Oxenber

A pretty walk to the crag, Oxenber Scar, near Austwick. However appearances can be deceptive, and the winds were arctic! Chris led up the first 'warm up' route, and I followed, fingers becoming progressively more numb the higher I got, blowing on my fingers each move, almost crying with the pain. The wind instead of blowing over the top of the crag as we'd hoped, was funnelling directly down it with ferocious speed and force. And it was not a warm wind either! By the time I reached Chris at the belay I was gasping as though I'd plunged into cold water, and could have no concept of what on earth my fingers were holding onto. Each movement was slowing to a sludge-like pace. 'Whatever you're about to say - Don't!' said Chris, shaking from head to foot, as I topped-out, 'because I agree totally!'. So we coiled our ropes, dashed down to the foot of the crag and promptly left! Not our most hard-core effort ever! We must be getting old! Or soft! Or both!