At the start of 2022 I had no idea that this year would hold a whole new passion that I could share with my son.

It all started when my sister decided to spoil my 16 year old son to a day of indoor climbing at a venue called CityRock here in Cape Town for his birthday in December. Well that was it! He was hooked and wanted to go back. We had booked a road trip and multiday coastal hike from Chriatmas until early January 2022 so there was no chance of climbing again until we got back.

My son climbing at CityRock

The same week that we arrived back in Cape Town we were all enlisted to be my sons drivers to get to CityRock. Luckily they were having a start of year special with no joining fee and we were again convinced to sign him up. The fee wasn’t too expensive considering that he would be allowed in the climbing gym anytime he liked. BUT we live an hour away! This because a whole new commitment and adventure for the two of us as my husband works full time and I’m the mom-taxi.

Since mid-January my son has excelled at climbing and is doing extremely well for such a new climber.

For the first couple months I would sit and blog or crochet and keep busy while he climbed and my dad tagged along to belay Seth (my son). But I started to get bored and decided that I could belay him too. So I did the belay certification. Not too hard. Then two months later Seth said that he wanted a chance to belay which meant that I had to climb! Well I did my top rope certification and then Seth could belay me on the climbing walls.

It’s been an interesting journey of building a lot more strength into my upper body. I’m generally fit, hiking regularly and doing bootcamp midweek, but this is a whole new level of finger, wrist, forearm and shoulder strength.

Initially I could only climb the easy grade 15 walls that most kids can climb. Then I progressed to 16’s. And then 17’s each gaining in difficulty.

Now I’m trying grade 18’s and finding the 17’s doable.

To top it off, last week we did our first out door mountain climb on the slopes of Table Mountain Nature reserve on an area called Lower Silvermine. What an adventure!!!!

Me on a grade 16 wall

Seth on a grade 22 wall

We had a wonderful group of experienced climbers to literally show us the ropes and guide us up the climbs. And I love that it now combines my love of hiking the mountains with my new passion of climbing. I don’t think it gets better than this.

I’m so excited to see how we progress this year. We are an awesome climbing team and I love that I get to spend so much time with my son.

All photos my own!