Pembroke? Or Pembrokeshire?!
Everyone talks about the “Pembroke climbing Season” and how it’s over for the year now. I have two issues with that statement, firstly, Pembroke is a town in South Pembrokeshire, there is no climbing there, the climbing is all within Pembrokeshire, the county. Secondly, it’s absolute rubbish that there is a “season”, with this November proving that. It has been absolutely unreal! Sure we’ve had a bit of rainfall now, but that’s been a long time coming!
November in Pembroke? No, it’s November in Pembrokeshire…
With an upcoming couple of weeks climbing in Spain, I’ve been attempting to get sport climbing fit – not too easy when there is no sport climbing in the area, well, none that’s worth doing anyway…! So inside to the climbing wall it’s been, we’re fortunate to have one in Haverfordwest now, but we also took a trip over to Bristol to get some training in there.. And lots of running, cycling and swimming has been getting done! The Pembrokeshire Coastal path has been stunning. Just today I was out between Porth Clais and St Justinians, clear blue sky, no wind, porpoises in the water – and absolutely no-one else!
Carreg Y Barcud, definitely not in Pembroke!
Alun crimping hard on an e5 at Carreg y Barcud, Pembrokeshire
Alun and I got another top-rope session in at Barcud, racking up plenty of the hard routes there – I just wish I was bold enough to lead them at the minute! With over 20 “E” points in the day, we had sore toes and fingers! Some time shunting at Caerfai and a bit of bouldering up at Plumstone got done, so the trainings gone well – now we just need some sunshine in Mallorca!
In between storms, looking out to Ramsay Island
I’ve been sent a Portaledge from Beyond Hope, UK distributors of Metolious, so I’ve been playing with that lots too! Always great to get new toys…! But from next year we’ll be offering Portaledge “Cliff Camping” experiences out on the sea-cliffs of Pembrokeshire, definitely not in Pembroke! Unless they’d let us do it off the castle there?!
Soon to be running in Pembrokeshire, Portaledge Cliff Camping Adventures! (Photo is on Salathe Wall, Yosemite)