It struck me half way up Suffer Machine on Stanley Headwall what a stupid thing climbing is. Force food down your throat in the middle of the night, drive in the dark, half a sleep - ski in, in the dark - fall down holes, in the dark... sweat, then freeze, then sweat... then freeze...  

And for what... to scare yourself stupid while avoiding lumps of ice trying to lobotomise you. To shiver and stare up, wondering whats coming down and all to get to the top of a piece of ice that means nothing to anyone, (except other climbers) - before abseiling back to the bottom and skiing out again...in the dark.

Better than watching the T.V though...Here's to getting up tomorrow at 3am for the next instalment.

More pics of suffering in the photo section. This one by the way was taken by a very relieved Mr Parnell who pulled out the stops by climbing rock where there would normally be ice. Well done Ian...Good effort...Glad i wasn't leading it!