Friday saw more clear blue skies in the mountains. A big team of locals stomped up the hill to the sunny Sheep Pen plateau in Nant Ffrancon and much fun was had by all.

Neil Dyer added a powerful and tenuous new line to The Pinch block. Pinch an Inch 7B+ starts sitting matched on the crimpy edges as per The Pinch, but slaps out left to gain Inch Arete.

Neil had tried the line a few years back, but was shut down by a duff sequence. This time he cracked it fairly quickly.

Dave Noden demonstrated another line not detailed in the 2004 guide; Pinch RH 7B links the normal start into the 6B+ sds just to the right. This gives an intense problem with some hard guppy moves and a slappy finish.

Pinch purists will be pleased to hear that the chipped groove hold which spoilt the original problem has parted company with the crag; it must now be done, as nature intended, via the big fat pinch hold.

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