In what might prove to be one of the few outside climbing opportunities this week Paul and myself headed out to Burbage North on Monday night. We figured it would probably be a dump-ass thing to do but that unless you try you don’t know what might be possible...

The snow was axle deep across the tops and hence it was tricky driving conditions all the way to Burbage Bridge. The Green Drive had seen traffic but the surrounding moor was something else - deep, crisp and even. It was strangely reassuring to see some late night runners out as well; clearly we weren’t the only nutters around! A couple of minutes brisk walk saw us down at Remergence Buttress. It was climbable – just. Mercifully, the wind was blowing down the valley leaving the problems sans snow and out of the wind; just as well as it was baltic. Flattening the snow, we threw down a tarpaulin and then the pads and started to warm-up. It was game on!

Within the hour we were down at The Terrace. Against the odds it too was climbable – in fact it was in awesome nick. Snow flurries were blowing in every now and then on the strengthening wind. We figured minus 3-5^o C was somewhere close to the mark - providing you were out of the wind! It was surprising though what a couple of lanterns did to our psyche and we managed to climb till about 21:30 before the cold eventually got the better of us and we packed up and baled. The walk out was thankfully short though bracing to say the least; the drive back into Sheff steady all the way. It had been a good call to venture out despite not managed to tick anything. No cigar as they say - next time maybe?!

Paul on a Blind Date...