They agree to make the most of the remaining 22 hours.  Captain Kudos decided this meant stopping and spraying 'The Wall' with his last meal.

From the lofty heights of the Steel Rigg car park they gaze upon Peel Crag. Formed of Quartz Dolorite the crag is 800m long and consists of clean compact buttresses. It is overlooked by the best-preserved sections of the wall. The height of the crag varies up to a height of 80ft or so, and looks impressive. 

The party warms up on Ribstone Crack (VD) with Phil in the lead. Captain Kudos, still not feeling well, decides to sit this one out. Splodge arrives just as Ace Navigator Shon successfully finds his way up the route, without diverting via Scotland. 

They move along to Sunset Buttress area.  Overhanging Crack (VS 4c) has a delicate unprotected lower section followed by a strenuous, but well protected upper section. Phil leads followed by Splodge. Swing Up (HS 4b) has a delicate move at half height. With ones nuts dangling in a precarious position, and one foot on a high hold round an arete, pull up and step gingerly round. Lead by Peter followed (in slow motion) successfully by Shon.
 
A common feature of the climbs is their ability to surpass and delight at a change in texture or feature. In a single climb you may encounter jamming, laybacks, bridging, slabs, mantleshelfs & desperation. Constantly the brain is engaged. The limbs caress the rock in a variety of improbable positions.

Coach after coach arrives at Steel Rigg. Each one disgorges its camera-clicking tourists, as waves upon a shingle beach, constantly shifting. They will walk the required 400m, "capture" the view, shuffle back; to be whisked off to some other such "famous" landmark.

Sunset (MS) is the classic of this section and consequently highly polished on the lower section. A highly enjoyable mantleshelf followed by a traverse finishes the climb. Phil leads followed by Splodge. The teams then swap and a fresh set of nuts dangle in an ever precarious position on Swing Up (HS 4b). Nick Erith (Captain Kudos) joins the others on Sunset, and is seen to be making a thorough job of polishing the climb.

Phil & Splodge head over to Tiger Wall area to climb The Grooves (S 4b) an airy but well protected route. Constantly off balance one finally leaves the grooves to layback up a crack and reaches the sanctuary behind the

Nick Erith, Pete Durkin, Shon Ellerton, Phil Whitehurst

Northumbria, August B/H '98

This is the mission of the HMC. To explore strange new crags, to coldly go, where no sensible person has gone before.

Blast Off, Kielder Campsite, Northumberland, England. The boys are about the rock. Destination Peel Crags, Northumberland, England to the South. Carship Proton, Captain Kudos at the Helm. Ace navigator Shon soon has the team speeding north, over the border, and through Scotland. Comrade Peter and Secretary Phil try to digest the logic of this. They give up.

England makes a welcome return. Shon explains about the mists of time, the Arthurian Legends, Einstein, and Relativity. Peter & Phil assume this to mean he missed a turning, we got lost, and hence it took plenty of time. There are 24 hours in day.

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