Solidarité

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Up and out earlier than early, listening to events unfold in France, I drove towards the rising sun. These words, words I try to live by, seemed for a while too little, sometimes the dark seems so overwhelming.

Arriving in the Peak District ahead of the forecast bad weather, I was glad I'd decided to try and climb ahead of a BMC committee meeting. I met a friend at Higger Tor - its an imposing place, and the high contrast in this shot suits it well - climbing here is fierce, demanding - it commands your respect and makes you fight. We both thought it a fitting place to be. Walking in it was no surprise we were the only climbers there - groups of walkers stand atop or pass by, but few people come to climb on days like these.
The steep front face was thankfullysadly seeping with water, but as has often been the case in troubled times, I felt the need to climb, so we did a route on the side, the crack visible in the shot - I've not climbed here for 25 years - obviously long enough to forget that Higger offers no easy conquests - its 50 foot height won only inch by inch, the diamond sharp gritstone taking its own measure from me in skin & blood. Sat on the top, I could see the sky darkening, but my mood had lightened. Ron arrived grinning from ear to ear, even his leathery hands torn, fair price for a classic climb.

The BMC meeting was very dull, but it had already become a brighter day by then.