Hawk Tor and Trewortha Tor
Just Good Friends – VS 5a – TR Cat Nap – Severe 4a – Lead
Theres VS and there’s VS! JGF was the latter. Described as well protected and 5a I arrived with all good intentions to lead it. In fairness, had I brought my bouldering mat I would have had a go, but with my knees falling off the crux at 12ft with no pro would have led to old bones busting.
Its a great climb and it is well protected once you are through the to the horizontal break at about 12ft. However the move to get here is hard. Harder than 5a imo. I would put the climb as HVS 5b. What starts out as a pull up on a flake finishes with a hand jam and one handed mantel. All on small foot placements. The footage here shows my attempts at it.
Follow these links:-
https://picasaweb.google.com/102957968597737194984/TreworthaTor_Mar11?authkey=Gv1sRgCMX439z8pfba1QE&feat=directlink
Unfortunately we should also have Barts try, but Dave’s ace camera work meant we had lots of footage of his feet and legs and little of Bart climbing.
Shame because Bart left bits of himself on the rock and my rope on the way, but to his credit made it. Great determination. Considering how long its been since Dave came climbing with us, he made a briliant job of JGF. I need to work on him to get out climbing more often.
Bart and I were joined by Dave and Billy for what was a great day. Nice and relaxed for the most part and Billy provided the perfect audience, barracking all three of us and ensuring the preassure was on every time we climbed. This part of Bodmin Morr is my favorite. Considering its proximity to the A30 you feel very remote and you see almost no body. It also helps to have a warmth sunshine where shorts and tee shirt were the order of the day.
The walk over to Hawk Tor is a short one and having exerted ourselves so much (being old men) we figured a nice straight forward Severe would be be good. Like Cat Nap…. a nice straight forward Severe going on HVS. What is it with the grading in my guidebook! It did look tough, but my mental approach was “Severe. Shouldnt be too bad and there’l be gear and good holds. “
None of the above. It was pinchy, with sloping holds and a wicked step over using a finger jam to keep you on. A good low nut followed by ‘iffy’ Cams. Definitely Severe. The two fella’s near us said their book gave it HVS 5b. Probably explains why I had to work so hard to get up it. Still, I made it, leaving blood on the rocks and my ropes….again. Dave followed me and even on the second found it awkward. I’m going to try more climbs here but I hope they’re grades are a little more realistic.
Dave led us back to the car, through the gorse and bog (it doesnt bode well for his navigation skills in Corsica in June) and the day ended still bather in evening sunshine. Ihhope this doesnt turn out to be our summer again.
