Therapy

Today I found myself in glorious sunshine, driving out of Bradford with my Snap Wrap, chalk bag and shoes in the back. I think, that without noticing, I might have become a boulderer.

Arriving at Caley for the first time, I spent 10 minutes wandering around in the woods, getting the wrap stuck under trees and falling about in the mud. Eventually I found some boulders. But I was on my own and I still lack confidence in my abilities and with only one pad and no friends, the height and slabby nature of the 'easy' boulder seemed a gamble too far. I returned to the car.

The return

Some 20 minutes later I found myself back at the scene of our torchlit adventures, this time determined to do better. And I did. Marginally. I began where I had finished, just over a week previously, and having walked through the woods, got the wrap stuck under some trees and fallen about in the mud, I reached my first target. Granted, I minced around for a couple of minutes, but with the added benefit of actually being able to see what I was doing and a willingness to commit, this time I managed to get off the ground. This is progress! After a couple more goes, baulking at the top-out each time, I moved over to another group of problems.

Searching for a chegwin for my foot

Stretched out, looking for some footholds

I moved between three different problems, feeling infinitely more confident than on my previous visit and although I still did not get up anything, I got much further off the ground than on my earlier attempts. Reflecting on the session, I decided that next time, if I can get hold of a second pad and a friend with good beta, I'm pretty sure I will get up something.

Considering the problem(s) (and someone else's excessive chalk marks!)

As the sun disappeared behind the hill and the boulders, once again, became damp and greasy, I sat down on the wrap and listened to the bubbling stream and the singing birds. Maybe I had not topped out any problems, but for those two hours while I had busied myself trying, those things that this morning had made me feel so sad, had, at least for a short time, been put to the back of my mind. Climbing, it seems, has more than just physical benefits.