The Friday Matinee

If it's Friday then it must be time for the Friday Matinee to help you while away the hours until the weekend. This week, we've decided to follow the Olympic torch from Greece to China, in one long seamless rock climb.

Starting on the sunny mediterranean, in Kalymnos to be precise, here's some warm sunny sport climbing - with a quick dip in the sea when you've had enough - to take your mind off the snowy Scottish slopes. The music has, erm, a local flavour but there's plenty of great rock to go around and, what's more, it's dry. Just imagine that.

Now it's time for a big geographical leap to China - and a bit of a leap in the standard of the climbing too. Here's Neil Gresham putting up an 8a near Yangshuo, called the Axeman, which looks steep, thin, long and exposed all at once - just right for a warm up, really.

And if that's not enough, here's a tale of bananas, overhangs, juggy holds, 7c ascents, and some stunning natural arches.

So, that's our quick odyssey in pursuit of the olympic flame and rock climbing stunts. We can distract you from the return of the British winter no longer. Think thoughts of extra-warm fleecey socks and have a good weekend wherever you go.