Hadrian's Wall Direct (photo 7)

The second pitch started with a terrifying buldge of ice a few meters above the belay. I unscrewed the two ice screws and moved left onto what felt like a hanging ice block. The wall appeared to fall away unseen below into the abyss, I felt pangs of fear, breathed, refocused. It took a mightly long swing with the left axe, tentative feet movements, a couple of swear words and then a swing out over the abyss before placing the right axe and pulling up. Desperate stuff! I cracked on and moved up to the belay.