A mixed bag of Pembroke

James and I just had a weekend in Pembroke - possibly my favourite area for climbing, but it wasn't an overwhelming success.

Friday went well enough and I led Dreamboat Annie, a great classic, but Saturday starting very slowly.  We were fully geared up when we were warned off a climb by a chap from the RSPB (that was near the edge of bird ban proper).  Moving further along the cliffs we chose a second crag only for me to ab in to find a load of gull chicks on the ledges (a bird not rare enough to warrant a ban) so that idea was binned too.  It wouldn't have been nice for them or us.  Eventually we got climbing and I led a couple of great HVSs.  After showing some promise on Friday, the less said about James' leading on Saturday the better!

We then drank some beer.  

Beach-side musings with beer in hand

Drunken Arete (Mod) a great new line straight off the beach
(which we spent too long on and nearly got cut off by the tide)

My head was not in the right place come Sunday morning and I ended up flapping around on and dogging my way up another HVS.  Point to note - avoid routes that following horrid diagonal cracks.

Psyche!

So - before our next trip, I really need to do some training.

St Govan's Chapel

What happens in Ibiza...

...stays in Ibiza.  So naturally, I cannot regale you with stories of my week of hard-core clubbing and debauchery.

Ibiza Town

What I can tell you is that we had a surprisingly pleasant week in the Sun.  In fact, despite it being very clubby (getting hassled to buy tickets each way you turn), it was a lot more family oriented than I expected - albeit very 'package holiday' type families.  We even had a 'rep'.  How common.

We mostly lazed around but did get a boat out to another beach (very crowded but with a deserted expensive beach-side restaurant, quite odd) and to Ibiza town.  I seemed to adopt Mediterranean eating and, for me, didn't eat a lot - if only it could continue.  I will try.

I exercised a pleasing amount, clocking up five runs of about eight miles each and doing five Insanity core workouts.  For one run, I got the bus to St Josep and ran up the highest mountain in all of Ibiza.  It was only 475m and took 25mins to 'summit', I then got lost and had to run halfway up it again to get back.  For the rest I ran along the coast, and discovered something of a love for quick-stepping trail running over really rocky terrain. I tried the 'Back to Core' one from The Asylum.  Looks easy. Isn't.

So all in all, most relaxing and made a pleasant change - especially before the world of baby screaming and crapping and puking (the former of which dominated the flight on the way there and back) that awaits us.

As has become my new and lazy way of blogging, here is the photo dump:

The water taxi to a slightly nice beach.  And Holly.  I don't mean Holly is a taxi.

Sunset at Cafe del Mar (second best sunset in the world, our rep told us, trying to flog us an excursion)

Seafood paella sounded a good idea, but I don't do well with shellfish in their shells

Bradley Cooper hair

Mega yacht.  Russian billionaire I imagine.

The trail beckons

My coastal run which I did four times - 2hrs the first time due to getting lost, reducing to 1hr14.  Really really nice run.  But why is Jesus in the reflection of my sunnies? I was alone...

You should see me do this in da club

The Return of the Jedi

After a year and a half layoff from climbing actual rock, we finally got out to Gogarth this weekend.

Despite being relatively fit in general terms, fit for rock I am definitely not.  We managed three HVSs over the weekend (a bit lazy, but baby steps) and I needed to rest on one - the second sustained pitch of Central Park.  So I can't complain too much.  Once pumped, the pump seemed to stick around - I have poor recovery ability.  Also, after such a long layoff, and a lot of running last year, my feet are no longer rock-shoe-shaped - jeez they hurt.  Think I may have to revert to beginner shoes for a bit!

To be honest, Saturday was marred with a sense of unease - weak arms, probable dehydration, Gogarth psyche-out and not much sleep all added up to give me a stressful day.  Sunday was much better though and I could actually enjoy the climbing (probably cos it was easier).  Still, I know what I need to do - climb more.

We found a cracking campsite right near South Stack which even served brekky.  Of course, the weather always biases ones view of a place and it was hot, damned hot.

Not quite Yoda yet, more of a crying Luke Skywalker.

A room with a view

Sorted for the day - 8am and t-shirt weather

Sense of impending psyche-out

We had to queue for Scavenger, but hey, can't complain when it's this nice

Calves courtesy of Insanity

Crux bridging of Scavenger - 5m off the deck and I am already wasted

Icarus takes the smaller shadow near the centre of the pic - you can see a chap in the corner

James sat in shit

A more pleasant Wales

I am pleased to report that this weekend's trip to Wales with the cadets was much more pleasant than the last.  We walked up Cadir Idris on Saturday - when its clear this may be the most useless route on the planet to practice navigation as you can see the entire thing, still, pleasant enough.  On Sunday we set them off on their own and Mike and I went for a wee eight mile run.

Lee sent me these photos.  He likes cute horses you see.  Note, they were taken on an iPhone.

I win

Horse

The weather is due to hold, so fingers crossed for possibly the first rock climbing on rock for over 18 months this weekend!  I wonder what its like.