On the way back from a pleasant walk during an unexpected break in the weather (Pocket 2 in hand) just a few minutes from home I came across these mountaineers in training.
Just in time to witness the ascent and descent of this young lady.

Well. She made light work of that.

DAFlys Posted at 10-30 09:53
Well. She made light work of that.

She did.  The previous girl got even higher, but by the time I'd deployed the P2 she was down again

Very nicely captured.
That is quite a climb!

Montfrooij Posted at 10-30 10:40
Very nicely captured.
That is quite a climb!

Thanks. I arrived at an opportune moment

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 10:43
Thanks. I arrived at an opportune moment

So it seems indeed.
You're welcome!

Montfrooij Posted at 10-30 10:44
So it seems indeed.
You're welcome!

I'd been across to the railway station to watch the trains.  To Manchester this time

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 09:54
She did.  The previous girl got even higher, but by the time I'd deployed the P2 she was down again

Is this a regular thing. It looked like they had their ropes attached properly.

DAFlys Posted at 10-30 12:31
Is this a regular thing. It looked like they had their ropes attached properly.

The pitons fixed into the stonework are new. There are often groups of climbers clambering up the rockface to the left.  It's the first time I've seen anyone scaling the arches.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 12:36
The pitons fixed into the stonework are new. There are often groups of climbers clambering up the rockface to the left.  It's the first time I've seen anyone scaling the arches.

Pitons?  That’s not a word I’ve come across. Are they rings in the stone .

DAFlys Posted at 10-30 12:49
Pitons?  That’s not a word I’ve come across. Are they rings in the stone .

A kind of metal wedge you hammer into a rock fissure. It has a ring on the end to take the rope.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 12:54
A kind of metal wedge you hammer into a rock fissure. It has a ring on the end to take the rope.
[view_image]

That’s what I imagined but more modern.

DAFlys Posted at 10-30 12:58
That’s what I imagined but more modern.

What you see clipped onto the ring is a Mousqueton or Carabiner. Basically another ring but with an openable link you can quickly clip onto.  Or am I teaching Granny to suck eggs?

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 13:04
What you see clipped onto the ring is a Mousqueton or Carabiner. Basically another ring but with an openable link you can quickly clip onto.  Or am I teaching Granny to suck eggs?

As a kid we used a carabina to absail now many use a descender.  The ring into the rock though looks old and a bit rusty .

I still have my original carabina in the loft. Lol.

DAFlys Posted at 10-30 13:12
As a kid we used a carabina to absail now many use a descender.  The ring into the rock though looks old and a bit rusty .

I still have my original carabina in the loft. Lol.

I gave my safety harness and Mousquetons to the local radio club, along with the 15 metre antenna mast from the back garden, when we quit France. I'll not be climbing any more radio masts from now on.

DAFlys Posted at 10-30 12:58
That’s what I imagined but more modern.

That's just a stock photo off the web.

Again: crazy people. Next time you could give us a view to the whole viaduct...

Depp Posted at 10-31 00:49
Again: crazy people. Next time you could give us a view to the whole viaduct...

Will this do?  It's from directly above my home - shot last summer.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 13:15
I gave my safety harness and Mousquetons to the local radio club, along with the 15 metre antenna mast from the back garden, when we quit France. I'll not be climbing any more radio masts from now on.

Not something Id fancy doing myself.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-30 23:36
That's just a stock photo off the web.

lol. I thought you'd got a closeup.    So the first climber has to climb without a rope to put it through the loop?

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 02:05
Not something Id fancy doing myself.

It was necessary from time to time to do maintenance on the antennas. It was a free-standing mast of the old type. Nowadays they have tiltover towers so you can do maintenance at ground level.

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 02:06
lol. I thought you'd got a closeup.    So the first climber has to climb without a rope to put it through the loop?

Yes but they clip their safety harness to each succesive piton as they climb, pulling the safety rope behind them. So the furthest fall could only be about 3 metres. You can see her doing that in the video.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 02:48
Yes but they clip their safety harness to each succesive piton as they climb, pulling the safety rope behind them. So the furthest fall could only be about 3 metres. You can see her doing that in the video.

I wouldn't like to fall 3 meters,   my neighbour fell of his shed roof and was in a real mess.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 01:03
Will this do?  It's from directly above my home - shot last summer.

[view_image]

It does.
Nice - and surprisingly short!

Nice video, right place at the right time.  is the viaduct in use by trains still?

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 03:44
I wouldn't like to fall 3 meters,   my neighbour fell of his shed roof and was in a real mess.

Climbing like that though, you wouldn't hit the ground ( maybe bounce off the rockface a bit) but the rope would stop you with a fair old jerk, I suspect.

Depp Posted at 10-31 04:04
It does.
Nice - and surprisingly short!

The raiway viaduct is much longer. And this is one of two road bridges spanning the gorge at right-angles to eachother.

ChrisJG Posted at 10-31 04:21
Nice video, right place at the right time.  is the viaduct in use by trains still?

Thanks Chris. That one is actually a road bridge. There's the much longer viaduct a few hundred metres away which is still in use by the railway, and a shorter one leading to the tunnel under the town centre which emerges at the railway station.

ChrisJG Posted at 10-31 04:21
Nice video, right place at the right time.  is the viaduct in use by trains still?

No sign of the Aurora last night, by the way, up to midnight. Then I went to bed.

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 04:46
Climbing like that though, you wouldn't hit the ground ( maybe bounce off the rockface a bit) but the rope would stop you with a fair old jerk, I suspect.

I dont think Im built for climbing any more.   

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 06:09
I dont think Im built for climbing any more.

I'm definitely not!

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 06:22
I'm definitely not!

More built for cuddles here.

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 06:24
More built for cuddles here.

Can't help you there  

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 06:37
Can't help you there

lol.   thats not quite what I meant.

DAFlys Posted at 10-31 07:26
lol.   thats not quite what I meant.

Relieved to hear it

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 07:29
Relieved to hear it

Very cool video.    Spur of the moment captures are always interesting.  

Blériot53 Posted at 10-31 01:03
Will this do?  It's from directly above my home - shot last summer.

[view_image]

Now that's an amazing view.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-1 03:26
Very cool video.    Spur of the moment captures are always interesting.

I just happened to be there at the right moment. The climbers and the P2 did the rest

DowntownRDB Posted at 11-1 03:27
Now that's an amazing view.

Thanks RDB