Not so pretty anymore!

Inviting don't you think? This is what will greet the throngs of tourists that visit the city this Summer. What once used to be a pretty street is now covered with so many railings it is difficult to see even the biggest landmarks!

 If you start walking from the West End you can not actually cross to the other side of the street or enter the gardens until The Mound, and if you wish to continue along Princes Street to the East End you have to endure being funneled half way up Hanover Street and back down again. In these credit crunching days I feel these road works may have dire consequences for the retail industry along this historic street. It was relatively quiet today, a Thursday morning, but add a weekend and a Festival of tourists during the Summer months, the now reduced single pavement is going to feel quite claustrophobic.

Single file please!

Castle Security

Two castles for the price of one.

Unless you are incredibly tall or happen to carry a step ladder around with you, this is now a typical view of the castle.

Scraping off the tarmac

How do I get in?

Scott Monument

Bloody trams!

This is what all the fuss is about! Oooh you mean I can go on and have a look and see what a tram looks like? Well funnily enough it is kind of similar to a bus, but smaller. As I was taking this photo an elderly couple walked past me and I over heard part of their conversation. 

Man: "Shall we go and have a look?"

Woman: "Only if you want me to get cross if anyone involved speaks to me!"

Man: "Maybe not then"

National gallery playing hide and seek

All photographs by Caroline Harvey.

Peace and quiet in the County

Ouch!

The weather forecast was looking good for Saturday, so plans were made to head to Northumberland for the second weekend in a row. Last weekend it was Bowden, this weekend we headed to it's less popular next door neighbour Ravens Crag. Emma, Andrea and I did not have any inclination for any super hard projects and it was Stuarts' first time bouldering on real rock, so it seemed the ideal choice.

On the drive down we enjoyed an 80's fest of music. Well I say we, I really mean just me and Emma, our passengers just had to put up with our choice of tunes and listen to our dodgy singing, but at least they were old enough to remember the tunes!

I was an eager beaver to get started, so decided to climb a very short problem that was basically about 3 moves with a mantle finish. Easy! I had climbed it on a previous trip the year before, so reckoned it would make the perfect warm up, and for once my hands were not blocks of ice. 

I did a little jump to get on the boulder and caught a very sharp edged pocket and pulled a huge flapper on my pinky! Bollocks, what a fool, I had not even started and was injured. Aargh! Never mind, we took the obligatory photo, I sooked away the blood, taped it up, job done. Let the climbing commence.

I am not sure of the names and grades of the problems we did, but we pulled hard and lost some skin with the sun on our backs and had a great wee day out. It is what life is all about. To top off a perfect day I visited my fabulous girlfriends for delicious home made Thai curry, red wine, a gossip and a laugh. Happy days.

Ooh lovely blood.

So as not to feel left out Emma scraped her ankle.

Ringo had a nice day too.

Andrea. Strong as ever.

Emma. Slab fear.

Me.

All photographs by Caroline Harvey (except for the ones with me in which were taken by Emma)

Tis the season to be Springy!

It is so nice to feel that Summer is nearly here. I love this time of year when all the daffodils and crocuses come out, everything seems much more colourful and cheery. Since I had a little free time I took my usual route along the canal and through the Meadows, because the flowers there are always good. Although the Meadows probably needs an extra week or so to be in full bloom, hopefully if the frost stays away! They never last long so go gaze at the purple and yellow carpet before they get either trampled or die.

All photographs by Caroline Harvey

Grit Virgins

Burbage South and blue skies

Well what a weekend! I was invited down to the Peak District this weekend with Emma, Diff and Kev. We were all hoping for some decent weather since for Kev and I it was our first visit to the Peak District and first taste of the famous Grit stone. I was very excited about not only bouldering outside for the first time since New Year, but checking out Grit too, groovy.

Diff had some filming to do, so we were at Burbage early on Saturday morning and although there was quite a breeze the sun was out and it was dry. Excellent! Emma and I found some fun looking boulders and got started on some easy problems. Wow, that grit ain't half sharp on the fingers, but good and sticky under the feet. We had a great play on about six problems before our skin started to sting, so thought best to keep some for the next day.

Emma on a nice wee 6a.

I woke at eight on Sunday morning and peaked out through the curtains to find that the wind and rain that hammered on the window for most of the night had cleared to leave beautiful blue skies. Yippee!

We set off to see what the Roaches held in store for us. Kev was psyched to find some routes that might suit him better than Burbage, and Emma and I were wanting some more bouldering fun. However, about three miles from our destination the weather changed. We had checked the forecast and some snow was due, but not till at least midday, it was only 9.30am. By the time we reached the Roaches it was blizzard conditions. Aaargh!

That was the end of the climbing for the weekend. All we had to look forward to now was the long drive home, but even though it was slightly disappointing on the weather front it was a great first outing on grit stone. Hopefully I can go back soon.

Snow at the Roaches

A near whiteout.

A disappointed Kev. Pesky weather!

All photographs by Caroline Harvey