Doorway – Severe 4a – Alt Lead (P1) Doorpost – HS 4b – Alt Lead (P2)
This was an occasion for re-visiting some old favourites and picking up on the theme of doors, we opted for two absolute classics.
End of Pitch 1 Doorpost
To be fair it was great to just spend time on the rock and both routes are challenging enough to keep you sharp. I absolutely love climbing at Bosigran. It was one of the first places Bart ever took me when we started climbing. And what a revelation it was. I remember doing Andrew and realising that climbing was going to be the source of my adventures going forward.
F#@k surfing and crowds with bad attitude.
Chris leading Pitch 1 Doorpost
Here you can be with mates in the solitude of some of the most beautiful parts of Cornwall surrounded by good vibes and excitement. I have said before that it gives me the same buzz as I had when I started surfing back in the 80’s with no crowds and just mates for company.
Having fun on Doorpost
Sat on a belay ledge 200ft up a cliff makes you reflect on these things and realise how lucky you are. I think I’ll always think of myself as foremost a surfer, but the reality now is that I climb a lot more than I surf.
Bitter End – V Diff – Lead Kari – V Diff – Alt Lead Longships Ridge – Diff – Second
What a great day out on the Cornish sea cliffs. I’d not climbed on the Terrace at Carn Boel for 13 years. I’d forgotten what it was like and the previous route I’d done ‘Kari’ was lost in the mists of time, although I was to get a quick reminder as I arrived on the belay ledge after pitch 1.
The Terrace Wall.
So, lots of sunshine and great climbing, equals loads of fun. Every route was excellent. Bitter End was absorbing all the way through, with a few tricky moves, a very hollow flake and a surprising top slab full of holds. The top slab looks awful from below, but is actually great fun.
The Top of Bitter End with a happy crew
Kari has a burly overhang which is quite intimidating, especially for Chris on the lead. But the holds are there, if not obvious at first glance. The top ramp is memorable. It doesn’t look difficult, but the whole affair is off camber and pushes you out into some exciting territory.
Dave on the top wall of Bitter End
And finally Dave’s lead on Longships Ridge was superb. For a Diff this offers great climbing in an exposed position. Definitely a climb that should be on a V Diff leaders tick list.
Crack of Doone – HS 4b – Lead Crack of Noone – HVS 5a – Second (dnf) Icarus – HS 4a – Lead
There’s nothing like being upstaged by a goat. It was a real surprise to me to see goats wandering casually about on the face of the crag we were about to go climbing on. I falways find it bewildering how goats have such agility on steep ground. They do not look built for it and their hooves are not exactly ‘five-tens’.
Crack of Doone on Devils Cheesewring
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself because we saw them on Icarus the last climb of the day. I spent the night at Tarka Trail Camping, not cheap (£18) for me and a small tent, but good facilities and a soft flat pitch. It was a late dinner, but sat watching the stars while munching on my pasta and pesto was brilliant.
Devils Cheesewring in the background
As a starter we set off for Crack of Doone, a fairly innocuous looking rock pillar which delivered a surprisingly tough Hard Severe. The start of this climb is steep. Good holds and pro, but you have to work hard to get established and it doesn’t let up until you gain the main ledge. I had a little wobble trying to get over the final face. Committed… stopped…tried to reverse… that wasnt happening…. so went for it. And made it thankfully. My head still isnt quite in the right place, but climbing with Joe has certainly helped it in the right direction.
Crack of Noon on Castle Rock
it was Joe’s turn next to pick a beast of a VS. An overhanging jamming crack. Great, a combination of everything I’m shit at. This was going to go well then. Joe, on the lead of course, made it look a lot easier than it was. I however made it look a lot more difficult than it was. Cant jam, puny muscles equals failure. But I will be back when in better condition and give it a good spanking.
Our Goat friends
For me, the highlight of the trip was Icarus. Some bush bashing was required to get in as you come at the climb from below. I suppose you could ab in, but this was more fun, especially with the goats for company. Icarus starts off fairly straight forward. A couple of awkward moves need to be made to get established on the face. But then the exposure kicks in as well as a couple of spicy moves as you move up a slab on its left edge. Feels proper out there and is so much fun The crux for me was the traverse at the top. You leave your last couple of small wires behind and teeter around the seaward face on a ledge which feels very precarious despite being quite large. It because you are pushed out and the potential for barn dooring off is always there. It also goes on for longer than expected. But what a great finish to a superb climb. A real highlight.
Icarus – HS 4a with the left arete leading to the overhang
Valley of Rocks is a venue I intend to get back to. Lots of low grade routes and a beautiful area. Would be a good day out with the boys. Or get back up here for another 2 dayer with Joe.
Silk – Severe 4a – Lead Satin – HVS 5a – Second Mozambique – VS 4c – Lead
Its been a while since Joe and I got to climb together, so this was always going to be a good day out. One thing I can guarantee is that I will end up being challenged and this day was no exception.
Foxhole Slabs feels remote and you can only access it a few hours after high tide. The Peregrines we annoyed by being in the area were testament to this. They are astonishing birds, sleek and powerful. Their cries are so distinctive. An adult and juvenile let us know they were around. Such a beautiful spot though, a bit King Kong’ish with all the dark rock spires and sea mist. And of course there was no one around. Only the odd voice drifting across from Welcome Mouth.
Joe had wanted to go to one of the few places on the Culm he’d not been to, so I was more than willing to give it a go. Just up the coast from Welcome Mouth is a series of slabs which offer great, steep climbing, typical of this area.
I got to start on the most amenable climb of the day in Silk. Never desperate, it still gives a great line following cracks and overlaps to a pretty dodgy belay. The bottom 2/3rds is fine. The top part, although not steep, needs some gardening, probably reflecting the little traffic it receives.
Joes lead followed a line to the right, which instantly was more difficult. Poor pro initially and spaced hand holds meant you had to rely a lot on friction with your feet. Easy enough on the second, but it must be intimidating on the lead. Mind you, Joe is like a limpet on these slabs.
Mozambique was a much greater test of my current mental strength. The opening 5a sequence is tricky and without Joe encouraging me to push through I would probably have sat on the ropes or come back down. Having made the initial move, there is another hard section. Strangely I found this easier, but I was still choughed to bits to have led this climb cleanly. It was for me the route of the day. Excellent climbing throughout and worth I think 3 stars in most peoples book.
Reflecting my current climbing fitness, I was knackered by the end of the day, but at the same time buzzing from what was one of the best days climbing I’ve had for a while. And more to come tomorrow with another new venue on the cards.
Why it never rains on a Friday!
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