White Magic - the most sociable route?

Everything was wintery - the food (Stollen, slightly frozen), the walk in wasn't even on the path because there was that much snow, the starts of routes were piling up with more and more snow and we all got the hot aches. Lovely!

We headed for White Magic but after the first pitch we bumped into two other teams. After quite a lot of chatting with the team in front (Mark from Aberdeen and Tristan from Glasgow) we decided to move elsewhere. This is my third winter outing this season and there have been teams on this climb every time - not bad for a two star route.

Two long pitches took us up Original Summer Route. It's a great route & I'm especially fond of it because it was my first grade 6 all those years ago. Actually, the first pitch gave me a bit of a kicking for being inattentive; fair enough. I enjoyed the 2nd one a lot more.

More hot aches all round and one ab' into Alladin's and we were back down the hill. Turns out that White Magic was very icey - it certainly looked wintered up. Guess what I had after - a fish supper, still not reached my fishy capacity!

 Uh hum, this is the Eagle Pose (after the much sought after head band Im wearing, called 'The Black Eagle' found in a trinket shop on a mountain pass...of course).

 This is the opening pitch of White Magic (and the Genie) - very different to last week's experience.

The first pitch of Summer Orginial Route on Alladin's Buttress, normally lovely delicate but straightforward moves.

 The first tricky bit on the second pitch.

Martin Wiggins, prepared as ever!