Four seasons in one day - first trad day of 2008

Well today was the first trad day of the year with Mr Murray. Todays adventures involved a massive 3 climbs, 2 crags, sun, wind, snow and to top it off hail. We visited cummingston first were I knocked out my first lead of the year which was also my hardest lead, a very awesome VS, all the bouldering I have been doing recently appears to have helped alot and I think I could have a HVS if not E1 by the end of the summer but I will try and not get a head of myself on that one.

Due to a baltic wind which meant you couldnt feel your hands by the time you topped out we changed venue to huntly's cave partly because I have never been before. It is a reasonably intimidating crag with a lot of overhangs. We decided to fire up Cave route HS 4b*** with jamie on lead. During the jam masters ascent the sun shone, it the lightly snowed and then hailed heavily until we finished climbing and then the sun came back out again, thanks for that big guy. Once on the belay ledge we tackled the tunnel escape. Thanks to us being thin types we were able to make use of the tunnel type escape route. All I can say if any part of me had been any bigger I think we could have had trouble. I think the guide book should maybe try and be a bit more accurate with its description because for those of you that know me and Jamie we arent exactly fat boys and we were almost stuck in the 6 to 8ft tunnel. Anyway i popped out the other side to find a drop and i nice slippy slab. I decided to set up a belay to help jamie through which after him not telling me to bother I was glad I did. A quick drop off a ledge onto the slippy slab and jamie was off down it but due to my cat like reactions, honed during my 4 weeks of ninja training, I grabbed the wrong rope but still stopped him. I will explain why i wasnt holding the rope. The climb down onto the slab from the tunnel aint to nice so i had switched roles from belayer to spotter and in the process the ropes had got crossed. Anyway we both came out of it alive and lived to climb another day.