With bad weather forecast for Saturday, we decided to have that as our travel day for the ferry over to Arran, so friday would be a day on the Cobbler. Karl decided to drive the Knob (named because Rob can't read reg plates) so he could try out the new roof tent.
The days's objective was the CR tick Recess Route which heads up to the obvious fang on the Cobbler. We reached the base of the route at 4pm, and with the wind picking up and a potential for rain we headed on up. Rob slung the first 2 pitches together, 
going from open slab to closed chimney complete with chock stones to bypass. I had the next 2 pitches up grooves and chimneys, again more huge chock stones but they can all be skirted round. All in all a very nice climb. There was a potential to continue up the amazing looking face behind, but as the wind had picked up and a few spots of rain had landed, we decided to call it a day and headed back down.
Saturday to Tarbet. After an overnight camp in a layby and the roof tent christened, we headed in to Tarbet for a coffee before getting the ferry. 
Every part of this place is a real throwback from the 80s – the buildings, the decoration and music playing in the cafes. A quick shopping trip found Rob looking to upgrade his midge head net for a full midge jacket, but he decided not to buy when they didn't have the trousers to match. Just down the road in the middle of nowhere is a bus shelter with a jetty, which marks the ferry terminal. Karl cooks sausage and eggs.
The weather arrived when we reached Arran, so we cancelled the plan to climb tun
and went to check the place out, and listen to some tunes. First stop was the local beer festival at Blackwater foot. Later in the day we stumbled on great spot to camp by the sea, then headed over for dinner at the pub, with a small choice in whisky afterwards.
A Sunday early start, with a long walk in for the day of cragging begins with Karl cooking sausage and eggs. The plan for the day was 2 more CR ticks linking Sou'wester Slabs with Labyrinth, which turned out to be a day of 2 halves. Unfortunately Karl was having knee problems (not helped by Rob's poor route choice – ed) on the walk in so headed back early.
Sou'wester is an utter delight. Perfect granite climbing with cracks for 
hands and friction for feet. Laybacking up grooves, padding over slabs and crawling under overhangs. It was over way too soon. The link up mod round the hillside is not much to write home about, but it's a quick way to get to Labyrinth.
Think of all the things which make a route enjoyable – nice climbing,
clean solid rock, good protection, views of the scenery – Labyrinth has none of these. It was mainly a multi-pitch squirm through the bowels of the hillside up wet body-width cracks with the odd boulder chock stone – some of which move. There was one pitch of nice climbing, and to be honest the main chimney was pretty unique though I'm quite pleased I wasn't leading this. The rest was damp and dirty thrutching.
V Diff apparently. Don't be fooled…
We eventually topped out at 9pm with the setting sun just visible though the clouds, and still a long walk out. As we were now quite late back, Karl had done what any worried friend would have done and found out what time last orders was at the local pub kitchen. He secured us a take-away meal which Elvis would have been proud of – burgers chips and Arran beer, all round. This was kept warm in his sleeping bag until we arrived back at 11pm. Nice one!
Monday morning rolled in and we had to pack to get the ferry over to the mainland and head home. Karl cooked sausage and eggs. The route back took us on A-roads instead of the motorway, so we could stop off on route at the idyllic Clifton Crag near Dumfries for a few more pitches. The routes here are really nice, but we only had time for 2 – Jeune Ecole(S) & Dirl Chimney(VS) both were interesting climbing and worthy of their stars.
Back in York for 10, and me back in Malvern for 2:30am. Corking weekend..
so was that wierd 4×4 in the library cat Park worth the tent on top yours?