I am sure now most of you have read, watched and followed our trip across Europe. If you haven’t seen the latest few posts then check out the Summit Series Road Trip Blog and the final instalments. Thankfully the trip is over but it will certainly be something i will never forget. Some odd goings on in Font with James.

Some words from Unclesomebody. “The final stop of the roadtrip was also to the longest, with 3 days planned out at the climbing festival of Melloblocco. The 72 hours of planned relaxation and bouldering turned into 66 hours of manic editing, filming, and route climbing. The final 6 hours were spent partying away with the throngs of climbers from all over the world. In one small tent in a valley of Italy, 100’s of people from all over the world were gathered for the same thing, the love of climbing. This is why we continue to push ourselves, this is why we spend many dark days training, this is why we continue to explore the unknown and exciting potential that the world of rock climbing has to offer. We do it for nothing but love.
“the hardest 8a of the Trip”
50,000 words, 15,000 km, 47 days, 30 hours of video, 22 borders, 14 countries, a load of climbing, and a whole load of new friends later, the Summit Series Road Trip was a great success and a journey I feel privileged to have been involved with. James summed it up with “The SSRT was one of the best times of my life. It was harder work than I could ever have imagined but I feel this just made the many good times even sweeter”. Given the opportunity to undertake something like this again, the only question would be “When do we start?”.

If you fancy seeing some of the videos on the big screen then get yourselves down to the Cliffhanger event. Not only can you see me at 3.30 in the lecture tent but there are loads of other events happening and of course the Senior BBC will be held on Sunday. Check out the Cliffhanger for more details.

When the SSRT was over I went from one fantastic adventure to another. Hopping on plane from Milan to Alicante I went home to my new house. Kate had been there for a few weeks or so already. When i arrived it was straight to work on a horse shelter…..no climbing for Gaz this week.Mine or should i say Kate and Joes shelter is under construction. Joe being Kates horse.

A quick week back in the UK for setting at The Arch, The Castle and some coaching at Craggy Island meant another week with no real climbing. Returning to Spain I was determined to get at least a few routes in but this month really had to focus on jobs around the house and my land. A few nice days out and I managed 3 8a+ one of which was a first ascent, an 8a os in a new sector at Sella and another hard 8a rp at the hardest crag in Spain Murla. We had visit from Yann and Kates sister allowing us to be the tour guides and treat ourselves to some relaxing evenings on the beach.
My new 1st new route in Spain. "XPat 8a+"

12 days in

Oh my god this trip is just full on. Every day is rammed with stuff to do....climb, coach, lecture and then usually to finish the day off we find ourselves driving for a few hours. After the ferry we quested through Denmark and into Sweeden, over some of the most expensive toll bridges on the planet.



We were on our way to do some euro routes. Abstrakt is one of Sweeden classics, climbed in 1991 and following a really nice flake line with only a few foot holds. We met Jens from 8a.nu at the crag and he gave us the low down.



In the evening we headed round the the 8a.nu headquarters and then our for some pear cider in Gothenberg.



Next up was a lecture in Goth then we headed over to Copenhagen for a full day of coaching and an evening lecture. We finally left Copenhagen at around 11.30 pm and began our 9 hr drive to Eindhoven for more coaching and another lecture.



On a brief visit to Belgium we checked out the waffles and the pissing boy....pretty disapointing really but the city and its buildings are really nice.



Yesterday we climbed at the old Belgium crag of Freyer and were suitably impressed. A beautiful crag in a beautiful setting. We climbed the 1987 route God Save The Queen a really old school route involving some really technical climbing and some small holds. After trying the onsight and slipping high on the route James flashed it and i managed it first go.

Uk to Euro

Well that's it we have completed our 4 days in the uk and I have both routes in the bag. Yesterday we were at Malham and it was Cold! Raindogs felt really hard fighting the cold fingers was a real test. I tried it placing the draws but fell from the last move. I nailed it second go. James got the tick on his third attempt after taking the obligatory ride from the chain twice. We are now just leaving matlock to catch a 6pm ferry from Harwich.

The North Face Summit Series Tour

Well we are now on our third day of our Summit Series tour. The event kicked off with a fun boulder comp at the Castle Climbing Centre which was really well attended with over 100 competitors. The Castle put on an excellent show with a DJ, snacks and help setting the problems from Mike and Tricky the local setters.
The mens event was decided with a three way superfinal won in fine style by Richard Willams.

And as punishment for the looser we left the castle with an extra passenger on board, 2nd placed Yann from the Arch.



Yann on Mark Of The Beast

Our first classic 8a of the tour was the really cool looking Adrenochrome 8a at Lulworth cove. We arrived to a slightly damp crag so i warmed up on Mark Of the Beast and James got some chalk on the main event. After some beta from James i got on and flashed the route. James had less luck and after a couple of goes he let it go to preserve energy and skin for the 40 days ahead. I was really pleased with this as Adrenochrome has been a route i have wanted to tick for ages, the day was perfect, a flat sea, sun on the crag, a class route and a girl in a bikini being photographed on the beach!!


Who would have thought you could have so much fun in the UK. We finished the day off with Ice Creams and a sausage sarnie sat on top of our van.

You can follow our progress over the next month or so here The North Face Summit Series Road Trip

Malsonando Video

Malsoñando, 8c from Gavin Symonds on Vimeo.

Cheers to Lisa for the filming and Gav for the edit..........and Kate of course for the vocals ;-)

8c

Well i am back from spain again, but i had a fantastic last week out there. Lots of climbing with lots of friends and chance to spend some time with my wonderful girfriend Kate. We had Gav Symonds and Yann (of The Arch fame) out and also had a few days with Leah Crane on the crag. Everyone was psyched and had a great trip Yann did the classic Ergometria, followed by Leah who also ticked another 8a in great style and Gav managed to on-sight his first 8a, Columneta........he looked really strong on it even with the Knowledge that i had fallen off it a few years before. Another first of the week was Charlie Woodburns first flash of an 8a. He climbed superbly with beta from Gav and myself to bag the excellent Watermark.

I managed to clear up a project from my last visit. I took me four sessions to climb Malsonandro 8c, this route was onsighted by Ramonet.......effort. The cave of El Bovedon is host to some steep routes and this is at about an angle of 60 degrees!!! A cruxy start leads to a series of massive and powerful moves to a poor shake. Following is the crux, a four move boulder problem which basically has to feel easy when you get there. After another shake another 10m of climbing via a big mono move near the top leads to the belay. This is my 3rd 8c and second this year, time to try something harder i think. Starting up Malsonandro 8c

I also ticked a couple of cool 8bs, the loooonnnnggggg Satori at Forada was quite easy and the shorter La Criature at Wildside was quite hard.

Spain

Well yet again its been a while since i blogged. Time goes so fast when you are having fun in the sun. Rather than babble away trying to remember all the things i have done over the last few months i am just gonna post some pics.

This is Transnochando 8b in the fantastic cave of El Bovedon near Gandia. I tried to flash the route with pretty pour beta and fell only one move from the good hold at the top!!! It went down first redpoint though.


Starting up a long 8a+ at Orihuela. This sector is not in the Rockfax guide, but if you are interested in finding it go south out of Orihuela and its on the right after the MASSIVE water pipe.


High on the 8a+


A satisfying lower off after a successful flash.


On sighting a class 8a in Sector Cuevas at L'Ocaive

And finally redpointing a wicked 8a at Murla, a crag i cant wait to go back to.

I have got four more days here before i head back to the UK and tomorrow we are off to Bovedon again....................