The irony of the situation didn’t occur to me until this morning. Whilst world leaders cogitate on the ongoing crisis that is global warming we spent a glorious (December) day bouldering in skins and T’s at Baslow last Saturday. So what was our boulder of choice? Yeah, you guessed it – the Alan Williams classic, Flatworld (Font 7c). Talk about ironic!
The irony of course sprung from the coincidence that our esteemed PM, Gordon Brown, had pigeon-holed climate sceptics as flat-earthers (a.k.a flat-worlders) a week or so ago. Irrespective of which side of your toast you spread your butter and jam on, as climbers we know that the weather these days seems to have more swings than a kindergarten play-ground. As 2009 comes to a close we hear that the year has been one of the hottest for ages. Yet, and as Yorkshire Dales aficionados know only too well, the showcase crags of Malham and Kilnsey have been variously soaking wet and bone dry throughout the autumn; this whilst the Peak crimp-garden of Raven Tor, barely 100 miles south, has seen some of the driest conditions of recent years.
Politics and climate science apart, what a day Saturday was; a day of stunning blue skies amidst the normal doom and gloom. Not that there was much dry in the sodden Peak District. Just goes to show that you need to be ready to grab every opportunity that comes past – with both hands! Depending upon how
Rob starting out on a circumnavigation of Flatworld...
