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This was my third attempt at climbing the curved ridge and Crowberry Tower.
The first two times I was in eejit mode so let’s just say I failed in my objective and leave it at that.
This time I did exactly what I set out to do. However my two guide books and three printouts from t’interweb were of no use at all. For those of you who have done this before I defy you to stand by the “waterslab” looking up and find a form of words to describe clearly where you’re supposed to go. After about five minutes I abandoned trying to read the guide and relate it what I could see round about me and just got on with it. The good thing about my guide book is that it was a photo like this which inspired me to do this climb in the first place.
- Photo found on Google Images
This is great scrambling. I was constantly alert to the possibility of finding myself at a dead end and having to come back down – I find it so much easier going up than coming down! I know I’m at the limit of my ability and courage when, if I have to come down, I’m coming down facing the rock. I found only two areas where the degree of exposure unsettled me a bit.
So I eventually got to the top of the Crowberry Tower and also found the vantage point from which the above picture was taken
I had started the day with some doubt in my route finding ability – doubt introduced by the blinking guide books perhaps! - but in the end I was thinking “ Alastair, you’re not such an eejit after all” The trick will be next time not to let that self satisfaction turn in to over confidence.
I didn’t take my camera & tripod so as not minimise the size of my pack. Next time will be just to get more familiar with this part of the mountain and after that I hope to go up in two parties of at least two people so as to get some really good pictures. If you fancy joining in let me know.
Alastair