Glendalough was the scene of yet another epic at the weekend, and I notice the list eerily silent in some quarters. I feel it is my duty to tell you all about Eoin, John, Kevin, and their "Forest Rhapsody," a sad tale, a long one (5 hours!!!), but somehow, an entertaining one.

It began on the beautiful morning of Saturday last. We should have known. The weekend was taunting us with the promise of good weather, but as we rose towards Glendalough to the strains (and I mean strains...) of Bob Dylan, and Barry's car, the sky darkened, the heavens opened, and God fell out...well, it rained some, anyway. Just enough to grease up Barry's hugely impressive send of an amazing 5-move 6c problem by the path...and make it even harder. Kev nearly flashed it too, but I knew there was no chance of me dragging my hefty carcass up it, but gave it a salutory try nonetheless.

Anyway, we trekked towards the crag...and towards the cloud ceiling...the rain threatened some more...Eoin, John, and Kev decided to go for Forest Rhapsody, a 4/5 pitch VS. It should be pointed out that the middle pitch, with which they became well acquainted, is actually a stroll accross Forest ledge, a great garden halfway up the right hand face of Twin Buttress. Barry and I, predicting worsening weather, went to play on some single pitch VS's up in the Garden of Eden area. 4/5 hours later, we descended, ready to go, and spotted Kev, perched, apparently alone, on a ledge almost in the waterfalls. By this stage, it was absolutely bucketing...we had no idea what the lads were at, but decided to abandon them to their own fate, and hang out in a cave in the boulderfield. Another hour later, we saw a red figure indecisively wandering about in Forest ledge, and decided, screw them, we're going to get chips, and sit in the car and mellow out to Bob again...another hour later, the three guys traipsed in to the car park, wet, and embarrassed....they had abbed off, gotten their rope stuck, and John had had to solo back up to get it, in pissing rain...

Conservative estimate: 5 hours total time...that's 2 1/2 hours per pitch if you discount the forest stroll...at about 15 metres per pitch that's 6 metres per hour...it's gotta be a record...10 minutes for a metre...is that about 5 mins per move? Talk about static!!! You'd think with all Glynn's dyno's people would speed up a bit!!!