Soul power

When we were in Canada, TC got a film out starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Phillip is (physically, at least) a disgusting spectacle of manhood, and the film opened with him bumming a vocal young lady. We exchanged nervous 'what sort of film is this?' laughter and continued to sit through another hour and a half of dreadful Philip debauchery. Anyway, where this is going is it is the root of a Phillip Seymour Hoffman phobia I have developed, and the man is currently everywhere. Last night he was on channel 4 in Mission Impossible 3, and currently he's in the cinemas in the film Doubt, which we intended to see on Saturday night, but the whole of Sheffield was also in the cinema so we gave up to return another time. There's not a lot on I want to see at the moment. She wants to see 'The curious case of benjamin button', but I think it looks dreadful.

Its funny how the internet directs the focus of climbers. A few weeks ago Jon boy was on about Birchens, and that weekend everyone went to birchens. Then recently someone (perhaps Tom) was on about Soul power, and over the last week or so its had a string of ascents. On thursday JLS, Dan Walker and Rob Smith all crushed it, and then me and Ed's Robinson and Brown went out and did it on Saturday morning. It is a really good problem, with the added spice of height to (as dan put it) 'Sharpen the mind'.

The melt is well underway in the Peak, yet the ground is frozen hard and so meltwater just sits around until night time when it freezes. So, there's loads of ice about. Ed Robinson and I slithered our way to Soul Power early on Saturday morning, to find Ed Brown already there and getting high up on the arete. Its shaped like a letter P in profile. The climb starts up the stalk of the P, out under the roof to a hanging arete, which once gained, you release your feet and gently kill the swing. Hanging hugging the arete you hump your right hand up to a pinchy hold, and then swing your left heel into a faint crease which is at first rubbish. Finding something of a sweet spot you reach casually left for a crozzly pocket. Curl the fingers to gain every last iota of mechanical advantage and change the heel to a toe. It feels unsecure, off balance, and HIGH. Ed Robinson was first to make the move to the pocket, but slipped out. The race was on. I hold the pocket, get my feet up and pat the arete but am too scared to lay one on. Ed goes again, holds the pocket, slaps his right heel round and makes the move up the arete, his feet scuttle and we shout encouragement - thats it surely? its done... but it isnt! the holds to get to the break just arent quite as good as you would hope for and Ed looks a bit scared as he scuttles upwards to the safety of the ledge. I am now gripped! I keep doing the supposedly hard bit and being too scared to commit to the top. Ed Brown climbs wildly but comes into his comfort zone on the high insecure top bit and takes victory next. I feel nervous, but having been established at the top and taken the ride already the edge has been taken off my fear and soon I too am scurrying wildly for the top. Pheweee! As if thats not enough the easy descent route is possibly more gripping as its slightly wet and would involve falling into a cleft. Nice. All three manage to get down without incident and ER and I have a quick go on Slingshot - which looks and feels possible.

So, another one bites the dust. Keen to get back on slingshot which has my name all over it. BUt, with the melt in progress I can't help but wonder whether the plantation will be accessible by Wednesday, and whether I could get back to the Ace. I got to the plantation car park (still shut) yesterday by approaching from Hathersage, but the road up to the popular end car park is still shut and deadly. I'm also pretty keen to get to Gardoms to do Soft on the G and have a look at full power. And then theres Yorkshire. Zoo York! pretty sure that will be wet at the moment, and I need a good spot really.