Colmcille Climbers

Heres the first of some belated reports from me for what ever bumbling about Julie and me have been doing in 2010 so far.

Julie and myself headed out to Siurana, catalonia (aka paradise) for new year to escape the big freeze. The big goal was for me to onsight at least f7a and Julie to tick her 1st f6a lead. 

After a week of pretty nice spanish sun and ticking easyish routes, disrupted only by a back injury to myself and several wine induced hangovers, Julie manged to climb a couple of 6as which was brilliant. I hadn't achieved my goals yet , with only 6c+ in the bag, and numerous routes between 5- 6b+ . No problem almost a week to go. or so we thought....

Unfortunately, then the worst snow in 30 years arrived in spain and we got stuck for 5 days in Toni Arbonnes campsite. The sun rock paradise was like Glencoe or aviemore but without the snowploughs!

With only the Arbonnes, a few germans and french, an american and ourselves stranded in a basically uninhabited remote village it was a long few days! Especially the 2 days or so it took to dig the hire car from the bottom of the campsite! Sitting around the campsite bar for 4 days solid with the other climbers was a bit like the classic horror movie "The Thing"!!

Eventually the roads were cleared and we got home but I don't think my boss ever truely belived me when I was a day late back from my holidays because "I got snowed in in spain!" A disappointing trip not to have climbed that well, or climbed my objectives but it was some experience and that what it's all about isn't it?

Thanks to the Arbonnes family for looking after us so well. Who says sport climbing was easy!

Rodney.