Best Climbing Experience

The Promised Land on Lundy: a proper adventure route and possibly the overall highlight of an amazing week spent on the island in September 2014. Setting off up the initial steep, smooth barrel of black rock on the first pitch, overhangs looming above, the intimidation factor was huge. Fortunately the second pitch wasn't my lead, and Alex had cleaned a path across the slab by the time I got there. It didn't let up for pitch 3, but the nature of the difficulties changed dramatically with loose rock and vegetation the order of the day. Just as Alex comes into view at the top, I see him turn his head, hear an almighty crash and see dust rising from the base of the cliff. He pauses for a few moments, still looking down at the block he'd knocked off, as though contemplating his mortality. We packed up our kit in silence and start the walk back. Nothing more needed to be said.