Members: Nils Elgar, Gowry Sisupalan, Gergana Mihalkova (Geri), Tony Major, Mark Ashley, Paul Evans

Guests: Adam McCudden, Ged Farmer

Well, what a change from last week’s midweek meet!  Last week, attendees ran a significant risk of hypothermia. This week, the worry was heat exhaustion.

Gowry and I got the “early bird” award by turning up at 2PM, promptly decided it was far too hot to climb in the sun, and headed up to the Star Trek area on the upper tier left, which was one of the rare bits in the shade, and where an F3, 2 F4s, an F5 and an F6a (Uranus, Luke Skywalker, Klingon, Saturns Rings and Vogon) were done.  By 4PM we decided to have a look downstairs to see if anyone else had turned up.

Here we met Adam and Ged, who immediately got stuck in to School’s Out (F6a+). Meanwhile Gowry decided that she fancied Sag Ponir, which was F4 in our official BMC definitive guide. Adam helpfully informed us that Rockfax has it at F5+, and after we’d both done it, we did conclude that the Rockfax grade was probably the more accurate.

By this time Nils and Geri had appeared, shortly followed by Tony Major. I decided that I wanted to lead Bandolier, F6a, which I got up with 1 rest. Gowry had decided that she just wanted a top rope on this, which plan was slightly spoiled when I absentmindedly pulled the rope down. Gowry then led it in fine style. Meanwhile Nils and Geri were on Sag Ponir, and they too decided that the Rockfax grade was the more accurate.

Gowry then decided to top rope Schools Out with Adam and Ged. Tony and I headed up to Upper Tier right, in a fruitless search for a cooling breeze. Here Tony smoothly led Slabby But Nice (F6a), which Gowry and I then top roped. Meanwhile Nils and Gowry were on Sam and Mary F5a, and finally Tony and I did Supplementary Question F4.