BONDAGE CLUB, VICKY’S VISIT, CORRIDOR CLIMBING AND GRASMERE.

Got back from the Cairngorms on Tuesday night, went to lecture on Wednesday and spent the day reading up on notes and recovering from Snow and Ice. Went out with the Mountaineering club on Thursday night, we were having a ‘roped bar crawl’, which consisted of splitting into two teams and all tying in to a rope on an overhand knot and running round campus in the most interesting way possible (through trees, in and out of lamp posts and jumping over the rope and getting all in a tangle, also sneakily attaching other people into our mess in Pendle bar). At some point we played the game where you put string up and down people’s clothes down a line, which is difficult when some people are wearing skinny jeans! Got to Fylde bar and had a challenge to get as many people as possible in a photo (we managed about 50 I think!) and to collect random items such as bras, belts etc...
Vicky came to visit for a weekend; I met her at the train station, got the bus and ordered pizza on the way. Walking into Furness bar door and apppologised to it ... collected pizza and spent all night eating and watching Robin Hood and playing the guitar and singing!!! Spent Saturday making pancakes, at the bouldering wall and moseying around campus then want to grad bar for a pint (between us). Went into Lancaster in Sunday and spent money money money!!
Spent last night with Amy and her flat mates climbing her corridor etc then got up early this morning, met Mark at central, got to Rachel’s (Lisa also there) got in the car and drove to Grasmere and had an interesting outing up on helm crag with me and Mark doing some ‘scrambly bits’!! Rachel found out pecans (in pecan pie) are not birds and many other things. We stayed in the Red Lion Pub for about 3 hours after having a look around Grasmere and a walk round the daffodil garden! Drove home about 8ish listening to 60’s songs on the radio and mark singing. Had a great laugh about anything and everything and decided to do it again after Easter when Mark has his car up ... may try a proper hardcore adventure next time =] had to undo my belt on the way home for comfort reasons and forgot to do it up when walking back to my flat ... yes my trousers fell down to my thighs ... I hope no one saw ... anyway, great day. Still don’t understand the strawberries and pepper they gave us to sample in the pub.

SNOW AND ICE AND MORE SNOW!

SNOW AND ICE – GETTING THERE

Ok, so the day began with exams ... then nipped back to my room, grabbed my gear and jumped in the car back to sunny old Southport to collect extra stuff and sort some stuff out that had need sorting for a while ... now its sorted lol. Got to Martin Freeman’s for 4:30 and met Jenny, Kim and Jess (and Martin also) there, Ash showed up after a while and we loaded up the mini bus and whizzed down mways for 6 hours. We set off late but were in the unrestricted bus so soon caught up. Spent a few hours chatting and playing this amazing game of Jenny’s called ‘Dirty Minds’ ... wont go any further here. Stopped off at Carlisle to pick up Lewis, grab some food and leave Katie and Phil for the next mini bus. Got on the A9 a few hours after and I was starting to feel ... mountainy ... so much snow! Arrived at Nethy house around midnight which is a good few hours earlier than last time! Took are gear to be checked by the leaders ... ‘Matt can you check this waterproof please ... that you helped me pick out’ was funny Matt being a leader. Got to bed around 1ish.

SNOW AND ICE DAY ONE!!
Woke up to Balamore being blasted out of the stereo in the kitchen at 7ish, sat down to a nice cooked breakfast, grabbed kit and got on the hill for 9:30. covered the basics of winter walking, ice-axe arrests, walking with ice axe and crampons avalanche pits, snow holes etc etc etc. I could tell I learnt something last time as I knew everything! Was a good day spent with Katie, Kim, Gemma, Jenna, and Jess. We saw and stroked some reindeer too! Back to the mini bus for 4:30 where we were supposed to be meeting Geoff with his group, but, Geoff being a machine, he probable took his group 40km up Ben Macdui so something silly like that. I had him with Matt and Phil on the training day last year (I didn’t have a gently intro to winter mountaineering at all!) we ended up doing ice axe breaking down the headwall on Cairngorm then traversing the ridge all the way around Caorei and t’snecter and coming down the goat track and walking out. Got to Glenmore lodge too late to go to the bar so headed in to the avalanche lecture. Yes, many people fell asleep but it was quite interesting (although it has been the same for about 10 years). Ate loads for tea when we got back, then signed up to do ski-mountaineering for the next day, had a meeting about it, then packed for the hill, played cards and hung around the bar for a few hours.

SNOW AND ICE DAY 2
Up and out for 8, drove down to the hire shop to pick up ski mountaineering gear, they didn’t have any, tryed another place, they didn’t have any, drove back to Nethy House to get climbing gear in the hope of catching up with people on Fiacaill ridge, car park was full, went to Glen More ski hire and got cross-country kit. Me, Harriett and Stubbs had allot of fun falling over as we got used to the new skis. Your boot is not attached at the back like on normal skis, so I kept trying to lean forward in the pathetically flimsy boots we had, only to fall face first in the snow, leaving cartoon like person shaped holes everywhere in the fresh powder. Followed a track through the woods for a few hours, then went round the back of Glen More Lodge where there was a huge tree to navigate round.

SNOW AND ICE DAY 3
I had decided to go climbing today, as the real aim of snow and ice, for me was to do some harder winter routes, gain a better knowledge of the rope work and building belays and start to think about the possibility leading. Snow conditions were somewhat unusual, in the sense that there was an awful lot of it! Too much you might say, making spike and gear placements hard as you were pulling at loose slushy powder most of the time and frozen never was hard to come by. Anyhow, being ready early, me, Andy Brown, Stubbs and Lewis left at about 8 in Andy’s car and met the others at the coire cas car park later after having a hot drink in the cafe. Handed out gear and ropes and began the walk in to coire an s'tsnector. The weather was slightly overcast but the worst was yet to come the next day! I climbed with Phil, and we went up Aladdin’s mirror not taking the direct route as there were already two other teams at the bottom of the icefall. We dug an axe belay, a ‘mushroom’ and bucket seat and I also took in coils to make the rope sorter between the three of us as we were climbing on a 60m. Did the climb in about three pitches placing minimal gear and topping out just after Andy had yelled at us to put in another belay to get Phil to the top more safely. Being the first group to top out, we hung around a bit and observed some idiot coming up a few hundred meters to the right and sitting on the actual cornice to bring up his partner. Didn’t fancy the long drag down the goat track to we walked out past Jacobs ladder, and over to cairngorm way. Discussed ski mountaineering for the next day, skinning up cairngorm and off the top coming round in a circular route. Back to Nethy house for some food, signed up for climbing for the next day as I wasn’t sure about ski mountaineering due to my lack of experience off piste.

SNOW AND ICE DAY 4
Last day, and me, Katie, Jess, Jenna and Gemma (Kim was on an overnighter building snow holes) had to get up for 6 to cook breakfast. By 6.15 I was flipping pancakes and feeling rather peckish. My kit was basically packed from climbing the day before, so I just grabbed some extra food and my stuff out of the drying room and a rope and was in the mini bus for 8 again. Began the long walk in, with me leading us as everyone else was totally shattered but I didn’t feel toooooooo bad. Conditions deteriorated into wind, clag and drizzle, and so did my mood as we met the ‘English hordes’! Had a quick pep talk was we geared up and a few people didn’t fancy it and turned back. Me and Phil decided to go for a gully to the left of the goat track, but ended coming back down as the gully had turned into a waterfall from all the snow melt, we headed up the goat tack instead. Things were beginning to feel peculiar underfoot (and crampon!) so we dug an avalanche pit, and a huge block slid off in one piece on a clean plane with little effort ... so we just caught Ash and Phil coming up a gully to the left then we all ran away. On the walk back out we were up to our knees in melt water which was not pleasant, so much had melted in just a day it was unbelievable. Sat in the cafe with hot drinks to recover while waiting for Matt, Martin and the others who were now on there was out and we discussed the Welsh Meet, March Activity Weekend and the Dolomites trip in the summer. Ended up at Mambos and met Lewis to do more recovering as we did everyday. Then got back to Nethy House in time for tea and a hot shower.

THE NIGHT THAT BLURED INTO DAY THAT BLURED INTO NIGHT …
Got all are packing done after tea then went down to the bar, took a lot of pictures, tried on a lot of hats, played pool and darts and generally did daft things. Ash got his guitar out at about 1ish and we had a slightly drunken sing along for an hour or so while me and Stubbs drew on each other. Went to get some toast at about 2 and found Kim, Tom, Lewis, Stubbs and a few others in there. We decided to play a really hard drinking game (without the drink!) (I don’t think we would have managed it if people had been drinking. It involved a lot of numbers, changing numbers to nonsense word and other numbers, the ‘thumb rule’ and the ‘pointing rule’ and many other silly rules. Went to bed for an hour or so at about 3:30 as I was feeling rather sick. Work up at 5:30 to get the coach at 6. We were all waiting in the dining room for a while when it was announced there was a problem and it wasn’t coming. Sooooooooo we sat around and slept on the floor and in the bar, ate a lot of toast and talked rubbish for hours till another coach came. Slept most of the journey, but I think I was so tired my mind was playing tricks on me, when I was half asleep and still flicking through my iPod I kept thinking ‘what was I doing in 1999?’ and then ‘was I on snow and ice in 1999?’ then Jenny Barret appeared and told me to pick up all this grated cheese off this hill … odd. Stopped off at Gretna services and had to wait another hour for the next coach so got some food. Finally arrived in Preston at 6ish and Dad and Vicky picked me up, and I couldn’t find the staired up the multi-story and ended up in the staff canteen. Got home, had tea, had a bath then Dad took me back up to Lancaster.

CONCLUSION
Really good trip with great people. I feel like I want to lead some winder stuff or at least do harder routes. Planning on going to the next Network event. I also now feel sick and ill from lack of sleep … means it was a good trip … I’m very happy =]

Helm Crag, SNOW! Resist, Break'falling and paper Monoply =]

The day after ‘Friday fury’ (where me and Amy meant to go out, but spent all night watching climbing videos of the assent of the Eiger ... in German!!!) Dad, Mum and Vicky picked me up and we headed up to Grasmere. Set off for Helm Crag with me navigating (and making a right hash of it at first). Stopped for lunch at the top, then carried along the ridge to Gibson Knott, Pike of Carrs and Calf crag before heading back down the valley. Dad mum and Vicky took the path, and I moseyed along on a higher traverse having some scrambling fun =] me and Vicky made some funny videos along the way involving falling in waist deep snow and rolling down small hills and snowmen with croissants for noses). Stopped off in the Red Lion pub for some tea on the way back, then I jumped out at Lancaster.
Had my Geography Synoptic unit resist on Friday, so get the train to Preston and the bus to Southport. Did some work then realised what work I thought was at home was, in fact, still up at Lancaster, as I needed it for the exam and after a 15 minuet ‘absolute panic mode’ session, and after ringing Emma to see if she had the notes (which she didn’t) Dad said he'd drive me back up to Lancaster, and even stopped off at the petrol station to get me some sweets =]long story short, did my exam, went fine, chatted to Mr Porter who I hadn’t seen in aaaaaaaages, had a brief convo about what we’ve been up to and plan to be up to in the near future involving all things adventurous. Back home for lunch, and back to Lancaster.
Anyhow, in the last few days, I’ve been thrown around in karate learning how to ‘break-fall’, been to the bouldering wall and the gym, played snakes and ladders, twister and monopoly (all made out of paper) in Biogeochemical processes practical. Done quite a bit of revision in the library with Rachel (after going to Pizzeta and eating galaxy). Going to Langdale on Monday with Amy and Jake ... ooo ... and laser quest 2mo!

THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, CANADA!!! =]

Ok, in the last few mins, ive experianced every kind of emotion possible, having innocently logged onto my webmail, and recieved an e-mail saying 'Dear Emma, I’m pleased to offer you a place at the University of Western Ontario...' woah!

At first, i didnt understand, then i was so excited and happy, i ran into the kitchen to tell everyone. then i text my friends (still excited and happy here!) then my mum rang and i got slightly destressed is i hadnt got Colerado, hung up as i could't speak for holding back tears, composed myself and was happy and excited again when she rang back less than two mins later! i then felt worried, sick, excited (still!) very hot, extreamly hungay etc etc ...

Im not looking at stuff on the internet! ooooooo The Blue Mountains, huge lakes, New York, Western Mustangs (there sports team) and snow snow snow and sun sun sun in the summer! Gosh im a lucky girl ... thanks God. Im thinking this is the reason i ended up at Lancaster and just the other day i randomly met a girl whoes from there! hmmmmm it looks pretty!

SKIING IN CHAMONIX WITH THE PROS! YEEAAAHHHH 180 JUMP TURNS!!!

Flew back from Ireland and packed for going skiing!!! There were meant to be 6 of us going on the annual trip. Me, Dad, and dad’s friends, Neil, Ian, Debbie and Aiden. Due to ‘a series of unfortunate events’ it ended up just me and Neil (my Godfather) going and Ian was flying out to join us after two days.
Dad drove me to the airport, and we picked up Neil on the way. Had a bit of a wait in Genera airport as there were communication issues with ATS. Finally got picked up and arrived in Argentiere, Chamonix, at la Boerne around midnight.
The first day we stopped off in Argentiere at Stamos sports for my skis, boots and poles, Le Tour was closed due to windy conditions so we headed for Les Grands Montets which is THE place for skiing and free riding in Chamonix. Did a few blue runs to get back into the flow of things again, and Neil gave me some good pointers about the position of my shoulders, where the weight should be over my skis etc ... it wasn’t long before my feet were killing as I have problems with my arches. So I had to stop and take my boots off to take the pressure off the bottom of my feet. This kept happening through the whole of the trip, but got slightly better as the days went on and from mornings to afternoons. Had a bit of lunch then took the lift up the Bochard (2765m) for my first red run of the season.
Got back to the gite in time for tea, before stopping off for some tea and buiscet supplies in Argentiere. The lady cooked us tea and we had a good conversation about skiing and climbing for about 3 hours.
On the second and third days we went to Le Tour and did a mix of blue and red runs again as Brevent – Flegere was closed. Neil taught me how to carve and was impressed by my sepecatulat 180 degree jump turns. I only manage a few as its hard to do it on sloped less than 30 degrees and the slopes at Le Tour weren’t that steep for long sections. Ian joined us on the third day but got all got mixed up as to where one another were and ended up at slightly different ski resorts for a while.
On the last day, we went back to Les Grands Montets for some extreme skiing! Took the Herse lift up to 2595m and skied the red run with all my improved skills put into practice. We then went off-piste for a bit and worked on small jump turns over the lumps and bumps (I only ended up hugging a tree once this time!). Neil and Ian had to leave soon after lunch as they were off to Samoen (I’ve been there!) for a few weeks of ski touring. I stayed for a few more hours and did a few more runs and wet off piste for a bit too. Ended the trip in style by coming down the valley run right from the highest point on the mountain (2765m) down the Bochard and then the valley run its self, keeping speed all the way (apart from stopping for my feet hurting like crazy a few times) with some pretty nice carving, well finished turns and a huge grin on my face =]
Returned my skis in Argentiere, back to the gite where it was full!! Nice to meet a few more people! Met three guys who were planning on a good three weeks of ice climbing. I was able to give them some advice about snow conditions etc, and we got chatting over tea about all things mountains. Up early (again) the next morning and took the bus in to Chamonix and had a wander around and bought a few bits and bobs. ATS picked my up at about 2:00 and took me to Genera airport. Spent the journey chatting with Joe and practically exchanged life stories about dancing, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, surfing ... and figure skating (although thats a secret). Anyway got back to Liverpool airport at 7ish, got home, had tea, and back to Lancaster!!
I’m very proud of what I achieved although next time I plan to be insured for off-piste to I can ski the Vallee Blanche (had a play around with some crevasse rescue toys I may need), and I only had one minor accident where I got taken out at high speeds and it all ended in broken skis ... my leg is now black.
I think a big thank you is due to Neil and Ian too.
(Pics up soon ... seems to be some problems with that at the moment)

christmas going's on =]

I am happy to say i didn’t do that much over Christmas and having time to do nothing for a week or so certainly was nice for a change. I had so many baths i think ive reversed sea leval rise, watched a few films, saw my friends alot and went to the Envisage gig!!! The band has really come on and im proud to have been a part of it before i cane to Lancaster. Secret sants was a huge success, including me and Rachel learning how to waltz, improving my cooking skills, and everyone getting really good presents this year that really ment something.
I had the option to go up to Glen Coe on boxing day, but thought i needed to spent Christmas with my family. Christmas day was ... christmasy ...and i spent the next few days visiting family. Went to Ireland to see some family too. Was great to see everyone and id forgotten how fun making snowflakes and dens, and playing hide and seek was before Georgie and Hamish rememded me! Cameron showed me their new hourse, and it was good to see Elyse and Suzanne and Howerd too!

GLEN LEITCH AND THE MYSTARY OF THE LOST CRAMPON ... DUN DUN DUUUNNN!!!

Had my last exam before Christmas ... which I’ve now got the results and did rubbish (more on this later), printed our poster for the 3rd time in the library, made a business deal with Mark involving some new shiny GHD straightens, rushed home, finished packing, ate allot of pancakes, and went to Matt’s to meet for our adventure to go see Carrington in St Andrews and to go further up in Scotland for some mountaineering (oh gosh that’s a long over run sentence).
We had a 6minuet connection to make in Edinburgh and I was rather worried to find that our train was exactly 6 minuets delayed at Lancaster. Anyhow ... after a long train journey we arrived in St Andrews where my Cousin Mike picked us up and Carrington met us at the bus station. Made our way up to Pitlochary in the mini bus and stopped off for some chips, arrived in Glen Leitch, just north of Inverness late. After a long and gruelling walk into the hut, we unpacked and hit the deck.
Up at 8ish the next morning and I can say all were rather annoyed as it took about an hour to get any form of fire due to the lack of matches and lighters. Everyone went off there own way, some went to do the 5 sisters and me Carrington and Matt started out for a gully climb. I can certainly say my feet were causing some bother that day and didn’t make things easier (more on this later too). Reached the snowline, geared up, had a bite to eat, and wondered about the snow conditions as it looked like there had been a small avalanche, considered digging am avalanche pit. Moved up the snow slope with Matt leading, then me, then Carrington using two ropes because I tied onto the end by accident (thinking ‘oh bother, this would have been a great opportunity to show off my newly learnt alpine butterfly). The snow was mighty powerdry with little ice, when we topped out Matt realised where the avalanche had come from ... as the cornice was missing. Bumped into the group doing the 5 sisters, and then nipped to the top. Took a couple of pics, and then headed down. The snow was fairly deep, covering gaps in-between rocks which I fell down a few times. On reaching grassy terrain again, I went to take my crampons off only to realise they were not there ... odd. (I found one but there is still a crampon buried in the mountainside up there somewhere).

Had a bit of a lazy but scenic day the next day, headed up the valley to see some waterfalls, then walked back, picked up our stuff and walked out. Picked up Matt, Carrington and Andy on the way back, although it took about an hour to locate them when they were 200m down the road waiting for us. I ran down to find them ... and all was well. Stopped off at the co-op on the way back just as they were closing, and raided the shop. Crashed at Carrington’s academic Dad’s on the way back, then navigated around St Andrews and jumped on the train and promptly fell asleep.

Felt like a change for this weekend, and I decided to join the Hiking club for a weekend trip to Wasdale. Set off from the underpass at 8.30ish and arrived in Wasdale at 10.00. Put tents up and had a chat about where people wanted to go. Ended up going up Black Sail pass, over looking stead, and traversing across and up to Pillar. The views down to Ennerdale and Black Sail hut, and across to Red Pike, High Stile and along the ridge to Haystacks were spectacular, the conditions were perfect although the snow was hardly in winter conditions for any serious crampon and ice axe usage. On top of Pillar, it began to get dark, and as we headed for Scoat Fell a particularly amazing sunset set on. Followed the ridge round to Red Pike and Stirrup Crag where we had a food break. Suddenly realising the ground was moving; we looked down and saw the ground moving in waves! We came to the conclusion that we were standing on a semi-frozen mud bog where the top was frozen and the mud was moving beneath us when we stood on it ... was quite amazing how much this thing was moving! Carried on to Yewbarrow then came off the hill and walked back along the road to the campsite ... and the pub. It was pretty cold that night, and I was glad of my cosy down sleeping bag.
The next day, we walked up to Great Gable, and headed up Scafell way, joining the Corridor route, and nipping up to Lingmell before summiting Scafell Pike.
Drove back to campus, where Alex got on the roof for the drive through campus. I must remember to give the hiking club back there tent, which is still in my kitchen. All in all, was a good weekend, met a lot of new people. Must go out with the Hiking club again at some point.