23rd January 2025 - Pillar holes

For the first full team trip of 2025 suggestions were asked for and Tony was the fisrt back with a trip to Pillar holes. While there are 3 advertised routes available, it's been very damp and only Route 1 is advised in these conditions. If you want to enjoy the walk up rather than worrying about pacing and bearings then a gps is the way to go, while it's not the smallest of entrances there is an awful lot of similar looking moor.

With Tony having found the entrance for us and prior to rigging down the first pitch we needed a team photo. Aunty Liz has been very busy crocheting and has made us all superb merino wool beanies for under our helmets. They're absolutely superb, especially on an evening like this one where there was a chill in the air and the occasional snow flurry.  

Aunty Liz has been busy crocheting our new team beanies!

Watching Tony rig the first pitch it was clear how the pot hole gained its name with a line of quite stunning little pillars leading away from him in the open pot. Making a mental note to return in daylight when this would be a very atmospheric place to be I made my way down to the first rebelay and then on to the Tony busy rigging the second pitch.

Tony rigging the first pitch

Tucking myself in to allow Mike to descend behind me I was aware that it was quite drippy where I was hanging. Like with some types of rain that seem particularly damp, these drips were definitely of the wetting variety. For the second time in the evening I was glad of my new beanie and I anti-socially pulled my hood up. This just seemed to make the dripping louder with no reduction in wetting so I was relieved to hear the call of "rope free" from below.

The topo had mentioned that some innovative rigging might be required and Tony didn't let us down. I was particularly impressed by the deviation based on a jammed knot/crab combination.

Despite my beanie I was starting to get cold now. [This probably requires some explanation. Chasing Mike around Easegill has lead to me buying ever thinner under suits to avoid suffering serious overheating and dehydration. I should probably just go for a running vest and shorts and be done with it. So, after last week's trip, I'd arrived this evening in my thinnest suit. Unlike last week this was not a horizontal time trial but an SRT trip in an open (and therefore chilly) pot. The drips hadn't helped either] As soon as Mike touched down at the bottom of the pitch Tony set off back up and Mike and I began the winter belay ledge rewarming boogie.

Heading up last I was able to avoid the wait on the surface and I hope I didn't leave the others waiting too long. The brisk walk was definitely welcome and I was almost warm by the time we arrived back at the car.

Have to say I'm loving being able to move on from a pint of mild to a Guinness 0.0 at the Barn, much more in keeping than the Erdinger.