Made an early start to the birthday weekend, so that I could open a few cards and pressies unhurriedly before heading out into the day. Daniel had made me a super key ring, which was perfect for our new store room!

It was an overcast day, but warm enough to enjoy spending most of it at the lake with some students getting to grips with paddleboarding technique, although we spent most of the time just jumping in the water, rather than improving any paddle skills.

Once I’d got that packed away and got back into dry kit, Clare picked me up and we went for a birthday climb (without students!) at nearby Marle Buttress. Usually we’d try and get a birthday surf, but with the tide out, a strong onshore wind and not much swell, we decided to go climbing instead this year!

As luck would have it, the drizzle of the morning had moved on and we had a warm, dry crag to ourselves. It was even t-shirt warm at 18:00 with a glimpse of blue sky!

After a couple of routes, we capitalised on the warm weather, by going for a drink in the sun at Conwy Marina…

There was pizza on the menu, so as the evening sun came out, we enjoyed the sailor vibe as we looked out over the boats from our table.

The birthday plans had gone from nothing to everything over the last 24 hours. After enjoying our al fresco dining by the water, Clare had arranged for us to travel west to meet friends at Y Felinheli, where a touring band were playing. It was just the right amount of social chat between listening to some songs by a couple called ‘The Gleaves’ – well worth looking up!

It was getting late by the time we got home, but not too late for tea and birthday cake!

Sunday saw me back on the crags, this time above Colwyn Bay, where it turned into a real sun trap. Some of my students had got some new gear over the summer, so we made sure to test it (and their skills) all out.

By mid-afternoon, incredibly, it was becoming too hot to climb!

So we packed away the ropes and descended the hill down to Colwyn Bay waterfront, for an ice cream and to see the recently commissioned Monty Python sculpture. Couldn’t help noticing how the sand has shifted, making the steps down to the beach somewhat redundant!

Marle Buttress Climbs:

• Chance in a Million, 6a**
• Metamorphaism, 6a+*

Castle Inn Quarry Climbs:

• Jordan Peterson, 4c
• Smartie, 5c
• Appenzeller, 5c