World Juggling Day celebrates juggling and Ambleside the local venue — but bugger that there's climbing to be done ! Hooking up with YAC prospective, known to some from Leeds Wall and Brimham, Paul Cookson (Cookie), I had a top w/e in Langdale. Pavey Ark on Sat. and Gimmer on Sunday both avoiding the showers (just) and even seeing some sun.
Pavey yielded Arcturus (HVS+), Golden Slipper (HVS-) and Capella (E1-)- all good and very different routes well worth doing. Middle pitch of GS is total stunner 4c, good wires and only just HVS (Almscliff VS), as good as any anywhere – get it done.
Sunday more overcast and warm for the long slog up to Gimmer (leaving all 3 guidebooks in the campsite!) – but cool and windy when we arrived. Kipling Groove is one of Cookies dream routes (the other being Dream…) so we did it, I didn't realise that the hard pitch was for me! Having done it 15 or more years ago I only remember vague bits of it and its harder than I remembered, maybe the hardest we did all w/e, but probably for sustained and wild situations not technical reasons.
Cookie also led Ash Tree Corner, a well protected VS with some interesting awkward but safe moves and never strenuous.
Great routes on virtually empty crags – no queues and good company.