New baby new business!

Where shall I start? The last year or so has been ridiculously busy! After Jason's Big Stag Do in Spain I stayed in the UK and had a few good sessions in north Wales. I had a good day at LPT and managed to dispatch Over the moon Direct 8a in a few goes and also did a few laps on Bad boys at the end of the day. The next few time down I headed over to the diamond to check out some of the stunning routes there. The Brute has to be one of the best power endurance 8b's around. The rock is incredible, small positive holds on perfect grey limestone. I was pretty close to dispatching it but due to various factors ( I think I needed a rest ) it will have to wait until the next season. I did managed to tick the classic 7c Boat people. The Diamond is one of those crags that just has a good feel about it, whether that's due to the approach, the sea or the quality rock I don't know its just really good!!

Lucinda and I then headed off in the Van on a small road trip to Spain with the main focus being Jason and Daisy's wedding. They had booked a huge old Spanish mansion that had been converted to run weddings etc. It was in the middle of nowhere with stunning views. On the way to the wedding we stopped off at few places to break up the journey. We had a few days in Sadernes where I managed a to do a classic 8a second go. With Lu being pretty pregnant she wasn't up for belaying me while I was trying hard so I asked a couple of Spanish heroes for a belay. 

The Groom and his Merry Men! and The Brute.

We then headed to the coast for some sun and sea, a few years ago after a weekend clubbing at Sonar we stumbled across this great beach and campsite called Tosa de Mar. It had its own private beaches and water sports, perfect chilling spot! I obviously couldn't go for more than a couple of days without climbing so Lu found me a small deep water soloing venue just round the corner from the campsite. It only had a 6b,6c and 7a+ but I promptly dispatched them and then jumped of the top with a perfect Pencil! Lu looked particularly unimpressed!!

The Winter (2012) was upon us and Lucinda was defiantly starting to show, with only a few weeks to go she was feeling very over it! Moving around was becoming more difficult all we could do was watch box sets! Thanks to Dexter and Breaking Bad!
Throughout the Winter I had a few Techno Gigs lined up, the first being STI at a new warehouse venue in Sheffield. It was a great night and I pulled out some of my old Vinyl for a classic hard Techno set. Next up was the legendary Climbing Works 6th Birthday bash. We hired the same venue from last year and had given away over 500 tickets, it truly was an awesome night with the after party at Gus and Sara's being off the hook. Gus and I also headlined the New Years eve party at the Foundry which was upstairs in the cafe. There was a great turn out and a really good atmosphere. I hope they will do another this year :)

STI Sheffield

The start of 2013 was getting a bit spicy as Lucinda was overdue! The baby was due on the 31st DEC :) ( while I was at the Foundry its, OK my phone was switched on all night ).
17 days later little Arnold Whittaker was born weighing 7lb 9. What a little hero.

Arnie 1 hour old.

There is not much you can do with a baby apart from the obvious nappy changing/feeding/winding etc so we enrolled him in a Swim-babies class once a week. Its was great fun dunking him underwater and getting him to try and kick his legs.

Swimmer

I managed to keep a little bit of fitness going through Arnie's first few months We took him to Malham once and Lucinda managed a top rope of consenting Adults and I dispatched Overnight Sensation a classic 8a+ that Ive not got round to doing before.
In February there was a fierce cold snap and the peak was gifted with another large dumping of snow I only managed to get out once but I made it count with snow ball ascents of the following.
Ulysses (Flash), White Wand, Big Air, High Line f7c+ , Arc angel and Silk.
I also made a quick one day ascent of the amazing Jason's Roof  (8a) at Crook-rise and then managed to do it again for the camera. Thanks to Ben for beta and his short film below.

 https://vimeo.com/64304406

 This years CWIF was also another great success Jacob Shubert and Shauna Coxey were worthy winners and I finished a respectable 12th.

Women's extra small vest!

Semi Final crowd

With Lucinda and I not being very busy ;) we needed another project!

New mini works unit

 One of the units adjacent to The Climbing Works came up for rent and we decided to take it on with the plan to create an all inspiring climbing wall for all ages of children and beginners. The next 3 months were ridiculously busy. Looking after a new born baby and building a huge climbing wall is something I will not be repeating in the future!! Thanks to everyone who help out- you know who you are, we all really appreciated it.

Finishing touches the night before we opened

Mini Works

Arnie after his head shave :)

Lucinda and I looking really tired at a Toby and Amy's house party, this was our first night out since Arnie was born. 

After Mini Works open I took a bit of a back seat for a while as I needed a rest and a re-group. The start of June was looking exciting I had 2 stag Do's lined up! The first was a surprise Techno night for my good friend Unai. He was getting married in Madrid the following weekend and his best man Kev wanted to fly him over for a big night. I had arranged for the 6 of us to go to Fabric with VIP tickets.
We all had a great night with Ben Klock being the main event. He was awesome, we stumbled out of the club at 7am, the two Spanish headed to Stanstead or there flight, Harry cycled home across London and me Neil and Gus slept in my van! Living the dream!

Gus and Neil in  the VIP section

pre Fabric pub crawl

Set times!!

Next up was Tom Grenalls stag do. 4 days in the mighty county! Tom was due to marry Michelle (assistant manager at The Works ) the following few week so a big crew of lads headed up to Northumberland for bouldering and drinking. We were staying in few guest houses not too far from Belford. The weather was perfect, I could only stay for a couple of days but they were both amazing.
The first day we went to queens crag, this was the first time I had been and I was well impressed. Lots of proud lines and micro routes the day was looking good. Although it was about 25 degrees we were all still super psyched to tear the crag down. I dispatched couple of great 7b's and got really close to high amazing line of Queen Kong 8a.
The following day was just as hot if not hotter so we headed into the trees at Hepburn. We warmed up a great little 7a and then I set to work on the classic 8a Preparation H. after an hour or so working out the best sequence I fell off the last move, I didn't quite have my foot in the right place and punter'ed it!!
After a few more goes of failing on the start I employed 'Last go psyche' and a few jelly babies and suitable dispatched it. Result!!

Preparation H 8a

Hard 7b at Queens

Classic British spot on Queen Kong 8a

The Summer weather was stunning and with the first part of the year being so busy I was taking a bit of time off to re-group and chill out. In July my Dad was turning 60 so for one of his may birthday treats me and my brother Adam were taking him climbing for a long weekend in Wales. We gad 3 awesome days climbing together, the first being a perfect afternoon on Dinas Mot, climbing Diagonal and the super direct. Our second day was even better, a day on Gloggy climbing the Great Corner and some E2. We then stopped off at LPT on the way home for a bit of seaside sport climbing. What a great weekend in a nice hotel consuming large quantity's of ale and having loads of fun. Happy birthday day pops.

The Whittaker on Dinas Mot

LPT Heros

Dad running it out on Diagonal HVS

Cloggy

Arnie was growing loads and turning into a proper little boy, he is even joining in with The climbing work's new sponsor Adidas.

Sponsored Hero

Dinner time

France was the next stop. We needed a holiday together and I had never been to Ceuse before. That was it we were off there for a month. It was going to be the perfect place for Lu to get fit and there was a crew of friends with kids going to. It worked out great, plenty of people around on rest days and always someone to climb with. In the first two weeks we had our good friend Tanya with us our climbing partner. Lu and I both climbed loads with our Highlights being Face DE rat for 8a+ for me and 3 classic 7a's for Lu.
Lucinda and I were very lucky one day as our good friends Kat and Ru said they would look after Arnie and give us the afternoon off to go Climbing. We headed off to climb the classic 4 pitch 7a called Inesperance. What a route, 4 pitches of perfect pocketed limestone topping out at the top of the cliff to a 360 degrees amazing view. This was the first time we had climbed together for over a year and we had a right laugh!

Arnie enjoying camp site life

Ceuse - What a crag

Pitch 3 of Inesperance

Lu seconding

Perfect Rest days at the lake

After Arriving back in the UK I had a few days working at the Wall and then I was off again. The time had come and i was off on Gus's Stag do Aka 'Smash it in 4'. Yes I know! another Stag do! my liver was not looking forward to it!!
Anyway off i went for another amazing week of Drinking, Deep water soloing and Techno.

A repeat of Smash It In 8a

Party boys

The STAG

Fancy dress at the local beach bar

Pencil minister Ed

Ryan on Lock stock

The Horse on Waddage

Pool Games

I then flew from Majorca to Alicante to meet Lu, Arnie and my Mum and Dad for the last installment of Dads 60th birthday celebrations,. We had a week at the house chilling eating and drinking. The weather was boiling so there was a lot of lazying around going on, perfect after the busy year we've had.

nice quiet beach

The new Terrace

 After getting back from spain we got straight back into the swing of things, Lucinda qualified as Nutritional Therapist, Arnie started a couple of mornings a week at Nursery and Ive had a few sessions out on the Grit, with the highlight being a quick ground up ascent of Unfamiliar. I did it with about 6 pads and pre - placed gear after Ben had fiddled it in!!  What a great route and I would say it felt like doing a high font 7c/+ .
Anyway I will try and get back on the blog program now that everything is a bit more chilled and I'm all ready looking forward to the Climbing works party this weekend.

Push On.....