Roaches 'Ying Yong Yang' Climb

The one where most of us where in scotland and missed it...

With half the Commite away in Scotland Rik, AJ and I decided it would be a fine day for a climb.
Now, living where we do we are spoilt for choice on where to go; Roaches, Stanage, Ramshaw and Wales.  So Rik and I being the highly professional climbers, put our heads together and we finally decidedto go to the Roaches-Upper tier. It was a nice cold crisp afternoon so we knew the gritstone we were heading for was going to be beautiful.

After all the faffing about we were on our way with three aspirant members foolish enough to let us teach them! Nice drive, lovely scenery and intelligent conversation kept us entertained on the journey as did Rik and AJ's constant arguing.

The weather around the crags was beautiful but damn was it cold. we marched up to the windy upper tier and chose Blushing Buttress as our destination. We chose two nice routes to warm up with: The Rib (D) and Rib wall (VD). Now I must point out here that I have very recently damaged my Achillies tendon so I was uncertain as to weather I would be able to climb. I went at it though and after three attempts at the route my heel was more damaged than when I had begun. So abandoning the route I chose to help AJ with his climbing, but after several brave attempts AJ found the route had beaten him. Afterwards we realised AJ had been climibing the wrong route! He had decided to climb the HS route Sparkle to his right. What a silly boy. So I decided to give it another go on the ankle so I preceded to do the HS to return Rik's gear to him. Suprisingly I managed it and without to much pain.
The wind was seriously getting serious at this point and we headed down to lower tier for some shelter.

Down at Lower Tier we were doing some bouldering with the aspirants when I decided I really wanted to lead a route, I spotted a slightly green but interesting crack running up the slabby rock near the stairs to the upper tier. Guide book out! So Rik and I went off to get it done. Its only a HVD but has two stas and looked incredibly green, as many people walking past pointed out to us, how pointless! I thought it was a damn sweet climb especially using my bomb proof hexes! Not hard enough to be of any concern but not easy enough to be boring. Rik seconded and then AJ joined us at the top to chill-out whilst the sun went down, we saw one of the best sunsets I've seen at the roaches.

T'was a great day make sure you check out the photos!

El Blingo.