TWO GUYS GET THE NEEDLE

Here are some snaps of Needle Ridge, Great Gable, on sunny Tuesday 9 July

Loch wanted to get stuck in to a classic, perhaps to insert in his log book.

Our balloon was pricked a little when a very pleasant young couple reached the start point just before us, and then pushed up only very slowly.   We had simply injected into a plan, an (over-optimistic) guide book approach time without also ingrafting the times for clambering up to the start and scrambling off.  By the top of the route I admit I was feeling a little needled at the doubling of the book time, so we had a jab at getting to Gable summit via a spiky scramble which is a slight sting in the tail. Then we put on a spurt to get back to the car for 6 o'clock sharp, so that we could get home in time for the infusion of some fluids.

ANDREW