Tuppance

Well at last The seal has been broken I have reached the 8b garade in
theform of climbing Tuppance at Ansteys cove Devon. A route that gets
8a+ in the guide but knowbody says it is it is much harder ie 8b
This route marks a bigstep up in my climbing as is a route iv worked
over along perord of time, I first got on this route it must of been
five or more years ago with rob Sutton and on that first try I did all
but one of the moves ( the crux ).
So from hear I'd go down once in a wile and have a look at said move
but alas no luck, the move consists of a deep drop knee to a crimp for
me holding this crimp comming out of the drop knee and moving the
right hand is the hardest part, I got on the route late last year and
on that day I did the move only once mind you but this was enuf to let
me know I could do the route! So with this In mind I set to training
on my weekness in climbing.... crimps
This all came together in march with almost sending it on a Monday
then comming back on wensday and climbing it making a very happy gav
now where to go from hear will have to look around find a new
project ! .....

E-mailing you from my phone because this is the 21st centuary after
all...

comps and climbing

so since my last update i'v had some time off that rubbish work thing do do some climbing, well that was the plan when going to font! not the best thing to happen the day before we turned up was a big dummping of snow. so a nice load of picturesque walks looking at bocks that were unclimbable saw us driving home boots unpacked and the only use for our bouldermats was as a nice sledge.
I also had a bit of a trip to the london first building a big volume then setting for the last round for the King of the mez at the castle, the comp went well with a nice split in the men and women thenks to mr j partride turning up to show all how its done.

March started well with aweek of training down in the shed on portland and sportclimbing for the first time this year on the west coast fine days had by all, March is also the month for comps getting off to a fine start with the last round o fthe leage at the Climbing Academy in bristol, with around win and comming joint first in the final head to head the leage was in the bag.
Comps now on the cards are the cwif at the climbing works and skymasters at the outdoor show at the NEC brum. So what to till then i think a short trip to spain should fill the gap nicely ill keep you posted on how it go's !!

well what a start to the year as per norm not much climbing done but have been deep in the land of Wall building this time in Stoke on trent for Awesome walls. A big boulder wall with easy climbing downstairs and not so easy climbing up stairs!

Three weeks later and all done saw the best weekend of the year so far with the sun out Mike Langley and me in the peak, a touch of Stanage to get our eyes in on sat then over to burbage with a flash of the nose and a resend of westside story after the pebble came off, Then we went over to The Terrace for a quick send not a bad weekend and a good starting point befor going to Font next week!

New Year

Well into the new year and time to start anew! it all went a bit wrong with the blog at the end of the last so now ill start afresh.
Well last year was bizy times with getting back from spain was running around all over putting up Christmas dec's and building climbing walls, So not much climbing to report as of such.

surrey wall

in the far north

Xmas saw a turn in form with a little climbing after an aborted trip to font dew to weather we went down to Devon and i had a play on tupance at Ansteys cove a very classic route that feels well like a send is on the cards!


new year night at Swanage

Stoping with bez

Work was calling again so back in the van and heading to London we stopped off on Portland for new year and a day bouldering at the Cuttings on Portland had me feeling on top form with a growing list of projects!

spain road tripping from Gavin Symonds on Vimeo.

old man

Well it happened im now 30! but worse than that i'm also back from spain and a month traveling around with Lisa and other friends. starting off with a somewhat choppy ferry crossing and a two day drive down to the Costa Blaca, We arived at the Orange House ready for a weeks Deep water soloing.

Deep Water Solo Feastival Spain sept 09 from Gavin Symonds on Vimeo.

From the hot and sunny south coast we traveled up hill to the famed bouldering spot Albarracin, with good temps and wkd climbing we set of to test our skills and power on the blocks, i had with me a pair of speedsters from sportiva and was trying these out on the sandstone as well, i found out to my cost that wile very good in the steep for pulling not so good at edges.






So back in the van and headed north yet again we ended up at a little known crag just west of mont grony, With lisa flashing a 6a on toprope then pulling the rope and leading it all was set for a good few days i then onsighted a 7c up the steep and long wall cheacking my arms are up for the up and coming routes in Roddelar.

San Sim

Well it comes to pass that after my last try and the weather set in it looked like a no go For San Simeon before i went to spain, But driving back to bristol to drop Tim off to go to a wedding the power of the Iphone shone through saying that a window of weather was coming, So fuled with a shower and food i drove back to the westest of Wales. Geting to the bosh head for last orders i found myself a team of lifegaurds/ spotters and camera crew ready for the seven oclock start.
So comes the morning, Not knowing when the wall comes into the sun had me playing at high tide in the shade on rather wet rock! The top was in the sun and pream ready for the move but the bottom and more improtant the only sloping hold on the route was far from dry. So warmed up it was a race of sun v tide witch was on the way out!!.
At last the resting rail and the bad grip came in to sun so with the tide falling and only one go at doing the route before it became to shallow off i went. The first 25ft went easily enuf seeing me at the rail ready for the next 40ish ft of harder climbing, After having a shake and clearing my head off i went, All going well and getting to the move where i fell only a few days ago i took a breath moved slow and deadpointed to the hold all i had to do then was to stay calm and not pull one of the loose holds off the top!
Job done only took me two years and five days to get the weather right and do this route making it one of my longest pojects i'v done to date.

San Simeon from Gavin Symonds on Vimeo.

So now its time to pack the van and head to Spain, First stop the orange house for the deep water solo fest held there sponsored by La Sportiva.
Not sure what to do after that apart from climb and try and do a 8b before I'm 30! will keep you posted..

Pembroke

Well hear I am again hoping that the sun
mixes with tide and rock so I can get my project done, after having a play last week only to find out that it started to seep when it went in the shade at high tide thus making it a no go.
One week on looking out the window at a rather damp and windy day! yesterday was better a bit of sun in the afternoon making it bon and climbable, With a film crew on site (stolen from Tim) ready to catch the climbing it was all going well till after the first crux and the big move to the crimp apon high, finger tips over the grip and slipping off to plunge the 55ft into the sea.
Time's running out for me this Year i'v only a few days left before me and Lisa are heading to spain for a month of climbing First down in the blanca for a deep water solo fest at the orange house them up to the mountains of the north to getfit and live the dream....