Stoney Middleton) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAiQI05jsu6/?igshid=1jf9rf98y7ih6

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I turned the key. Nothing happened. I took the key out and put it back in. Nothing happened. An hour earlier, the farmer had left, telling us not to go back over the road, that I'd driven over shortly before. It was too snowy he said. My friend with their their own MWB Sprinter looked at me after he'd gone. "Are you going up the hill?" "Yup" "So am I then". We set off up the hill in convoy. My LWB Sprinter in the lead. As we got higher, there was less tarmac and more snow. Slow and steady... Slow and steady. Constant gentle movement. It started flattening out as the snow on the road surface got deeper. I drove on past a stranded, broken down van, desperate to keep moving until the road completely flattened out a few hundred metres later at the top of the hill. I stopped. Hazard lights on. Snow gear on. And went to check on the stopped van. No sign of my friend's sprinter. I reached the stopped van and asked if I could help. "Oh we're just here on a day trip to make an igloo" said the dad as his youths fanned around the back of the van. I facepalmed. This was not a parking place for daytrips, it was a place you got stuck overnight. Then I noticed my friend's van. Struggling on a patch of snow. I went over. Since they'd stopped, it seemed impossible to get moving again. Eventually we agreed they should give up, and they reversed down the hill that twice had beaten their convoy. I went back to my van at the top of the hill, ready for the exciting slide down the other side. And it wouldn't start. No matter what I did, it wouldn't start and wouldn't turn over. I'd left the hazard lights and headlights on with the engine off. I swore loudly and wished I'd set my leisure batteries to be able to charge my engine battery. This wasn't the place for electrical problems. Outside, the weather was getting worse. Snow was falling more heavily. The road was white. The temperature had dropped. Thinking about a plan, I got into bed. It was warm, it was cosy, and I could look at what might be the problem with my van. I tried taking the handbrake off, rolling backwards and bump starting in reverse. But I couldn't see the road edges clearly enough in the snow (at Forest-in-Teesdale) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAfdoQ0jWGJ/?igshid=6hamw5w4jdhy

[tdobson]

Bleary eyed, I rolled over in bed and looked at my phone. 47 new group chat messages. "We're stuck. Snow. County Durham. Can anyone help?" It seemed my friends from Scotland had had an eventful night. Not wanting to miss out on the excitement, I put the van in warp mode, told them I'd be there in two hours and left Manchester. We'd all been planning to go on a kayaking weekend in Teesdale but the Scottish advance convoy had run into some deep snow on the final approach and after some fruitless self-rescue attempts, had snuggled up in an uninsulated van to wait til morning. I arrived driving over the hill that had defeated their car the night before. On trying to reverse in retreat, their car had slid backwards off the road and into a handy snowdrift. I looked at the situation, and wondered how to do to use mechanical advantage and a 3.5tonne van to fix the problem. At that moment, a tractor appeared and slowed when it saw what must have looked like our rescue committee deciding its group slogan. "Could you help pull the car out of the ditch?" "I don't have a rope" the farmer replied I have something we can use as a rope I sighed. I got my 20m length of climbing tape. It was supposed to be used to replace the tape on some of my climbing gear, but it now was destined for a higher purpose and rapid retirement. "How strong is this?" the farmer asked me, sceptical but friendly "About 2 tonnes" I replied, confident in my answer "double it up, whack it through his front wheel spokes and let's give it a go" So we did. Bit by bit, the stricken car edged forward, being towed by the powerful tractor onto the grippy road of relief. After we said our thanks, the farmer said one last thing to us: "Don't go over that road - there's too much snow. Drive round the long way in the valley". If only we'd listened to him... but that's tomorrow's story. (at Middleton In Teesdale, Durham, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAXc6gojVoq/?igshid=1erq8nyohogpr

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The Climbing Clan is about Climbing, but it's community is formed of people with many similar skills and interests. Before lockdown, we ran a Climbing Clan Snowsports Evening - bringing the Clan together on the snow at Chillfactore. We had people newish to the snow, carefully doing low speed s-turns, we had people doing front flips, and everyone in between. My confidence and skill on a snowboard is quite limited but it didn't matter at all. We supported each other, offered encouragement and tips and there was an offer of cake afterwards. Who's up for coming to the next one - whenever it is? (at Chill Factore) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVNHU2DPeI/?igshid=qpdirel0h7no

[tdobson]

In 2013, an eventful solo backpacking trip to find the route to the bottom of an unclimbed mountain took me to unheard-of corner of an unheard-of country. The guidebook to Kyrgyzstan is over two hundred pages long, covering the six provinces of the country. Batken province is mentioned for two and half pages on it, with just a paragraph about where I wanted to go, noting that it used to be dangerous. The book was no good. I was going to need a local contact. Zhunusbek was that person, and by getting me the right papers, getting me to the right places and negotiating with the right people, I got to the right place. Later, when it started going all guns and vodka, he got me out at the right time. When Zhunusbek and Ernist told me they were coming to Manchester, I was elated. Guests from Kyrgyzstan. What a lovely surprise! I showed them some of Manchester's top climbing destinations, showed them round my parents house and even got Zhunusbek on the wall at Climbing Clan. If you're ever thinking about making wanderlusty travel plans for the post-covid years, have a chat with Ernist or Zhunusbek and they'll share some things you could do. From snowy mountainbike touring to yurt stays and swimming - they have the contacts to make it happen. (at Manchester Climbing Centre) https://www.instagram.com/p/CASZzbPjBK8/?igshid=1mchsssjcju1l

[tdobson]

These photos are of a day that never happened. This day won't be talked about. No-one will tell stories about it. In mountaineering, we often only share stories of the epics. The epic successes or the epic epics. These photos show the moments shortly after backing off a loose and avalanchy-feeling winter route. After these photos, we packed up, walked home and drove back to Manchester. The right decision was made to turn round - just as it had been the right decision to go up and look at it. Nobody talks about sensible but boring decision making. It's not exciting. It's not noteworthy. Nobody mentions it. As a newbie in the outdoors, I made a number of type 2/3 fun errors because I didn't realise that wise people would make sensible but boring decisions like these. So here you are - some photos and a story of a sensibly boring trip. Fun fact: this was the third time I'd walked into Coire An t'Sneacha this winter - on the first day it'd been easy, second day it'd felt reasonably tough. On this day, the walk in itself felt like a mission. Conditions make a difference. (at Coire an t-Sneachda) https://www.instagram.com/p/CANGkSEDm8r/?igshid=yrk2rhpujd37

[tdobson]

It can be quite tricky to get to know the person who's been holding the end of your rope. Usually you're separated by 10m vertically, and you're swearing at life, the route setter and everything and trying not to fall off. This doesn't leave loads of opportunity to get to know each other. Except occasionally who will swear the most creatively in public. Since the start of the year, The Climbing Clan started doing joint socials with the Caving Crew. Opportunities to do fun things, together and get to know the people behind the activities. These photos are from a delightfully well attended pancake night at Helen's flat - where many people were presented with many many pancakes and many many many toppings. Whilst the in person socialising is on pause, the idea continues on Zoom - and every Tuesday night "Cooking with Company" gives people an opportunity to make new friends, eat food and chat! (at Manchester, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CALOdc-j6GC/?igshid=16ziosmwix20g

[tdobson]

Before we went to Scotland, people would ask me, "you know ski goggles are on kit list, are they really needed?" When you've not been out in the big mountains in high winds, cold and snow it maybe isn't obvious why you'd want them. If you're out for a pleasant valley walk and it starts hailing, you can generally shelter til it stops. Maybe putting up your hood is enough because it's coming down vertically. When you're on a big mountain and there's old frozen snow being blown around, it's like having sand blown in your face. It tends to be horizontal, and sods law says it's coming from the direction you need to walk towards. You can't stop to shelter because you'd get cold sheltering, it won't stop and besides there's nothing to shelter behind. You have to keep moving. The goggles make this so easy. Without goggles maybe you only have one eye half open when you look towards the wind. With goggles you can look ahead and plan your route across the next snowfield. Given you can get goggles for less than £10, they might be one of the best value things you can buy when you go walking in the winter mountains. (at Cairngorm Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAIW_Hgjw4w/?igshid=1gypuv89pdg3m

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When the weather is terrible in winter, it's tempting to make two sorts of mistakes: 1) to stay at home 2) to go up high mountaineering There is a third way. This is the time for scenic sheltered walks in the forest. If that doesn't sound dangerous or hardcore enough, just hear this - when you need goggles on just to walk down a forest track, it is quite enough. A good proportion of mountaineering is knowing when not to push for summits - and this day back in Feb was one of those days. It was pretty though! (at Glenmore Forest Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAC46W5jDj5/?igshid=ifz2zcf32fqp

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Bagshawe Cavern is often one of the extra welcoming caving trips we run. When you're a bit nervous and find the idea a bit scary, but are determined to give it a try - this place is ideal. It's varied, it's roomy, it's real - and the obstacles are mainly avoidable. You're never that far from the entrance, the cars or from Manchester. And with the Caving Crew, you're surrounded by laughing people encouraging onwards and supporting you onwards. With the Caving Crew, you don't have to think whether you have the right equipment - our club overalls, helmets and bright head torches are right there for you to use. These photos are from my most recent visit where Sarah, Emily, Amelia, Becky and Alan all visited Bagshawe for the first time one evening. A great trip with great people 🤩 (at Bradwell, Derbyshire) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAAULfBDxFG/?igshid=1gkheh4nvx4mk