Monthly Archives: July 2011

Climbing

The wrong way down

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30th June 2011
Coastguard Cliffs – Tower Buttress
Sirius – HS 4b – Lead

Coastguard Cliffs

It was one of those days when each decision Chris and I made seemed to go slightly awry. I had been reading through the new Rockfax book on the South West and the climbs listed for the Coastguard Cliffs area looked good. The aim was to do a few climbs but as it happened we ended up doing just one but including a bit of adventure on the way.

Coastguard Cliffs

Having picked the wrong route down to the coast we tracked back towards the most southerly point admiring the stunning views in what was turning out to be a cracking day. The buttress with Sirius on is not easy to find. The best way is to use the bench above Holywood Walls as a marker which is 100m East of Tower Buttress. Make sure you stay on the East side for the descent unlike Chris and I. We set our abseil on a loose, steep corner above a narrow gulley.

Coastguard Cliffs

The scariest part of the day was lowering off with stones and bits of cliff breaking off on the way down. On reaching the bottom I scrambled for cover on a narrow outcrop while Chris dropped down. 15 minutes of head scratching later we realised we were on the wrong side of a very steep slippy inlet. The only way across was to climb. Trying 5a moves on rock covered with wet green slime is not easy and we used the ab rope as back up. It didnt help when we had to release and jump for the final edge. The stretch meant we skimmed the surface of the water before making undignified landings in the opposite side.

Coastguard CliffsSirius

Finally we found the start of Sirius which proved to be a great climb although easier than the gulley! You traverse across, before pulling up onto a ramp which goes up to a good belay. The rock looks like its going to be brittle and unreliable, but this is not the case. I found it fine and there are some good substantial holds even though the ground is steep.

Sirius

The guide book makes a comment that pro is not as good as it could be, but again I’m not sure this is right. I found plenty and good placements. The upper pitch is a little sparcer in fact but all in all, a good climb in a great exposed position.

The fact that it was a hot and sunny day helped and once again Cornwall delivered the views. We’ll be back for Holywood walls which looks great and has a good selection of HVS’s.

 

Climbing

Ambiguous Grades

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22nd July 2011
Zennor Cliff
Rosebud in June – HVS 5a – Lead
The Bumbles – VS 5a – Lead

As is often the case the day started out a bit grey with some drizzle. West Penwith though has its own micro climate and its always worth persevering. As it turned out it was the right choice.

Additionally, Alex had decided to come along too, a rarity these days so I wanted to make sure it was a good one. Equally Dominic was keen to keep pushing his grades, so it was going to have to be a good day.

Rosebud in June is the line to the left of The Royal Forrester and one I’ve had my eye on for a while. It looks like it is covered with lichen, but dont let that deceive you because it isnt. RIB is split into two parts really. A more technical bottom section followed by a magnificent crack leading all the way to the top.

The bottom section section has a tricky move across and up into the niche. Described as poorly protected in the guidebooks it is not really the case. You can get good solid pro in before you move which will protect you but then it is a few metres before the next arrives. As the move is low down it is a bit intimidating, but as long as your belayer is on the ball they will catch you.

The rest is brilliant. Well protected climbing on a line that sores above the deep zawn below. The views around are beautiful and on this day the colour of the sea was a fantastic blue. Dominic and Aletx arrived at the top with the biggest smiles on. Pumped, full of adreneline and raving about how good the climb was. Rare praise indeed from Alex. We all sat at the top in silence just trying to take it all in.

Now The Bumbles was a grade lower and considerably shorter. I had scouted this last time I was here and wanted to have a go. It looked hard for the grade and so it proved.

Its well protected and steep. In fact overhanging slightly. It looks like its full of holds, but they are suprisingly hard to come by, at least ones that are useful. Once on it I found that it didnt let up. No obvious rest spots so its a case of keep on going to a final and awkward move onto the slab. I laced it with gear which didnt help, but found it considerably harder that RIB. OK its short, but technically and physically its more demanding. Still a really good climb which showed no mercy with Dominic and Alex shrugging them off on the top moves. All persevered and made it, while for Dominic it was probably too much too soon. I forget he’s only been out a few times with little indoor practice. Taking that into account he did really well. Its one to come back to.

To top an excellent day we stopped at The Tinners Arms for beer. Many inuendo’s later I took a slightly light headed Alex home to face the music from his mum. Top day..

 

Climbing

What a difference the sun makes.

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9th July 2011

Carn Gowla

Four for Texas – E1 5a – Second

Rainbow Games – E2 5b – Second

After three weeks away in Corsica where I worked my legs hard but not my arms, this was a short sharp reminder on how to climb.

Carn Gowla is renown as a scary location. High seacliffs, with shear drops toward the sea and a forbidding darkness make them feel threatening. However add a dash of sunshine like we had and the place feels a lot more amenable. Part of the scariness comes from the steeply sloping grassy cliff tops which appear to disappear at the cliff edge.

In reality the drop offs are not so bad. There are a number of platforms which you can use as gearing up ledges and we duly located one above the Triple Buttress area. An ab down saw us on a fairly substantial belay ledge, although with a rising tide and some swell it felt a bit exposed.

Nick had a couple of E grades in mind and from the gearing up ledge they looked brilliant. Once at the base they looked even better. Nick has been pushing his grades recently and it showed as he cruised up Rainbow Games, a very pumpy and sustained E2. The pro is pretty good and the holds excellent, but you are on power the whole time. I would have struggled leading just on the basis of sustained effort. The move off the ledge is no pushover either. At the end of the day though it was an amazing climb and I managed it cleanly which boosted my confidence no end.

Four for Texas is actually an easier climb, but the pro is not as good and more care is needed with the holds which are more brittle. It is still very good though and because of the juggy holds is a real pleasure to climb. If I had to choose to lead one it would be RG.

So ended a great return to climbing which has inspired me to want to go on and add to my lonely E1.