Despite a last minute panic by the organiser due to too many people wanting lifts - people emerging from the woodwork on Thursday evening wanting to come on the meet (can we be picked up from south London at 6pm etc) and nobody in the Club seeming to own a car - everybody somehow managed to get to the meet. Not everybody stayed, however. Faff and family arrived on Friday night, drank a lot of beer with some Kiwis, and then promptly left first thing Saturday morning for Bedford! Andrew T also left on Saturday AM, having been let down by 'Outside' on a harness (well that's his excuse).

Saturday dawned dry and reasonably warm, and despite the deliberate attempt by the organiser to locate the campsite in the central Peaks so that people could access all the main crags in the area, most of the climbers headed off to the Roaches for the day. Limited information is available on the routes climbed, but Juliet and AG climbed Right Wall (S), Left wall (VD) and Black & Tan (S) on the Upper Tier. Also on the Upper Tier, Robin M and Jane B struggled on Crack & Corner and then climbed Right Hand Route. Lucy P also climbed a number of un-named severes and v.diffs with various people.

Caroline & John P drove up to the Roaches on the Saturday morning for a leisurely day on the upper tier, joining the crowd of MMC folk and an even larger crowd from all over the place - much queueing to be had! They climbed an "embarrassingly small number of exceedingly low grade climbs", the only one creeping toward respectability was the delightfully named "Jelly Roll", an HS, which proved to be somewhat stiffer than the name inferred.

Mark W, Mark K, Nick and Clare went to Burbage North, which was quieter and distinctly colder than the campsite. A flurry of routes followed with all climbing Mutiny Crack (VS 4b); Ash Tree Variations (VS 5b) and Knights Move (HVS 5a). Nick and Clare also climbed the classic Long Tall Sally (E15b), while the two Mark's did Meddle (HVS 5a) and Brooks Layback (VS4b) among others.

The most adventurous, however, were Rick and Mark R, who took advantage of the good weather and went to Kinder. The normal late Saturday start, one hour walk-in and presence of Rick meant that while some classic climbing was had (though they can't remember the route names), a return to the car in the dark was unavoidable, and missing last orders inevitable.

According to Catherine B, the walkers (Ian, Brendon, Shannon, Zoe and Tara) went for "a lovely walk", but she can't remember where although it involved a hill and they got lost!

On Sunday Andy, Nick and Mark K went mountain biking from the campsite, covering some 25km up hill (slowly) and down hill (too fast), passing through the villages of King Sterndale, Chelmorton and Wormhill, and cycling over Deep Dale and down Chee Dale. Mark succeeded in getting a puncture but, with the kind of luck the devil reserves for his own, this occurred within 100 metres of finishing the ride. Clare opted for a more leisurely ride, cycling part of the Tissington trail with friends she'd dragged out of the house for the day.

Most of the climbers went to Froggatt, where they were joined by Faff who had returned from Bedford. Rick led Faff up Jankers Groove (VS 4c), while Mark W and Mark R climbed the classic Chequers Buttress (HVS5a). Seeing Mark W execute the route well, Faff (not to be outdone) also tried to lead it. A number of observers likened Faff's execution of the route to a "Rowntree Jelly". Rumour has it that John N also wobbled like a jelly on the same route later in the day, but no-one has yet confirmed his ascent. Mark W went on to climb Three Pebble Slab (soft touch E1) with Mark R, while Rick led Tara and Lucy P up Heather Wall (S) and Allen's Slab (S). Juliet also led Lucy and Tara up Trapeze (VD). Robin M and Jane B had a better day, climbing six routes including Diamond Crack (HS), Sickle Buttress, Allen's Slab and Trapeze. The most significant route of the day (according to a biased father) was four-year old Ewan's ascent of the appropriately named Nursery Slab (Mod), via top rope - his first proper route and only assisted by "a little pull" from his father. Looks like the next generation of MMC climbers is going to surpass their parents…

John P and Caroline decided to be a little different and gave Ramshaw Rocks a try. They climbed "Phallic Crack" (ooh er missus), HVD, then on to "Corner Crack", S, before finishing on "The Cannon", a very nice HS with an airy feeling move - then dashed off to Buxton for an afternoon of touristing and tea shopping.

Thanks to Mark for sorting out what could have been a potential disaster (or a lot of people standing on pavements in London) and for ensuring everyone had an enjoyable weekend - ed.