End of the affair (well almost!)

Resting on Pressure (V13). Now the pressure is gone it's time for a change of scenery (Photo: Hotaches Images)

Dumbarton Rock - it still inspires and humbles me, but I am nearly done with my battles here (at last).

I was round at Dumby just training on my enduro circuit tonight and got casually involved in doing a couple of other problems I hadn't done in years with other folks. It was funny revisiting another 'old classic' I did when I was 17. It really brought it home a bit of choking cabin fever I've been feeling lately. In need of pastures new big time. Well not surprising I suppose after 12 years of Dumbarton Rock climbing. I could (and do at the moment) still use the place for training no problem, but I really have to make an effort to switch off my brain before a session to stop me getting bored. I've come to realise that my core motivation for climbing is new routes and places. However, once I focus on a climb I won't give up until it's done, sooner or later. There's never been a time when that's not happened. I don't care if (like for Rhapsody and Pressure) it means spending an infinite amount of time on it. So it's not so much the new places and routes themselves that are important to me, but just that there are new challenges to complete.

That excitement in the back of my head of a project has to be there. Even last year at Dumbarton I was inspired, because that Pressure cave was still there winking at me every time I walked past to the boulders, and Rhapsody staring down. I wanted to win! Now they are behind me, I need that feeling from somewhere else. Thankfully pastures new are starting to appear on the horizon, more of that later.

There are still two lines on the Dumbarton boulders I want to climb. They are 'optional' i.e. if I move away before doing them I won't fret, but I'm sure they will give me a good scrap in the coming cold months.

I'm sure it won't be long before someone else walks round and is fired up by Rhapsody as I was when I saw Requiem at 15 (if it hasn't happened already?). It's a good feeling to flick that utterly committed switch in your head that you ARE going to do something, no matter what. Anyway, for that guy/girl, after they have got Rhapsody out of the way they can make their own mark with the wall to the right (bolted). I've done all but one of the moves. It's an F9 something. If it was a smidgen easier I'd get psyched, so I'm sure it will happen. Then there's the wall to the left. I would be honoured to shake the hand of the person who climbs that. Again, fully possible but...