EICA Ratho

Today I travelled down to Edinburgh to climb at the fantastic EICA Ratho. As its still winter Ratho was soo much colder than my local heated wall, and I found it harder to get warmed up and stay warm. The main overhanging wall at Ratho has been re-set and there is some fantastic new routes up.

My trip to Ratho today has showing me that I really do need to train on my stamina, soo all that 4x4s I hate doing, I must keep it up!

Home Boulder Wall

The boulder wall in my garage has been changed several times, from three flat panels, to one flat panel, 20 degrees over hanging wall, 45 board and a small 90 degrees panel on the roof. Its awesome to train on. Last summer I spent more time in my garage than I did at my local wall, I could put my music up loud and set as hard as I wanted to.

Today I spent the afternoon resetting circuits, so I can get back to hard training. When I am training on my 45 board I usually train for up to two hours, usually doing hard circuits!

Right now I am training for the British team assessment which is in March, it might decide who goes to the European competitions this year, its hard for me this year because I have all of my Major exams, but I will still try my hardest to keep up my training. Where I live there is only one climbing wall and the next is 150 miles away down in Edinburgh, and in my local wall the hardest route is 7c. It really sucks but I just have to train more on my 45 board and travel down to Edinburgh more often.

Coire An T-Sneachda, Cairngorm

Yesterday I went to Corie An T-Sneachda Cairngorm, for my first multi pitch winter route. I was taken up the start of Hastons line then finished up Hidden Chimney. This being my first multi pitch winter route I was excited and when I was climbing adrenaline was running through my body. The weather was stunning there was blue Sky's and was not too windy but occasionally I got spin drifts blowing in my face, the ice and snow was nice and compacted and the route was in great condition. The climb was easy but some parts it got quite technical, but I really did enjoy myself I am so phyched to get out more and do more easy climbs to get my self used to winter climbing.

Me half way up Hidden Chimney

At the top!

New Year!

Now its the new year and I got back on the British Junior Climbing Team, I need to start seriously training again. Hopefully I will get picked to climb at some of the European Youth Comps again this year. If I do get picked my first event would be in Edinburgh on the 21/22 May, and the IFSC Youth World Cup in IMST Austria is from the 25th-28th of September.


Apart from all my competition climbing I hope I will manage to get out Ice Climbing before the session is over, and throughout the year I want to do lots more outdoor climbing and maybe a sports climbing trip abroad!