In the picture below is of me, that was take in 2004 while I was climbing a route called Afterbirth 22 meters HVS 5a *, Forest View Buttress, Spellack in the Mourne Mountains. I was on study leave from school while I was doing my GCSE’s at the time. So not much studying was done as me and my dad went out climbing instead. On this day me, my dad and my two climbing friends Amy and James, also in the picture (Amy is above me climbing while James is belaying her on Moto Psycho Nightmare 22 meters HVS 5a *). Shortly after this picture was taken I fall off, That was my first ever lead fall.
9 Years ago
Sence then it has always sat in the back of my mind that I wanted to re climb this route, every time I have been to Forest View Buttress sense then I have always felt a strong connection with the place and I could feel the route staring at me and taunting me. Even with its re grading to E1 5b I still had to climb that route. So today after 9 years I climbed her, Afterbirth is done.
James looking faward to climb on the walk in. Forest view in the back ground.
My friend James who was in the picture above was free for a climb today so we decided on Forest view as the weather wasn’t looking at great and it has a short walk in, it’s also has a few easier routes as James hasn’t climbed much recently and wanted to start off easy. I first lead off on Final FU 22 meter servere 4a, I was easier than I remember it being and was feeling pretty good when I got to the top. James then decided to lead Single Birth 20 meter Servere 4a.
Afterbirth in all her glory. Just before the rain started.
I was feeling pretty good after those routes so I decided that if I don’t do it now I won’t do it, so I decided to attempted Afterbirth. I racked and James sorted the rope at the bottom of the route, we tied in James put me on belay and I started climbing. It was easy well protected climbing almost all the way up till where the crack narrows, where your holding onto a good hold that you don’t want to let go of but after a lot of swearing, giving myself a good talking to and that my calves where killing me again, I attempted the move and put as much gear in as I could, to give me confidence. James gave me good motivation as I moved up the route, hunting for the good hold. My head was making the route felt harder than the moves really where. I passed the place I remember being when I fall off 9 years ago. I think what I did wrong at the time was I moved out of the crack to early and wouldn’t get myself back in. Today I stayed in the crack and found good holds to get myself up the route. Getting to the belay I was starting to feel my brain getting very tired, all i wanted to do was get myself safe on a belay as the rope drag was getting annoying. Once I was safe I was like YES!!!!!!! I’ve done it. When James got to the belay he shook my hand and said ‘Good lead man’.
We got back to the bags to have a bit of a break and sort the gear for the next route, but there was a sudden crack of lightning and the rain started and was getting heavier so we decided to call it a day and bail to the car.
This route has been sitting at the back of my head for a long time and I’ve final done it, Afterbirth is not just a route that a fell off but is also my first E1 and what a route to call my first E1.
Ali