Borrowdale Day 2

Corvus on Raven Crag today, ***Diff and classic route and the main focus of this trip to the Lake District. Last year I'd agreed that I'd lead the hand traverse pitch as Fi has an aversion to traversing, so she led first so that it would be my turn again on that pitch.

I climbed straight past the start of the hand traverse as I was expecting it to curve around a corner, so had to downclimb a bit before reaching up to put the first bit of gear in. I think I managed to put 4 cams in and would've put something in at the end if I'd have had a free hand, but I didn't. Quite scary but I was so glad I'd done it! 

I set up the belay as fast as possible as I knew Fi would be getting more and more stressed looking up at the rope and waiting. "Climb when ready!" and she started along. The handholds are perfect, it's just the footholds that are a bit of a stretch but she didn't enjoy any of it and thought she was going to die of fright.

Bizarrely, holding on with my hands and moving along like that reminded me of something that I'd done before... and the only thing I can think of is when I was 10 or 11 and used to traverse along a chainlink fence on the other side of a little stream which ran through the park on the way to school. Unfortunately I fell in once, arrived in class wet and muddy and was promptly sent home to change!

It was a fantastic day, climbing in the cloudy mizzle and higher up in proper rain - as this route is supposed to be done...! We had a great time and I'd be happy to do it again... but Fi would prefer not to!

PS I've just looked up Raven crags on UKC, there are twelve in Cumbria!

Extras:
Me, no idea which pitch
The summit .. I think 
Fi about to put me on belay for the traverse pitch