25th April 2010
Doyden Point

Caprice – VS 4c – Lead
Lotus – E1 5b – Second

Things looked bleak stood in the car park at Port Quinn sheltering under a wooden porch staring at the bay. A heavy rainstorm had come through and climbing at that point looked unlikely.

However, after meeting Nick we decided to mooch over to Doyden point and Kellan Head and scout the place out in the hope the stiff South Westerly would dry things out. Doyden point has a remote feeling to it and a strange square house built out of local stone which adds to the atmosphere. You can’t see the crag from above, but we assumed we’d found the ab point. We anticipated that the Fulmars may be nesting in the area with two of them swooping around us. The thought of Fulmar puke was not a pleasant one, but as it turned out we neednt have worried. Still waiting for things to dry we checked out Kellan Head which was also very impressive. A steep and somewhat damp area, you could see the potential.

Once things had dried Nick ab’d in only to find a tricky traverse not really explained in the guide. It’s possible, but a fall in freezing cold sea didnt seem a good idea so we moved across and dropped in around the top out point of Caprice. This was still a tricky decent , requiring a move left across the crag face and avoiding a nasty swing back around the arete.

Once on the ramp you are still very aware of the sea. My advice would be to avoid climbing in all but small swell conditions. The chance of a rogue  set catching you is all too possible.

Caprice is a stylish VS, not hard for the grade, but with a couple of tricky moves. Excellent climbing and lots of fun. The final top out of a few metres is the most worrying part, crossing very broken and precarious rock. I think it is more dangerous to place protection here than to solo it. Fall on a nut wedged in a crack here and the cliff might follow you.

Nick had his eye on Lotus so we dropped straight back down and set up in the sunshine. Lotus climbs a steep crack and then heads off to the right, crossing a very steep face and finishing up a ramp which slopes away from the cliff and down from the top. Not that I’m familiar with E1’s but the climbing seemed hard, but more importantly very exposed. Having watched Nick climb smoothly up and across, my effort was not as dignified, but I found out what all the practice at the wall was for.

I loved it. Scary, but each move seemed to lead into the next and the whole climb was very varied. Of course watching Nick snap a hold and lob off on the final move with 40 odd metres of rope out, didnt help my nerves (or his I would think). Take into account rope stretch and the distance to the nearest gear it was impresive, although I dont think thats the correct word. Luckily it was straight down with nothing below.

The rising ramp was the highlight for me. The move up was hard and I felt right out there. Luck was obviously with us this day, with the day ending in a completely different way to the start; the sun shining across the bay silouetting  the Rumps over at Pentire. Strangely quiet as well, after a day in the gusty wind.

All in all a brilliant day out and I would recommend Doyden Point as a venue. OK, on to Rock a Bye Baby…………