There’s no doubt that making difficult things look easy is a skill – and a skill I don’t have. I’m not a big bold climber but I really love it – love the concentration, love the meditative power, and love being out in the hills. Sometimes I get ideas beyond my station and decide I want to climb hard, push my grade – then I huff and puff a lot, and remember to relax and enjoy the view.

I had to constantly remind myself of that – and not get bogged down in grades, and in what I could and couldn’t do on my recent trip to El Chorro.

It was my first time there and it is a spectacular and beautiful place. My first real sport climbing holiday and I think I definitely have the bug – and I think these photos will show you why!