The Weatherman

6th March 2015

Black Head

Archangel _ HVS 5a – Lead
Rebel Yell – E2 5b – TR

Any excuse to return to Balck Head is a good one, although I think Joe may have had his doubts this time.

Ian on Archangel
Ian on Archangel

My assurance that ‘Balck Head will be sheltered. Dont worry’ was misguided to say the least. The Wind is from the South West. I though you said North West I lied. I just got it wrong really.

Tom mid crux on Archangel
Tom mid crux on Archangel

But, and its a lucky but, when we got down to the water shoot gulley it wasnt too bad. While Joe set up a top rope, Tom and I did Archangel. It looks deceptively easy from the bottom, but has a tricky crux and a boldish top out becasue of the fragile rock up there. This was the second time I’d led it and it was just as much fun. It really is a tremendous crack/corner climb. Safe but hard enough to add spice.

The steep Rebel Yell
The steep Rebel Yell

Rebel yell was a lot more difficult. There appears to be more pro than the guide boook suggests and although strenuous, it is manageable. I will be back to lead this, hopefully this summer. It has small holds and vanishing foot placements which bizarrely are there for your hands and disappear for your feet. Very weird.

Looking for foot placements
Looking for foot placements

 

The tide eventually chased us off, starting to shoot up the gulley with alarmingly increasing force. So we returned the long route back to the car at Treleaver Farm  (because the fu!#ing farmer has shut the permissive footpath on the grounds of a bull – 6 months ago. Tosser) satisfied with a couple of good climbs. I’ll be back in the good weather for another climb and a swim.