Keeping with my plan to alternate my Sundays with various mountain activities, it was time to go Rock-climbing! Even though the club was to do Spring Buttress, a route I haven’t done yet, I no longer suffer from FOMO 😀 I want to become a stronger climber and fitter trail runner so WILL suffer from FOMO should I skip one of these activities. Practice makes perfect after all…and all that other clichés.
By Saturday morning, no-one in the Whatsapp group mentioned anything about climbing on Sunday, so I asked 😀 I not only need a climbing partner but also a partner with gear (insert suitable emoji). I have been keeping my eye out for gear on sale but what I need (can afford) is out of my way sigh. Alexa was keen but she also only have shoes and a harness. Later Llewellyn responded and we agreed to meet at Lakeside Pinnacle. I have an unfinished route at the Pinnacle! The first and last failed attempt was my first time at the Pinnacle back in May 2016!
https://myhikingmylife.wordpress.com/2016/05/31/rock-climbing-at-lakeside-pinnacle/
High time I go back to complete that route I say! Llewellyn adds Nicholas to chat. He’s from France completing his internship and it’s to be his first outdoor climb J
We meet at the parking around 12:30pm and Llewellyn brought his grandson along. I love having conversations with Elijah!
Up we go the short path which I still insist is harder than Platteklip! The norm is to set up the 15 as a warm up. I lead belay Llewellyn on all the climbs as Nicholas hasn’t learnt to belay yet. Nicholas became the photographer for the day.
We take turns climbing and Llewellyn leaves the 15 up so that little Elijah could climb when he wanted to.
Llewellyn sets up the 16 next. Nicholas climbs and I belay him so not lots of photos. When I look next, Elijah is halfway up the 15! WOW!!! I didn’t even see him do it! Ofcoz had to take photos of the little guy 😀
I’m next and struggling up the first pitch until Llewellyn tells me of the perfect grip and I’m up haha! Where has it been all my life?! (climbing life – whole 1.5 years of it hehe) oh yes! This is also the route that Llewellyn teaches Nicholas to top rope belay! I must admit that I was a little bit nervous having a newbie climber learn to belay my climb. I only remember now that I’ve climbed routes where non-climbers were learning to belay lol. Silly me!
Next up is the dreaded 18. I couldn’t even get up the first pitch and here I am planning to complete the route! I have to remind Llewellyn not to fall on any of the routes I lead belay him on lol. It’s easy lead belaying Llewellyn though, he doesn’t fall 😀 He did however take a rest on the route but I was prepared for that as he told me.
Nicholas attempts the 18 as I belay him. I could see he was quite nervous and reassured him that I have him safely on belay should he fall. He too struggled up the first pitch and as he is new to climbing, he doesn’t know all the lingo yet (neither do I mind you) so have to explain things in a way that he would understand in clear English. We also have to listen carefully through his thick French accent J
He does slip and fall and I have him safely on belay BUT he’s hanging in mid-air and I don’t know how to get him back to the rock LOL! It was funny! I had tell Llewellyn no-one taught me how to get a climber back when in that position lolz. I had to swing him to and fro while he also attempts to swing 😀
Nicholas arms and fingers are sore now and says he will try again later. I’m up next sigh. With a deep breath and prayer, up I go and struggle despite Llewellyn’s guidance. That first pitch is really really hard! Harder since a flake? Broke off sigh. I had to rest my arms quite a few times attempting to reach and with my one hand immediately followed by the other. That is the only way to get to the next hold! As I’m hanging there, I tell Llewellyn I hate him for putting me through this and he laughs and replies that I will love him after I’ve completed the route. I tell him I know but this is hard! Slowly but surely and much struggle, I slowly inch my way up resting my arms when need be sigh. Another awkward pitch and have to cross over to the left again.
I’m eventually up and touch the anchor but Llewellyn said I need to go higher! I’m tired, I don’t want to go higher lol but I had no choice. I DID IT! It took me 20 minutes but I DID IT!!! The sense of accomplishment, the feeling of self-pride, the euphoria of the moment, will stay with me for a while. I know I am not exactly a strong climber, I climb way too infrequent to become of the stronger climbers but the fact that I CAN complete a climb I struggled with, makes me feel stronger!
THANK YOU LLEWELLYN! Your guidance, patience and unselfish attitude towards inexperienced and experience climbers alike are invaluable!
I am lowered down and almost spent! My arms were not that sore that I couldn’t untie my own knot. I remember one time at Silvermine, my arms were so sore that I couldn’t untie my knot or lift up my bottle to drink water haha. Progress! Means that I am climbing more with my legs than my arms 😀
Then nature screamed at me! I go an answer her call and won’t a hiker pass me?! I tell him yay! Wait until I’m done and he just ignored me request and there was nothing I could do about it!!! Totes not mountain etiquette! Grrrr!!!!
Back to the group I go and Nicholas attempts the 18 again but it’s a no go today. I think he is a strong climber (as new as this is to him) but he just need to gain more self-confidence.
Llewellyn asks if he should set up the 17 so said, might as well J The sun is also now at an awkward position which makes things a bit interesting. It gets you in the eye that blinds you! And made for crappy photos too! While he is setting up, Elijah pulls down the other rope with Llewellyn’s permission, not realising that it’s still knotted lol. When he was on top, he had to traverse over to the 15 and untie the knot hehe.
Nicholas unfortunately, was totally spent from attempting the 18 and wanted to be let down. Its all good. First time outdoor climbing and he did really well!
I’m next. Not sure how much strength I had left but let’s do it! I struggle on the first pitch yet again and Llewellyn had to remind me yet again where the perfect hold is! Also, can you believe that I still struggle with the figure 8 knot?! If I get the first loop right, I will get the second loop wrong or vice versa lol. This route is so much harder than I remember! Also! It’s the first time that I climb 4 routes in one day! My fingers were screaming at me! I really abused them lol. But I did finish the route and repel down again J
Time to pack up and go home. I hurt my knee terribly going back down to the road. I didn’t let on as to how much pain I was in. Doctor Google said I have Burstitis which is only getting worse as I don’t give my knee the proper treatment it needs. And Rest.
My fingers were so sore that I couldn’t even grip the steering wheel! Thank goodness for power steering! My fingertips were so sore that I couldn’t even grip my sandwich for supper haha.
Was really an amazing day for me and I thank you all!
Until my next mountain adventure, ciao for now and thank you for reading J
Fats on a Mountain 
you do not repel on top rope , you are being belayed/ lowered by belayer. and the word is not repel but rappel or abseil and to rappel or abseil is when you attached the necessary gear to lower yourself with
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Oh ok thanks.. I shall edit…. And I should know the word is rappel lol.. Versin are i
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You did exceptionally well with the lead belaying for someone who only did it for the third time. Just the previous week at lakeside I ha8 to tell my belayer not to pull me down. You can belay me anytime and anywhere.
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Thank you for your kind words… And I’ll continue to be nervous lol
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