What with it being the aftermath of Valentine's Day, with the airwaves still full of romantic guff, I decided I would chance my arm and entice Martina down to Lover's Leap in Dargle Valley on Tuesday, and see how matters developed (that's German Martina and, for you knuckleheads that don't know your Martinas from your martinis, being shaken or stirred is not an option).

Needless to say, it all went pear-shaped - when the lads got wind of the word, I was given the elbow, trampled on in the rush - and we ended up a party of five.

Here's Brian making his way up 'The Ballroom of Romance':

The climbing on this steep outcrop, with its incipient bulges, deceptive overhangs and small incut holds, is in-your-face, fingery and oft-times strenuous, and a few hours here provide a good work-out for hands and arms. We had some lovely spring sunshine on this south-facing crag: the rock was dry and warm; the birds singing in the trees and the Dargle rushing busily along below us.

We were all impeccably behaved, except for a small lapse by Herbert, for which he was sent to the back of the class by our headmaster:

Never mind, he was soon released from the sin-bin and this is him on 'Frost on the Roof':

Another pleasant outing, and everyone getting along famously.