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| One of the crags in the backyard - no more climbing walls at home! |
During Easter, I was going off to a climbing trip abroad. Visit a place I've never been, do some world-class climbing, all the best in life. Already in March ut became apparent I could not do it anymore. I'm lucky to live in Sweden where there is no complete lockdown, but the borders are closed, and unnecessary travelling is not advised, no matter how far or near.
Even if these regulations are not optimal for my personal life or business, it is my outmost responsibility to respect the rules, pitch in to lower the figures, and forego with good example. I choose not to do any extreme sports, because despite any precautions some minor injury may occur - and I don't want to cause further burden for the healthcare.
So what did I do during the Easter? I got into my own back yard, to the forest behind the house, and to the cliffs beyond - and got a customized adventure that did not require any travelling. Beautiful Western Sweden is strewn with rocks and cliffs, and while some are perfect for bouldering, others offer great climbing.
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| All set! |
Just a half hour from here, one of the better climbing spots in the vicinity is located - called Seglora. On such great sunny days, it's surely attracting a few climbers with both trad and bolted sports routes. So I chose to keep a maximized social distance, not go there at all, and instead check out what's in my own back yard and in the forest around. No other climbers guaranteed - though a lot of crag cleaning to be done.
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| Some beautiful clean(er) granite... |
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| And some mossy jungle to get messy with! |
Some really nice exploring and relaxed climbing followed. I've decided to bolt a few places, but this will be a project for later. The area is densely wooded, so top rope climbing is possible in most places if you're not a big fan of trad. Great stuff. And another nice thing is that the coffee machine, hot shower and a warm bed is just a short walk away. It feels a bit unusual, but definitely quite enjoyable.
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| Climbing buddy below. Now this is some social distancing! |
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| Above rooftops |
Despite the April sun, it started snowing twice during the climbing, so it was not all warm and comfy. At the end, there was a horisontal snowstorm, reminding of some high-altitude adventures of the past and definitely giving a relevant training for an afternoon at high altitude, where warm sunshine changes to this kind of conditions (and worse) before you can blink.
Will definitely do this again, hopefully soon! Otherwise, I spend these days improving and constructing on the farm, being on emergency call for the local firefighting department, and supporting the municipality with project leading skills. Also, since a couple of weeks ago I'm a member of the county's crisis organisation, so it feels good to have the possibility to pitch in.
I've earlier written about all different ways to make a difference, now is the time to give back to the society and help where help is needed.
Note: Some climbing places are closed because of the pandemic, others are open but please do stick to social distancing and do not push any limits, so you don't risk climbing injuries. Also, instead of using powdered chalk/magnesium please use the liquid kind! It has a high alcohol content, from 30 to 80%, so it helps to sanitize while you enjoy the climbing.
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| Back to nature - what makes us happiest. |
