Is winter about to turn to spring?

I really hope not. After sacking off the trip to Canada, I headed to Norway recently in search of something inspiring. I had been training pretty regularly beforehand and Norway seemed to be a place where warm temperatures weren't a problem. So I figured it was game on. It was a trip that had no plan from day one. Which left me uncomfortable to say the least. In the end though, thanks mostly to people that volunteered their help at late notice I had an interesting time and learned a great deal. The highlights were seeing a whole host of new areas, climbing a WI7, onsighting an M10 and soloing an 800m WI4. Most motivating of all was towards the end of the trip, when I actually started to open my eyes properly and find a few very cool looking projects for the future. You really have to get the binoculars out and look closely.... and only then do you start seeing the potential lines! (note to self).

My advice: Don't hire a Citreon C1, unless you want to spend all your time traveling sideways.


A short time in Rjukan to onsight the half bolted, half gear protected Fission.And just when you might have thought you had done a great job, someone comes and tells you that Will Gadd onsighted the route in 2004, with old skool gear, whilst drinking a cup of ice tea.


The stunning climbing area of Senja.And just when you think you might have been the first to climb here you find Guy Lacelle and Aljaz Anderle beat you to it in 2007. Great.