Roxcool

Roxcool
'For Adventures of a lifetime'

Monday 25 June 2012

Top Roping (actually leading) with ‘Top People’

 

My experience on Roxcool's five day Rock Course

“What’s been the highlight of your week Annie?’ A question that is impossible to answer & brings a huge smile to my face……I’ll explain! I have just spent a week with amazing people & fallen in ‘love’ with crags and rock!

 Firstly some much deserved thanks & acknowledgements;
Cliff you are ‘excelente el profesor/instructor’ J Thank you for sharing your expertise & for the ‘chalk bags full’ of encouragement & endless patience (yes I know 15 minutes is far too long to make one move especially when it’s raining lol). Gareth (Jugs J) & Sam you are fab. I enjoyed every moment in your company & can’t wait to get together really soon for climbing (I’ll provide lunch Gareth as you still haven’t convinced me that North East gastronomic traditions are the best!!).
Jane & Adam it was great that you could join us for part of the week. Thanks for pointing out some great hand & foot holds when I was stuck, I learnt loads from the way you approached the climbs.
There is so much more I could thank you all for but as this is not an Oscar speech (although Sam your acting during the abseil deserves an Oscar lol) I had better stop here.

 

For anyone out there considering doing this course DO NOT HESITATE – GO FOR IT! Cliff & the ‘Roxcool Family 11-15 June 2012’ have taught me so much. I came to the crags with extremely limited experience of climbing. I now have a growing vocabulary (used word ‘bomber’ a few times in the pub last night & now know that ‘jam’ is not just something you do with a guitar or spread on toast J) & repertoire of skills. In five days I have climbed on different types of rock, interpreted guidebooks (ok Cliff we need more practice but am sure Gareth & Sam will agree the towel over our heads hindered us finding the ‘obvious chimney’!!), placed protection, constructed anchors, practiced rope management & emergency procedures (no Gareth I don’t mean coping with the midges I mean abseiling) & much, much more. I will never forget reaching the top of Birds Nest Crack, Almscliffe(HS 4b) after successfully jamming. Other top moments include leading a climb & sitting on a rock from a lofty & beautiful position above Derwent Water knowing how lucky I am to have such amazing experiences. A whole new world has opened up to me……..THANK YOU ‘Roxcool Family’. Annie X