My first experience of outdoor climbing was in North Wales during Easter 1993, which almost ended very badly. However, that did not put me off and in addition to having climbed lots I’ve authored two printed guides in 2005 and 2016, produced a number of PDF mini-guides and documented my personal climbing adventures since 2011. The trip reports, as they have become local referred to, have become more prolific since 2016. On numerous occasions people who have received my almost weekly emails have suggested I start a blog. So here it is!
While I feel like my writings have entered a new technological era my daughter tells me that a blog is “old school”. That did not deter me and when I put the word out, asking for suggested titles they came back thick and fast including: old soles – stories of friends and friction; tri-nuts for tired nuts; early morning starts; hanging by a thread; on gripping, whipping and tea sipping; wise cracks and trad racks; I’ll place a hex over your friend; down to the micro wire; paying it out; crack of dawn; and of tea bags and sand bags.
So you can see that I like early starts; my preference is trad climbing; I like my tea; I bag people but am equally happy to by bagged out myself; and some would say that I regularly sandbag them. Hence being “old school” fits quite well, it is where I am comfortable.
Personally I would say that rather than sandbag people I judge their capability, known or unknown to themselves, and guide them with encouragement to routes that I believe will give them a satisfying and fulfilling experience. It is in fact rare for someone not to get up a route I suggest, even if they do complain, grunt and/or whinge during the ascent. Regardless of that I have kept the title that Lisa chose when she secretly set this blog up for me, as a Christmas present in 2019.
So here you have it. Snippets from my publications, full PDF guides, a long saga of my climbing before I landed in Western Australia, and copious amounts of trip reports of my adventures since then and hopefully for many more years of adventures yet to be had. Oh and I’ve thrown in “trip reports” of my snorkelling adventures, mostly at our local beach, and Lisa and my walkabouts just in case you fancied something completely different.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Sandbagged 