Tuesday 26 May 2009

Crib Goch....with the Terrified Other Half..heh heh



The Victim

Well, It's bank Holiday isnt it, you gotta get out in the country on a BH Monday, so we decided, well I decided actually that we would do Snowdon via Crib Goch, something I had done 4 times previous in various conditions but wanted to test the other halfs nerves....silly really as the most testing place that Stephanie has walked before was Dovedale in Derbyshire, oh and a tad in Aviemore and Galway.



Holy F**K....no way...

Anyway if my memory would serve me right shed be fine on Crib Goch it was easy wasnt it!!...my memory did not serve me right, it was hell on legs, and half the time Stephanie struggled to stay on the two she owned to be honest, all the more entertaining for me though as she crawled along like a crab... the butress as you raise up was the first problem, she had already lost her nerve at this point and the ridge wasnt even in sight, the weather was stunning though and the only other main risk was sunburn at this stage, in the end we managed the butress and she crawled up to the top to then see the way forward across the ridge...



Come on...'' I think I have wet myself...''



Its interesting because at this point I was put in a weird situation (as she refused to go on) because going back down may of been worse for her than going forward she didnt want to do it and I didnt know what to do, either way it was awkward and it was a lesson to me in other peoples ability in regard to your own.



In the end we met another couple in the same situation, one fine with it and the other bricking it...Steph and Moa (the brickers) stayed together and made it across the first part by which time some confidence and understanding had been gained about the routes technical elements.



In fact for a brief moment I even saw her smile as she moved forward, straight after she'd stuck her finger up at me of course. The drive home wasnt going to be too much fun I could see it now.



By the time wed got to the first summit, she was beaming I guess because there was no more ridges to scramble across and because she was alive and had done it. The final stroll up to Snowdon was all the more enjoyable (lunch at last) and the stroll down was a pleasure in itself.



She learned about assumed fear and its affects on your performance when in a sticky situation - I learned to respect other peoples ability on what for most is a technical peice of rock....



The drive home was fine and from the amount of texts and e mails shes been sending out she is so proud of her scramble, even so I think well stroll around the Peaks for this summer and break her in a tad gentler...



But then there is Sharp Edge to consider...heh heh

Enjoy the pictures...Ma..