The venue this week was Brimham. Will and I headed for the pinnacle area first, where we bumped into Simon and Carmen making their way up Turtleneck Chimney. The rock seemed reasonably dry so we decided to take a look at our target routes of the day, which were both on cracked buttress.
I bagsyed first go and headed up Central Crack. The start of this is very pleasant and about HS, but it has an evil off width finish that I fell (several times) foul of a few years ago. Anyway, after a summer of off widthing I felt the time was right for another go.
A little while later, stationed at the final ledge, I was questioning my own sanity. The thing looked as off width, off balance and holdless as ever. Quite a long time passed while I tried various tactics – facing left, facing right, upside down (obviously that last ones a lie) before eventually most of me managed to reach the top ( I left quite a lot of skin in the crack) and flopped onto my back without even sufficient breath to shout 'safe', so poor Will had to stay on belay while I finished hyperventilating.
Anyway, having entertained Crofty and Will (and Simon and Carmen who had made a short heckling and giggling type appearance) it seemed only fair that Will should do some swearing on his chosen route of Parallel Cracks which looked choicely green and damp.
Twilight was approaching as Will headed off with enthusiasm and before long was just below the final moves, which, like everything else on this buttress, provide the sting in the tail. Will decided to go for the left exit, which has an excellent, but completely invisible from below, hold. Its also a lo-o-ng way back, so getting it requires a bit of a blind launch and then a frantic grope till you find it. Now it was Will's turn to try various techniques, bobbing up and retreating like a demented yoyo before eventually deciding to just throw himself at it (it was either this or bivvy for the night, as darkness had not only approached but reached us some time ago and was now settling down to brew a cup of tea). Success! Will topped out, I hastily donned a headtorch to follow and Crofty was dispatched to sweet talk the rangers waiting to lock the gates.