Climbing Writing,  Writing

The Grit

Millstone Grit; coarse-grained carboniferous sandstones – gritstone specifically refers to such rocks in the Pennine areas of Northern England – the gritstone edges and boulders of the Peak District provide one of the world’s classic climbing areas.”

Yes, yes they do. 

A boulderer’s fingers

The grit; Burbage South boulders, The Brick.  

A cold day of stickydamp, of scudding cloud and passing sunshowers.  Of realising you should have dried your shoes less carelessly.  Of chillnumbed, glazeskinned fingers searching for crystal or friction.  

A day when the Fb4+ warm ups feel hard, the Fb6c arête strangely easy.   

A day when the crow chortles as those crystal shredded, chillnumbed fingers become electrifyingly, agonisingly hotached as they cuddle a coffee cup.  A day when, as you grab your deliciously oversalted chips, you realise the shredding goes deep; maybe time for a fork.  

A day when the grin lasts for weeks.