CLIMBING Little did I know in that moment I was going to find myself
once again stood atop this route about six months later. Under even more pressure with drones flying round my head, cameras rolling, and the last light of the day just leaving the sky I needed to land the move again. A film maker called Dom had heard about my journey, and that summer we started working on an incredible project to share my story in the hope of inspiring others who may be going through a similar experience. We climbed and filmed at all the crags that mean a lot to me across North Wales and the last climb on the last day of shooting was Goose Creature. This route held the story of the entire journey I’d been on, and was still on, in it.
04/02/2021 – I tied in for the lead today with having no expectations of how the day would go. I got to the crux, moved up and missed… I tried again… and again… to no avail, I came peeling of down the slab each time. What surprised me though was in the moment I could clearly focus on the moves. I’d moved past the fear I felt on the route initially because of all the work I’ve put in. I can’t wait to come back again soon!
Days went by as we waited for the icicles to melt and the sun to make its return. Walking up I felt nervous, but I reminded myself of all the positives I’d experienced on the route. I tied in again and quickly found myself stood on the rest ledge two thirds of the way up, would it go this time? I moved up focusing on the hard rockover into the thin crimps above.
06/02/2021 – Goose Creature went down today! I can’t believe I did it. Even though I could feel a little bit of fear deep down inside before the lead, I knew I didn’t have to listen to it. I got up there, set my foot on the smear, pushed up and caught the hold first go. Elation coursed through me! Pulling up the final moves to the chains, I couldn’t stop smiling. I’ve put so much effort into this route and loved every second of the process, it’s all made the sweeter by sending it in the end too.
56 | CLIMB. WALK. JOIN.
24/08/2021 - My proudest moment in all the filming though was getting back on Goose Creature (E3 6a) I was really nervous walking in, it’s a bold committing route and I didn’t know how was going to feel on it. I should never have worried though, it felt incredible. I really trusted myself and found so much confidence in my mindset and abilities. I had been falling well, climbing well, and all under even more pressure than usual this last week due to filming. As I climbed up, nothing but happiness flowed through me. I looked out at the quarries around me from the rest ledge and I could really see how far I’d come in the last 8 months, but also how far I’d come since Spain and even before that. I was there comfortable climbing up bold moves I had watched others do years before and thought, “I’ll never climb a route like that!”. Now I’m doing it with confidence because of all the hard work I have put in to get to this point.
I could also see how much my mind-set had changed when
I pulled onto the crux again for the final try. The cameras were rolling, and the light was fading. This was the last go to try and latch that crux hold. Pushing hard though the foot I caught the hold and it almost felt better than sending the route itself the first time. Fighting past the worry and pressure to keep trying felt amazing and in that moment it all lined up perfectly to sum up how much I’d learned and progressed over the last two years. Standing at the chains that evening I could see all the highs
and lows that had led to that point behind me. I had no idea what the future was going to bring in climbing but I now knew that, whatever it was, I was ready and prepared to face it now.
WATCH:
Check out the film ‘Free to Fall’ on the BMC TV YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/teamBMCTV
Words: Emily Law
Emily is a passionate climber, writer and Montane ambassador. The Free to Fall film can be watched on BMC TV. Follow Emily on Instagram: @
ems.adventure.s
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