Planning and Travelling

The provisional attendees list grew and grew to reach a peak of forty, prompting much frantic emailing and phoning of the campsite owners before the booking was re-confirmed. In the event, numbers fell to a more manageable thirty-two, including a first MMC meet for Lee's son Morgan..

Michael Cartine volunteered to use London's "Quality Mass Transit System" to meet his lift. Offers of gigs from several major Comedy impresarios were spurned with the justification that actually, he's from Boston and compared to there, the Tube qualifies!

The Kemp-mobile was clearly a beacon of hilarity as Anna, forewarned about Nick's Leonard Cohen collection, had brought a Johnny Cash album along to relieve the dirge. Perhaps "Ring of Fire" was not the wisest choice, however. Still, it kept them amused for the journey, and for some time afterwards!

The M4 was clearly a game of two halves - those who set off early had terrible traffic and arrived late, and those who set off late had a clear run and arrived in good time. Regardless of speed, all were faced with a campsite with few spaces and those mostly anything but flat. The lucky few who did find flat spots were swiftly moved on by the campsite owners, in order to free up space for people arriving the week after next, or to leave a path for fire engines (?!).

Special mention goes to Paul and Delphine for being the first MMCers to follow the modern trend of having a tent you can fit your car in.

Saturday

Saturday dawned cloudy, but soon turned into a fine day and rather warmer than forecast, leading to some very pink faces by the end of the day.

Undaunted by a severe lack of Gower guidebooks, several climbing teams scattered themselves across the peninsula. "How do you get to Boiler Slab?" Seemed to be the question on everyone's lips. Well what you do is get an enormous saucepan....... Fnarr Fnarr!

Seriously, Nick, Catherine, Helen, Anna and Michael, eagerly clutching Chuck's guidebook stumbled and stuttered around the peninsula for half an hour before coming across the crag more by luck than by judgement.

There then followed a climbing academy, ably instructed by Nick who showed himself to have morphed into a cyborg blend of Kindergarten Cop and Sgt Major Rock (RM). With one leader and four dedicated acolytes there had to be some fairly strict organisation. This was done by Nick leading the climb, bringing up a second on one rope who would trail a rope behind them. Then Nick would bring up a third on the second rope while the second was bringing up a fourth on the trailed rope. Finally the third would be lowered off and the fifth tied in to be brought up.

Amazingly this routine worked quite well and five routes (1 Severe, 3 VS and 1 HVS) were climbed, not bad when some people don't even do five routes in a day as a pair. The beginners all proved themselves to be thoroughly competent at tying in and belaying and for the most part cruised up the climbs with enthusiasm and confidence, before continuing the "Comedy Car" routine as Nick and Michael mis-understood the meaning of "going back to camp".

Jim and Lucy spent Saturday morning hunting for the crag(!!), and Saturday afternoon surfing on Langennith Beach with Jules, Stefan, Delphine and Paul.

David D took on beach duty at Three Cliffs with Beatrice and Morgan, whilst Ian W, Sarah, Alix, Zoe and Simon set off on a walk via Oxwich and Port Eynon. Alix realised she'd picked up David's water too so made a sharp exit back while the rest of the party recharged their batteries with beers and ice-creams before heading back to join the Bradshaws and Dees for swimming/lazing at Three Cliffs Bay.

Andy, Cheryl, and Miles climbed on their mountainbikes and set off for a 35km loop through Llangenith and Rhossilli, including some surprisingly large hills - the most surprising being the one they wouldn't have had to do if they'd read the map correctly at the very start! Still, a pleasant if hot day was had, cycling past full campsites, desperate wild campers in strange places, and "Git orf my land" locals dispensing mis-information about bridleways. Miles' motivational techniques were called into question on the last climb when he advised Cheryl the trail was "virtually flat all the way to the top". Joking aside, the combination of rolling terrain and abundant bridleways made for a quality ride. [Barker, Miles]

Simon, Hilary, Wendy and Chuck went mountain biking in Afan Forest, completing "The Wall" circuit. Excellent custom made routes on a par with Coed-y-Brenin in Mid Wales. Notable incidents include Chuck's fearless and very fast descent down the single-track of "The Graveyard".... The remaining three of were feeling a little inadequate until they noted that even the local teenage hardcore MTB -ers were congratulating Chuck on his speed .... "Reeespect...."

Saturday evening was spent in a mass barbecue. Halloumi, and Pancetta & Parmesan sausages seemed to be the favourite choices of veggies and carnivores respectively. Judging by the number of camp chairs in evidence, the club could be accused of going soft. Judging by the number of real wine glasses, we're guilty as charged, m'lud!

Michael and evidence plus witnesses

We were also treated to a spectacular reflection of the moon on the sea in the bay.

Moonrise, Three Cliffs Bay, Swansea

Sunday

Sunday morning dawned misty, and it looked like the forecast showers would arrive at any moment, but again it turned out warm and sunny.

The "Boiler Slab Ladettes" re-convened for a mass assault on Three Cliffs Bay itself, climbing the most excellent "Scavenger" VS amongst other routes (Polish smolish, it's still a super climb). Alas a protracted breakfast and early morning swim by Anna, Catherine and Michael had gnawed fatally into the low tide time so after these routes were done the Bristol Channel was almost lapping at their ankles. Helen survived both doom-laden comments from passers-by and the advancing tide to complete Scavenger, but declined the exposed scramble along the ridgeline in favour of a handy ab-rope. Anna discovered jamming, shortly followed by skin-loss, before retreating to join the frisbee and sandcastles crowd on the beach. Simon and Hilary completed a couple of Severes on the Three cliffs before the incoming tide also forced a retreat.

"Is she going to die Mummy?"

Andy, Dither and Miles went to the Afan MTB centre, and spent a happy if exhausting day bouncing up and down steep rocky trails while Cheryl sampled the sofas in the cafe. As luck would have it, the amount they were late finishing by coincided perfectly with the extra time Alix and Helen spent on the beach, so biking and non-biking passengers and vehicles were seamlessly re-united for the return home.

Simon and Zoe went in search of surf at Rhosilli with Paul, Delphine and Joe. They found some (much to Simon's immense satisfaction and relief of withdrawal symptoms) and great fun was had by all splashing around. Oh, except for Paul who was exhausted and slept the afternoon off emerging much rejuvenated later. White Hart pub for dinner rounded off a glorious weekend.