May | 2021 | The Magik Rock

14th May 2021
Black Carn South

Memento/London Bridge Combo – VS 4c – Lead Onsight
Chico – HS 4b – Second
Zeppo – VS 4c – Lead

Last time at CBS Chris and I got terribly lost. I knew from the guide book that there were plenty of mid grade routes, but we didnt seem to find them. So we returned intending to get our bearings and get on a few of them.

Well, getting our bearings using the guide book descriptions wasnt easy. For some mad reason the guide just ignores the blatently obvious features of the crag and does the usual ‘ to the left of the rounded arete’ or ‘just right of the obvious crack’. Well what about the fucking obvious massive chimney, or the huge jammed boulder or even better the startling diagonal quartz vein that slices through the top of the buttress.

Christ they make it hard. Even when we did find the routes, the descriptions still didnt tally properly. At least not in a clear way. So I’ve added some topos here which might help us if we go again in the future.

The described line for Memento looks highly unlikely at VS and I didnt go near it. 6 metres of unprotected tricky climbing doesnt seem in keeping with the grade. Two alternatives look better. Continue up a further two metres and go left at a horizontal break which may provide pro or go up the left hand side of the chimnet (again looks quite tough) but there are places for nuts/small cams. Then go right at the large ledge below the trapped boulders.

My combo was entertaining and the top part is nice climbing. The bottom is gritty and fragile but this is in keeping with many of the routes.

Chico and Zeppo were similar in difficulties. Harder at the starts and then pleasant climbing. But both are short and divided by a large ledge. Be aware that Zeppo now has a nice hold at the top thanks to the original rock fracturing and a large rock detaching. Fortunately not with me hanging on 🙂

Will return to do the harder routes once my fitness is fully back. But a nice venue to spend a day.

Haytor
7th May 2021

Zig Zag – V Diff – Second
Aramis – VS 4c – Lead (Dogd)
Bridal Piton Slab – Diff – Second

Haytor always brings its fair share of strain and adrenaline. There’s something about the place that catches me out every time I go. Slopers, rounded horizontal pancakes, deep jams and sometimes tenuous gear makes for an exciting day out. It is ssooo different from West Penwith and maybe thats why we always think the grades are hard. Mind you people say that about West Penwith as well, so maybe its a South West thing.

Parking in the lower car park (cos its free) Haytor stands proud and certainly gets your calves and heart warmed up in the approach. It was meant to be calm and sunny conditions, but what we got was blustery and cold with the sun in and out all day. It didnt deter us though so Chris, Tom and I warmed up on Zig Zag.

There you go, that was straight forward. A bit of effort on the overlap but otherwise alright. Whats all this nonsense about hard grades. So I picked out my usual V Diff to start on as well. Except of course my recent shenanigans with interpreting the guide book kicked in and I plopped myself on a VS mistakenly.

I even knew it would be hard. Both Tom and Chris kept saying it didnt look VD Diff. On my third attempt to get through the crux I was kind of agreeing with them. What a beast Aramis is for someone who cant climb chimneys and who’s shit at cracks (even with my new Ocun crack gloves). Perversely I really enjoyed it. Shoulders pumped to buggery and energy levels drained I finally made the crux, a sort of contorted reverse hand layback move… my own invention methinks. And then carried on through to the end. One sit in the harness on my main attempt so not clean by any means, but fun.

The whole climb is a combination of hand jams, arm bars and smearing with your feet. One I’ll try again on my next visit. Low Man proved too cold in the end so we abandoned this as an idea and settled for an easy Diff on the north face. Now I remember leading this back in the day with Bart and Tony H. Why they put me on this one I don’t know because its fucking scary. As Chris found out as he led it in Approach shoes. Good effort as far as I’m concerned. Slippy, with only side pulls and dodgy gear its a Diff to remember. We all broke right at about the mid point. Finishing direct pushes this route into silly territory. I did notice that a chicked head which I distinctly remember from my first ascent was no longer there which could account for why if feels so bold near the top now.

That aside, the descent is just as harrowing. A mossy gully of certain death. Thank you to whoever left the tat to ab off. You are a saviour.

Toms surprise at the end of a great day was a bottle of Leffe each, so that we could mull over the ridiculousness of the grades and how much fun we had despite this. Even the Dartmoor Ranger and his guardians couldn’t alter this as they quized us on whether we were going to camp overnight. Good on them for keeping an eye on the moor.