New Website

Check out the new website at www.theorangehouse.co.ukwww.theorangehouse.co.uk

Hard Rock Tour - We need to start collecting again!

On the 13th of July it will be the 2nd year anniversary for the start of Hard Rock Challenge. The day that Mark and Richard climbed Coronation Street in Chedder Gorge and 5 weeks and 60 routes later they finished on Moonraker in Devon.

London Mountaineering Club last month invited Rich to come and do a talk and slideshow, they put a further 265 pounds in the pot. Thanks guys!

We now need more places and clubs to go and visit to raise more money.

Anyone that is a member of a club that would like the boys to come and visit please get in touch, no charge is made to the club just a minimum donation to Mountain Rescue.

email sam on mailto:sam@theorangehouse.net

Trailer for the best British climbing film :0)

Finding your way around this blog!

Now that this blog is archived you might find it hard to work out the story!

Can you see on the left hand side "blog archive" well you need to click on that and then on 2007, it has a little arrow that when you press it gives you more options for the months, then you can be more specific and go through the dates as you want to.

Thanks and happy reading!

Sam

New Video Link

Check this out!

http://www.army.mod.uk/news/army_news_current_stories/hard_rock_climb.htm

Kendal Film Festival Confirmed

Good news is that after lots of emails flying backwards and forwards to John Porter we now have a slot at this years Kendal Film Festival.

Sunday 18th November - 12.30pm Malt Rooms

I am so happy as it means a few things :-

Firstly, I get an excuse to come back to the UK, everyone thinks I am mad but I do miss the old place, and even though this year I saw it at its wettest I still loved it.

Secondly, we get to see all our friends again. We made the most amazing contacts this summer and hopefully we can call them friends and continue to see them lots. Sir Chris was a charmer which I am sure most people that know him will confirm. David Simmonite and I get on like a house on fire. In fact I am sure Rich would say too much as one night when Dave slept in Cheryl we stayed awake talking until the small hours like a couple of teenagers!

Some of the Mountain Rescue people we will stay in contact with, especially the young couple from Cornwall as they offered to take us surfing next summer. Julian from Wasdale we will also meet again and hopefully next time he will go climbing with us.

Stephen Reid was a great support during the challenge and it was so nice when I was alone in the van and I would get a phone call asking how we were getting on. I even remember on a very wet day in Aviemore when he had taken the trouble to check the weather report for me for North Wales.

Alot of these people we will hopefully see at Kendal and if not during one of our less stressful trips to the UK.

Trying to get back to normal!

I don´t really know if I am coming or going at the moment. We got back from the trip and I had 2 days before I left again to watch my eldest boy Daniel play cricket for Spain down at La Manga. It was the European Championships and they did really well. Three wins out of five and only getting beaten by the champs from last year and this years winners, Guernsey. You can check out the details here CricketEurope.net

I have just finished an article for Mountain Rescue Magazine, it was nice just writing down everything in one go, I didn´t even need to look back at my journal! I will post it whole on here once the magazine has been published.

Rich now has the daunting task of going through the 100´s of hours of video tape. Not a job to be taken lightly. Simon did try to keep a log during the trip but time ran out on us everyday.

One thing writing the story out in full did, was bringing back some of the not so nice memories from the trip :-

Out of touch with the real world! - I never realised before how much we rely on mobile phone coverage and the internet. It was such a weird feeling know that people could not get hold of me. I did put an automatic reply on my emails which explained why I could not get back to people, but I still worried. It didn´t really bother Rich as he leaves all that stuff to me and Mark did have his small pda which he used in the back on the van whilst on the move!

Places like Petes Eats which is a cafe in Llanberis, ended up been a god send! they even trust you to tell them how many minutes you use and pay downstairs. The internet cafe in Fort William was also great, the guy even set me up with a tab which he kept open for 2 weeks inbetween the visits.

No sharing with Rich - Some days if I had time between cleaning the van, shopping and cooking I would take Tufa for a walk. The one that stands out the most was my day in The Cairngorms. The boys had set off for the second time to climb King Rat and Goliath, I chilled in the morning on the campsite and then decided to have a bimble around the loch! little did I know it was a 9 mile round trip.

I was so amazed by the view but was very very sad that I had no one to share it with. I even got a little tearful when I looked up to the crag he was climbing on, knowing that I was not going to see him for a few hours.

We will go back to alot of the places we visited this summer and I am determined to take the time to enjoy all the beautiful places together.

A few more photos from the collection :-

Another great Mike Robertson photo - Rich using the tree on North Crag Eliminate!

Almost too warm to climb and this was Wales - The boys on The Big Groove

Stephen Reid took this photo of the boys on The Crack in the rain

Back in Spain and its raining!!!

I don´t believe it, we are back home at The Orange House and its raining and really windy, what did I do in a past life to deserve this? (don´t answer that anyone!).

Feels weired to be back and a bit sad really, so much planning and now its all over. Rich is happy though, he went climbing last night with Keith (better not tell him its nice in the UK at the mo!) and he put the draws in his 8a, he claims his climbing has suffered during this trip and says his legs have grown.

Here are a few more photos from the trip:-

This is one of my favourite shots, when the cloud started to clear around the Old Man, I was snoozing in the tent on top of the cliff and I got a call over the radio from the boys saying "wake up, you might be able to see us". If you click on the photo you can just make out Mark´s white helmet.

Tufa chewing on an antler that we found on the road to Ballater. Anyone going up that way I can recommend the local campsite. It is council run and the guy Dougie was lovely, he charged us 10 quid only and then gave it us back to put in the pot.

This photo was taken on the way out of Wasdale campsite. I had never been to The Lakes before and really liked the place. We will be going back next year but not rushing around quite so much!

I am just going through David Simmonite´s photos and will upload some of them in the next hour, he reallys not a bad photograher (she runs and hides!).

The boys on Coronation Street
The boys on Shibboleth
Rich on Elder Crack
Mark on Suicide Wall no 1

I will be away for the next week as my eldest Dan is playing cricket for Spain in the European Championships down at La Manga. Wish them luck everyone, they will need it!

I will update the blog again when I get back, that will be in a little over a week.

Hard Rock Fest - same again next year!

This blog will now be updated once a week!

Look at that happy face!

We finished the last climb on Berryhead on Friday afternoon and had some time to enjoy a lovely meal on the way to The Mill Adventure Centre. Rich was falling asleep during the short drive but strangely he came alive when we arrived at The Mill. "Can you set a route for us Rich?" asked Keith. "Of course I can" replies Rich.

Prize giving

Jon Tate during the dyno comp

The whole weekend went really well, although more people would have been nice! Thanks to the following :-

Paul and Dave at The Mill - See you next year guys
Celebrity climbers - Steve McClure, James Pearson and Mikey Robertson
The Crew - Thanks guys and well done for not feeding Tufa any burgers!
Attendees - Thanks for showing up and buying tickets and taking part
Cotswold for the prizes and Auction items - lets hope we see you all next year as-well!
and most important thank you goes to Keith from Rock and Rapid Adventures, we really could not have had such a great weekend with you.

Keith from Rock and Rapid Adventures working out the comp scores

Day 36 and its all over!

Champagne time! I can't believe its all over, well for this year anyway.

The boys started climbing with Ken Palmer todays Celebrity Climber (sorry Ken) at about 12 miday. The film crews turned up just in time to see them top out!

For those that can WATCH ITV TONIGHT AT 6PM!

Thanks to those that called me today to wish the boys luck, a super large thanks to Stephen Reid from Needlesports as he now has to send me a rather large cheque - he promised the boys £5 per route.

I will be posting more over the coming weeks about Stephen as he is one of the two guys that has completed all the routes. His story is a great one!

Please if you can, keep reading this blog as I will be updating it lots over the coming weeks with more stories of the trip and with more photos.

Thanks to those that have put comments to keep us going. Thanks again for the donations everyone. Thanks to Ju and David for the cup of tea in Torquay and the use of the pc.

I will be posting the address on here very shortly where to send cheques for those that want to donate that way.

A few more photos from today...

Does he deserve a big kiss? I think so!

The Final purile tick!

Day 35 End in Sight!

Started the day with amazing sunshine although a bit windy! we all slept at The Count House at Bosigram. Lovely views...

Three members from Cornwall Search and Rescue came to give support, and handed over a really great letter. - Andy I hope you dont mind me reading it out but it moved me to tears this morning.

Dear Hard Rock Challenge Team

On behalf of Cornwall Search and Rescue Team, and the wider Mountain Rescue community, I would like to offer our heartfelt thanks for what you are doing.

Many in Mountain Rescue have followed your progress with great interest, recognising what a truly amazing achievement it will be when you complete your final climb.

To undertake all of the Hard Rock climbs, and to do it in just five weeks, take passion, courage and determination. But it also takes something else; an aweful lot of planning and support. That is why our thanks go not just to Rich and Mark but to your dedicated support team who have played a vital part in your success.

Whatever the total amount you raise may be, £3,000 or £30,000, does not lessen your achievement in any way. You have done a hugh amount to raise the profile of your causes - especially Mountain Rescue - and you are no doubt aware, every penny raised is desperately needed and will go directly to our central aim of saving lifes in wild and remote places (be it the moors of Cornwall or the Mountains of Scotland).

So as your challenge draws to a close, may we thank you once more, wish you the very best of luck with your remaining climbs and hope you enjoy the well deserved after party.

Yours sincerely

A Brelsford

Chair - CSRT

Gulp!

The Routes climbed today were Suicide Wall, Bow Wall and Bishops Rib.
Soooooooooo, that only leaves one left to climb, didn't think I would be typing that!

Two dodgy photographers (aka Mikey Robertson and Mother Si)

Day 34

Its raining in the South West :0(

We are sat at Auntie Barbaras preparing the slide show for The Hard Rock Fest. Rich is seeing most of the photos for the first time! he says "where is that then? oh yeh now I remember!"

We are leaving in a few hours and heading to Land End, that means that this trip I will have driven from the very top of Britian to the very bottom. I have a rough total for the miles and its over 4,5ooo.

Someone asked me the other day how much this trip had cost me! Alot was the answer! He then said "well why didnt you just donate that to Mountain Rescue?" good point, why not?

This challenge was firstly a summer holiday/climbing trip paid for by us all, petrol, food, accommodation etc. Then the idea to try to raise money for Mountain Rescue at the same time came about.

DMM, North Face, Evolv have all given equipment and clothing but no cash. The photographers have also given of their time for free. Lots of other people have given time and effort and we are very grateful.

This summer has been an amazing one, very hard at times but so worth it!

Day 33 - Sleep...................

A very happy Rich after his "complete personal tick"!

Sleep! - Well thats about all Rich has done today, it took us 5 1/2 hours from North Wales to Plymouth and I was alone in the front of the van!

Last night was lovely as it was our Wedding Anniversary we went to the 24 hour Tesco in Bangor and bought one of those instant curries! Rich ran back to the van and closed all the blinds, lit a candle and put on some nice music! Very, very romantic and a Tesco's carpark was the perfect venue for a perfect wedding anniversary.

Tomorrow we head further South and if the rain stops Bow Wall at Bosigran could get ticked!

Then Suicide Wall also at Bosi, then a drive to Chair Ladder for Bishops Rib.

Berryhead Route Moonraker is last on Friday as the press should be present!

Please come and join us on Sat or Sunday if you can make it to the party (Hard Rock Fest) The boys will be doing a talk with Slide Show on both days.

Some thank you's. I will remember more so please dont get upset if I miss you out!

Jane Newman for doing an amazing job of looking after The Orange House for me.
Andy at the CIC hut for my flapjack.
Auntie Barbara that was the best shower in a long time.
Mum for all the love she keeps sending us.
Littleduck keep up the good work!

Simon Fisher (mother si) because he really does not have to do any of this!
David Simmonite for the giggles.
Ray Woods for hanging around yesterday.
Keith at Rock and Rapid Adventures - dont worry they will come!
and anyone else who has put money in the tin etc etc

Some more photos from the last few days!
The boys on a very wet Cenotaph Corner. Marks lead!

Dwm, what a great route they both said and Rich's complete tick!

The "Welsh Girlies" yesterday after Moustrap! (Silvia Fitzpatrick and Glenda Huxtor)

DAY 32: Bye Bye North Wales

UPDATE FROM SAM:

Rich and Mark are now climbing Dwm on Castell Cidwm which leaves one more route to do in North Wales, Mousetrap at South Stack, Gogarth, which they are with Silvia Fitzpatrick and Glenda Huxter at 5pm this afternoon.

Dwm is extra special for Rich as this is the only Hard Rock route he hasn't done in the past, so that would make him the third person (that we know about) to complete all the climbs in Hard Rock.

Then it is down South to Chair Ladder and Bosigran with the final route on Friday, Moonraker at Berry Head.

Day 31 Final Edition

So, do you think they did it?

Shall I tell you?

Of course they did! What another bloody relief! they really do deserve a medal for today.

I counted up in the van before that they have now climbed for 31 days with only 3 days off due to bad weather.

They have climbed routes that people would not touch at all!

I am sooooooo proud! (Rich love you babes x)

Goodnight everyone

Day 31 3rd Edition

Right! Simon just called to say they are back on it! After 4 hours this morning they gave up! But sounds like Mark is moving past the part that stopped them! Its is really black up there at the moment and I am praying to the cloud gods to give them a break!

Day 31 2 Edition - Not looking good!

I dont know how much more of this I can stand, and I aint climbing!

I got a call about an hour ago (whilst in the launderette) saying "its not going well!, They cant get up Slanting Slab as the water is running down it like a water fall!"

It rained so much in the night that I am not surprised, sp they came down and they have just done the Combination climb so only one more left on that bloody horrible crag!

Simon has just called and said that they are really really cold although it is not raining (yet) cloud looks really black from down here! They may try to get back on Slanting but if not we have to get them down quick and they have to climb Cenotaph Corner.

I feel so sick with worry for them, need some more crossed fingers folkes!

Day 31

Some very tired boys on the FORTH! time walking up to Cloggy! Go boys go, I just left them and they are completely knackered! At least they have sherpas this morning in the shape of Rich´s daughter Trish and her friend Mat!

Here is the photo of me yesterday in V12 The best Outdoor shop in Llanberis. I was reading the guide book for the boys. Thanks again Rob, and for the free coffee this morning.

Here are a few more photos from the past few days!

Mark Lassoing on White Slab almost in the dark!

Great weather in Wales!

Day 30 Final Edition

The Grooves - tick
Great Wall - tick
Vember - tick

Boys on the way back down (in the rain) what a great day!

I really did not think we would get this far and am so happy for them both.

So whats left?
WALES
Slanting Slab
Great Bow combo
Dwm - with Adam Hocking
Mousestrap - with Glenda Huxtor
Cenotaph Wall

SOUTH WEST
Suicide Wall
Bishops Rib
Bow Wall
Moonraker - last day - Friday the 17th!!!!!!!

Ye ha!

Day 30 edition 2

Oh my goodness this is getting exciting! They came down and did The Grooves at Cryn Las and called me to say they were heading back up to Cloggy, what did I tell them!

Then got a call to say the guide book was in the van! silly or what! and could I read the description out so they knew where to go! I was in V12 at the time for the famous coffee, and Rob kindly let me use a shop copy. I read from the book and Si recorded my words using Marks mobile held close to his phone.

I then got the first of some exciting text messages.

1. Rich is 25ft up The Great Wall.
2. Rich has just finished 1st pitch, said was OK but tough work! Marks lead looks wet!
3. Mark half way up top pitch. Looking OK loads of gear in, she is going to go!
4. Both topped out abing off now, wil probably do Vember then home.

Wow feel a bit sick after all that.

I am now going to feed the ducks with, Di, Vic, Hannah, George and Olivia . Phew!!