We’ve headed over to the Peak District for a change of scene and a few days of rock climbing. Arrived at Windgather Rocks, where the mist was so thick that you could barely see the crag!

We had a little scramble around, but decided that it was a bit too cold and wet to get properly involved. Was fun to explore a bit though, and try and remember the place. I worked here a lot with climbing groups around 2001!

The weather didn’t matter too much as we were staying in Buxton for a few nights and neither of us had really explored around the town. When I used to work around here, I never actually came into the town centre, so the whole place felt new. There’s a lot of impressive buildings!

And some pretty cosy places to get in out of the cold…

Our Airbnb is a particularly whacky one, with a full on retro theme. All conveniently located just a few steps away from the town centre. I’m sure our original van had some curtains made out of this bed spread, re-used from Mum and Dad’s first house?…

There’s been a good holiday vibe, as is often the case with an autumn climbing trip, as there’s never a rush to get going in the morning. Much better to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and let the day (and rock) warm up.

After a very strong coffee experience, we got ourselves to Aldery Cliff, which was sheltered from the cold wind and bathed in sunshine.

It could be a great cliff, but is alarmingly loose on either flank. We stayed on the main section which seemed reasonably safe and solid, rather than exploring too far. We could see a good chain anchor at the top of our route, which helped with our selection – at least we knew we could get back down!

We did four nice climbs and got to try out our new ropes for the first time. We stayed until the sun left the face at around 14:00…

The crag is owned by the BMC, and you can even park at the bottom, making the walk in about 10 steps long!

Climbs at Windgather Rock:

• The Corner, M

Climbs at Aldery Cliff:

• Clothesline, S (4a)*
• Surface Plate, HVS, (5a)*
• Central Arête, S (4b)*
• Janbaloo, E1 (5b)*