The slab that had attracted us from across the valley called today; a day of strong mistral and sun . The rock in question is on the canyon area, and we decide to cycle there. The ride to Gigondas is hard, straight into the mistral, and then uphill to the cliffs which becomes even harder, up a one in four gradient, which, with ropes and tackle and lunch on the bikes makes them very heavy. We put the bikes in a clump of trees and walk up a steep track, the wind easing as we come under the lee of the cliffs and into the woods. We do some climbs in a small area stuck next to some Germans all top roping and leaving their ropes in position so that no-one else can climb on that area. A rock that Jim is holding breaks loose and he falls about 20 feet, stopping just short of a very sharp pine tree stump that is jutting out from the cliff We keep on going to get our confidence back although it was a bit alarming. The shock of the fall hoiked me off my perch and swung me in against the rocks, but I held Jim OK. We finished at the quiet end of the slab on a 6b.
Monday 5 April
not at home 