There are many climbs which have a good element of history about them which can add to the desire to climb them and in the realms of sport climbing La Rambla is up there amongst them. It’s 40 metres long and follows a crack and amazing headwall. The majority of it was climbed by Alex Huber in 1993 who placed a chain 5 metres from the top next to a 2 finger pocket. He gave it 8c+ and it’s regarded by many as a sandbag at the grade which having a v8+ boulder sequence after an 8c it probably is a toughy. In 2003 Ramon Julian made the first ascent of the full link to the top, pipping Dani Andrada to the post who himself had been getting very close.

I had a look at the moves last time I was there wanting to make certain the dynos Chris Sharma does in the middle section of the climb are possible for a weak shorty like myself. I managed all the moves thanks to some good info off Alizee Dufraize for 2 of the reachy bits and if I was going to try a route of this calibre La Rambla would be my number 1 choice.  With this in mind I'm postponing my Brenin contract and am heading out to Siurana on the 21st January to be out there until the 16th of February trying it a few times as well as some other great climbs in the area. A good team of people are coming out for the first week or the entire trip, partly on a recommendation on the quality and feasibility of this climb.

Long drawn out red pointing is quite possibly the most boring past time of climbers and I am a little disappointed my most boring friend Pete Robbins can’t join me for these first few attempts. Luckily my next most boring friend Ryan Pasquil is psyched to come out for the duration, taking time out from his plumbing. I know he’ll find the big moves in the middle easy and the headwall at the top will certainly suit him as well. Speaking with him over the phone the other day made me concerned over how seriously he’s taking it having reduced his alcohol intake and even his tabs!

Having seen Mina walk up Pump up the Power first go on lead a few years ago I thought she’d get on well on the headwall. She’s coming out for the first ten days to check what it's like and it wouldn't surprise me if she starts racing Alizee for the first female ascent. Calum Muskett is also coming out having been training with his cheat sticks in Norway over the New Year Calum is taking time out from his memoirs and is looking forward to the steep limestone of Siurana. I'm especially glad Calum is coming as last time I was in Siurana the little turd put rocks in the bottom of my rucksack which I didn't detect until at the airport! Ray Wood is joining Calum and Mina on the start of the trip, having not been to the region before he's likely to be blown away by the landscape. As well as climbing Ray is hoping to get some piccies of DMM kit with a slightly brighter backdrop than found in North Wales.

 For any sport climbing nerds like myself the route is essentially a stamina fest, the first 30 metres involving a burly 8c with big moves on good holds leading to a reasonable shakeout beneath the 10 metre headwall which is about 8a+/8b with 2 quite droppable moves on it. Thankfully the top headwall is less steep and has smaller holds which are not as far apart so it's a bit more like UK climbs.

It has spat off many great climbers over the years so I’m not too hopeful about doing it this trip but will be chuffed if I get onto the headwall and if it felt close I’d think about going back out in November for a rematch. Ryan is unlikely to need a return visit, not to put too much pressure on him. Climbs beyond my normal limit generally involve giving up certain luxuries for a short period be it cakes, alcohol, coffee and lbs. I've given up on giving up these things since Christmas but I'm hoping to have more discipline whilst out there as well as a stiff breeze and a miracle.

The general theme of the research was that climate change was very serious with a changing pattern of weather distribution and much higher likelihood of extreme weather events being just 2 of many grim consequences. No scientist would say climate change causing the heavy rain but it's probable that it’s a major factor affecting the weather.

After a year of depressing people I changed my general interest talks to showing exotic climbing destinations like Madagascar and Yosemite. The hypocrisy of my change has not been lost on me. The first talks implied it was morally unacceptable to waste energy willy nilly and the next talks were helping inspire people to blow their energy consumption sky high with international flights. If you are a climber who would like to become a true environmentalist I'd recommend becoming like one of Britain’s most low impact climbers, Chris Doyle who was born on the Orme and is looking unlikely to ever leave it other than for the odd trip to Dyserth down the road.

Being a 'low impact' climber and a climber keen on going on trips abroad are never likely to go hand in hand. If anyone knows how to reconcile the 2 without spending weeks on a yacht please get in touch.

The media seems to have put climate change on a back burner in recent years other than for random reports on 'leaks' that bare no relation to the full findings of the reports. The next few decades are likely to show how accurate the IPCCs predictions are going to be. I see wind farms and solar arrays as a very small price to pay for mitigating some of the effects of climate change and any way that energy consumption can be reduced and offset seems to be a worthwhile venture. There is nothing to lose by doing something although with a possible long flight this year and next I think I'll have to do more than most for it not to be 'business as usual'.