April | 2012 | The Magik Rock

27th April 2012

Bouldering at Park Head, Helman Tor and Rough Tor

With the weather being so changeable and dry spells hard to find, Tom, Dave and I have been trawling the beaches and tors a bit closer to home looking for bouldering problems.

Bouldering_Apr12-11 — A bleak and grainy view of Rough Tor.

It’s strange how over the years I’ve become fairly fixated on the main climbing venues in Cornwall, always looking for the trad routes. When the weather closes in I’ve tended to just sit tight waiting for it to settle down. Turns out that if you hunt around there are places which dry quickly.

Bouldering_Apr12--7 — Dave on a problem left of the 4a crack at Helman

Bouldering_Apr12-10 — The sloper finish.

Helman Tor has become a regular spot for us recently. Loads of good problems and one we’ve had fun working through. Not listed in the guide (but almost certainly done before) it takes the face to the left of the 4a crack using small breaks for your feet and crimps. Finishes using slopers to haul over the top.

Bouldering_Apr12-9 — Chris on the thinner crack below the trig point.

Noticeably, we all seem to leave copious quantities of blood and skin on the rock, a right of passage it seems when entering the world of bouldering. The rock is crystalline and when your foot or hand hold goes it tends to be sudden resulting in numerous razor cuts and grazes. But its loads of fun!

Bouldering_Apr12-1 — Tom finishing off the traverse at Park Head

I’d been bouldering at Park Head before, and there’s a quartzy wall there with solid holds and a strenuous traverse which can be done on a low or high line. There are other boulders there, including a huge pyramid with probably the worst landing I’ve seen (resulting in a drop into a cave underneath the boulder). Some hard routes are yet to be tried on the North side of the bay, including a wicked arrete.

Bouldering_Apr12-8 — Escape from high tide Park Head

Unfortunately on this occasion the tide cut us off and we had to escape up the slightly loose slope, an adventure in its own right.

Bouldering_Apr12-2 — A great problem at Rough Tor. Start sitting at far left and work across to finish up the crack.

Bouldering_Apr12-5 — A great upwards traverse. Not hard but sustained.Move up to the top edge from the right. Finish far left.

Rough Tor is a gem for bouldering. In a few hours we found half a dozen great problems and this was just a small selection of those available. Quite a few are pretty highball, but there’s enough there that you can avoid these for the most part.

Bouldering_Apr12-4 — Tom about to go for the lip.

Bouldering_Apr12-3 — Carrier Deck. Start right then move up until you can reach for the 'deck'. Haul yourself over the lip on the right.

I left the ubiquitous chunk out of my knee on a hard mantle problem. Tom, Dave and I were so close to making this one, but the foot placement is still gritty and it didnt go on this day.

Bouldering_Apr12-6 — Failure. Turn out to be the hardest of the day. The move up onto the top slice at head level is tricky. No hand holds.

Add Trewortha and Hawks Tor into the mix and we’ve enough bouldering to last two or three summers.

Dave on a problem left of the 4a crack at Helman

Tom finishing off the traverse at Park Head

A great problem at Rough Tor. Start sitting at far left and work across to finish up the crack.

Carrier Deck. Start right then move up until you can reach for the ‘deck’. Haul yourself over the lip on the right.

A great upwards traverse. Not hard but sustained.Move up to the top edge from the right. Finish far left.

Failure. Turn out to be the hardest of the day. The move up onto the top slice at head level is tricky. No hand holds.

Chris on the thinner crack below the trig point.

12th April 2012

Black Head

Spriggans Chimney – VS 4c – Lead
Archangel – HVS 5a – Lead

I love climbing at Black Head. There’s something about the place that just makes you happy. It’s a hidden amphitheatre with turqoise sea and stunning vista’s across the bay. I never tire of the walk in and on this occasion we managed to get quite a bit closer thanks to a friendly local who told us where to park.

BlackHead_Apr12-7 — Traversing to the abseil point above Sprigans Chimney

Dave and I were looking to have a go at Archangel, a climb Dave had tagged last time we were there. But the tide was high for the morning so we took on pitch 2 of Spriggans Chimney. To be honest, pitch 2 is the best pitch starting with a steep crack and leading into a corner bypassing a large overhang. As usual it took me a little while to get going, the bottom crack being a little akward with footholds that dont inspire confidence. But the top moves are fun and the traverse across the top of the overhang is exposed and exciting.

BlackHead_Apr12-2 — Top of Sprigans Chimney

We decided to push straight on with Archangel. A solo down Black Dyke and we were at the belay. This route is superb. Great climbing up the striking corner crack gets you to a small roof. Traverse right here across the face in a great position to find the first belay. Not hard for the grade, but the crux requires good footwork and commitment.

BlackHead_Apr12-6 — Ian on Pitch 1 Archangel

The top half is fairly easy climbing, disjointed, but fun with strange rock and peculiar moves. By this time we had lost all track of time and we ended up having lunch at 6p.m.! This probably accounts for why I felt rubbish for the next couple of hours.

BlackHead_Apr12-4 — Belay at the trop of pitch 1 Archangel

Dave however was still raring to go and tackled Rebel Yell, the E2 which goes up the steep headwall. Small holds and balancy moves put him to the test, but he wasnt found wanting, and made it up with a big smile on his face.

Fortunately we didnt have the long walk out. My blood sugar levels were still grumbling so I probably would have struggled. And so ended a fantastic day out. Only Rebel Yell to return to now, which I fancy leading at some point.