Climbing in the Peak District

Alastair BegleyRock Climbing Short Link

This weekend I headed up to the Peak for my gritstone induction. I had mixed feelings about the climbing before I went due to knowing the climbing would all be very short, hard on the hands, run out and involve lots of jamming, although all these worries were quickly put to rest once I started climbing and realised that I really rather like grit! As well as being my grit induction it was also the first time I have been away with the Avon Mountaineering Club who I joined a couple of months ago and it was a fantastic weekend, so thanks to Becky for organising it! The forecast for the weekend was a beautiful day on Saturday with a rainy day on Sunday so all the climbing for the weekend had to be done on the Saturday which meant a relatively early start leaving for the crag by 9. This would have been fine had it not been so cold, there was ice on the ground and all the turf was nicely frozen on the walk up to the crag in the wind, thankfully at the base of the. Read the full article…

A Week in Snowdonia

Alastair BegleyAviation, Landscape, North Wales, Rock Climbing, Scrambling Short Link

I have just got back from a fantastic week spent camping in Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. Heading up for a weeks camping in North Wales in October I was expecting the week to be full of wet weather and hill fog, I was very wrong with only one day being a wash out and only one day was spent with an annoying amount of time in hill fog. For the first two days I met up with the expedition society from Exeter Uni which I was a member of last year and who were in Snowdonia with 15 people for some scrambling. Despite arriving in the rain we awoke on the first morning to a fantastic sunrise over Tryfan and its North Ridge, one of the most famous scrambling routes in the UK for obvious reasons. Despite having done the scramble up Tryfan’s North Ridge about 7 times in the past 3 years every time I climb it I manage to take a slightly different route which keeps it interesting, and when the weather is good the views are spectacular and I don’t think I will ever get. Read the full article…

The Lizard

Alastair BegleyLandscape, Walking Short Link

I have just spent the weekend at the Lizard in Cornwall with some of my university friends from ExSoc who I haven’t seen since graduation in July. It was a fantastic weekend which involved little exercise, lots of unhealthy food, lots of alcohol and great weather with great company. We arrived late on Friday night so sat around the remains of someone else’s campfire catching up before heading to bed. On Saturday morning we had a very rude awakening from lots of chickens and ducks which I really did not appreciate! After a very leisurely breakfast we headed down the coast to Kynance cove where we relaxed, went swimming in the very cold water and then headed to the cafe for more relaxing and cream teas. After this we walked the half hour back to Lizard via Lizard point, the most southerly point in England. It was a lovely chilled out day which was needed after starting work and still getting used to the early mornings. We spent the evening around the campfire again before heading to bed fairly late and enjoying a nice lie in the next morning to. Read the full article…