Members; Dave Wylie, Roger Dyke, Andy Stratford, Meirion Tanner, Robert Clarke, James Meakin, Duncan Zerafa. Gowry Sisupalan, Mark Ashley, 

Non-members. Andy Pierce, Annie Nye.

A few of us started to arrive at the crag from 1.30pm, making the most of the afternoon sunshine providing welcome warmth in the blustery winds. Dave arrived first soloing a couple before Andy arrived. Roger was next and after warming up following Andy up Heather Face led his favourite WG route: High Buttress Arete. Meirion arrived around 3.30 followed over the next couple of hours by the rest of the team. As usual at Windgather it would be impossible to record all the ascents (Andy managed thirteen, and Dave twelve) in detail but it's worth noting some of the highlights.

Last time we visited Windgather Duncan was spanked by Portfolio, which, at HVS 5a is one of the harder routes here. He took an impressive fall with only his pride suffering an injury. On arrival this evening he stalked the crag warming up on some solo's and easy routes before finding a willing belayer in Andy Pierce. Gear in the lower sections was carefully placed then the crucial pieces below the crux moves. The guidebook gives a grade of 5b instead of 5a for "the short", now, the question is, where does Mr Zerafa sit on this scale.....well maybe he has a positive Ape index.....

Duncan reached up latching the lower jug with his left then made the improbable stretch with his right to the slopey crimp, repositioning hands, the left foot came up, another reposition then a wobble backwards, lots of shouts of "stay with it"....there was a pause which seemed like seconds but in reality was maybe a ½ second then a focused look at the top and yet another long stretch and the top of crag was firmly latched. (See sequence of photos). Lots of shouts of ‘’well done’’ and applause ensued. Mark Ashley made a game but noisy and eventually unsuccessful attempt to follow Duncan and it was left to the experienced Andy Pierce to follow clean and remove the gear. Gowry continued to make progress in her mission to learn to lead with a fine and steady ascent of High Buttress Arete.

All in all, the weather was excellent, if a lttle chilly in the wind by the time we quit about 8.20pm. There was no sign of any rain, despite two forecasts showing possible rain tonight from about 6pm to 8pm.......as usual the best bet is to take the forecasts with a pinch of salt and just get out and have a look. I'm reminded of a wednesday meet at Castle Naze a few years ago when it tipped it down the entire time I was driving there. As I pulled into the layby it stopped. The wind dried the crag in the time it took to walk up the hill (5 mins!) and 30 minutes later the wind dropped and just four KMC members who had kept the faith climbed on perfectly dry rock in the evening sun!!

Six of us made the pub and decided, by an unusual bout of consensus,  it was time to head back north and so Alderman Rocks was duly appointed as next weeks crag.