Monthly Archives: January 2019

Climbing

Mileage!

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Penberth
25th January 2019

They do at that age – E1 5b – T/R (pretend HVS)
Thirty Something – E1 5b – T/R
WKD! – E3 5b – T/R (More like E2 at most)
Head Rush – E1 5a – T/R

Toblerone – Diff – Solo
Iron Filings – V Diff – Solo
Rubble Trouble -Severe – Solo
Duck Soup – V Diff – Solo
Horse Feathers – Dif – Solo
D Tain – Diff – Solo
D Tour – V Diff – Solo

Time to test the dodgy shoulder I thought on Thursday, so a trip to a well know and familiar hunting ground was in order. I love Penberth. Not because its the mecca of Cornish climbing because it certainly isnt. But because its easy to access, beautiful and has a good vibe about it.

Tom on the bold arete of Head-Rush

Add to this that it brings back great memories of climbing with Bart (RIP) and it was a good choice for a day when I wanted to climb as much as possible. Also it has a plethora of potential solo’s to keep you occupied between routes. We Top Rope mostly, but the quality of climb meant that it was just a joy to be on the rock. We did most of the E1’s twice so by the end of the day I was confident my shoulder was back in shape.

Dave on TDATA

Its hard to find a bad climb at Penberth. The soloing is straight forward and fun and the harder routes are just quality providing a bit of everything. ‘They do At That Age’ is the show stopper, a 3 star route if I’ve ever seen one. Delicate traverse leads to a crack which requires thought to exit which in turn leads to a hairy, gritty chimney. What more could you ask for.

Me on Thirty Something (where it starts to get interesting)

Tom, Dave and I had a full on day and I think that every so often this is the way to do a day. Get on a top rope and get some mileage in. Great for the confidence.

  • Me on Thirty Something (where it starts to get interesting)
  • Tom about to exit the crack on ‘They do at that Age’
  • Dave on TDATA
  • TDATA – Steep aint it!
  • A different perspective on ‘They do at that age’
  • Above the pool opposite the Golden Buttress
  • Starfish! Delicately beautiful
  • Tom gaining height on WKD!
  • Tom on the bold arete of Head-Rush
  • Contemplating Head-Rush
  • Happy Chappies!!!!
Climbing

Must eat more carrots!

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Brandy Slab/Rosemergy Towers

Flash Back – Severe 4a – Second
Monkey Puzzle – VS 5a – Lead
Monkey’s Lunch – Severe 4a – Lead

OK, two weeks in a row we’ve had long days. This one ending in a solo of the top part of Rosemergy Ridge in the dark in an effort to escape the claws of the viscous brambles. We had problems right at the start finding our way down to Brandy’s Slab. Probably should have read the guidebook instead of setting off on the first faint trail we found which lead in roughly the right direction.

Jelly Baby feast to start the day off

Back at the beginning of the day we had arrived at Rosemergy Towers, me with a view to having another go at Hard Times (which I fell off on the final move having gone too far left). However my still not recovered shoulder made a few protests on Flash Back (a good lead by Dave on what is an understated climb at Severe) so I gave this up as a bad idea.

Tom on the upper moves of Flash Back

And so we set our sights on Brandy’s Slab. Of course even though Tom had been there, we had no idea where to go, which resulted in an hour of bramble and Gorse bashing and a very zig zag route down. We had picked Piers up on the way and so a very scratched team arrived at the slab. I was to be honest a bit disappointed. I’d expected more, but the harder routes were just very bold and the easier routes not that inspiring. That said, I enjoyed the climbing, although I tend to agree with a comment on UKC that the detached flake of rock on Monkey Puzzle is just waiting for an opportune time to fall off. Hopefully, not with anyone climbing on it.

Lost in the Brambles

Monkey Puzzle is either a straight forward VS if you go slightly higher before moving into the narrow crack or a very bold VS if you go early. The nicer line is to follow the corner a bit further and then move across. Other wise you’re relying on friction on a very hairy and mossy face. Still it was fun despite the pain of setting up a belay with no anchor points… or at least not obvious ones.

Piers on Monkeys Lunch and having fun 🙂

And so we set off heading out via Rosemergy Ridge, which soon turned into slightly more than a scramble in the dimming light. To give Piers his due, he did brilliantly considering he has only come back to climbing recently.

There were some distinctly nervy mantles and padding going on. Still we’re alive, so that counts as a grade A adventure in my books.

  • Piers on Monkeys Lunch and having fun 🙂
  • Dave on Monkey Puzzle. That slab looks ready to go.
  • Tom on the upper moves of Flash Back
  • Rosemergy Towers looking back towards Pendeen
  • Mid way up Flash Back
  • Dave on Flash Back
  • Jelly Baby feast to start the day off
  • Lost in the Brambles
  • Dave on Monkeys Lunch