19th April 2024

Carn Barra
Illustrated Man – E2 – T/R
Twin Cracks – Severe – Lead

Words you should never utter to a fellow climber, “I havnt really experienced a hard climb”. It is likely to end up messy, as this day did. The choice of Carn Barra was really to give Barry a taste of what hard routes feel like. Its notoriously tough so what better place to get on some routes.

The central ledge has a number of good E numbers so we thought we’d try that. In hindsight maybe an inescapable ledge with only tough routes to get out on was not the best choice. But we got what we paid for. Illustrious Man is just a joy to climb, but is properly hard. For Barry it was a lesson in how to deploy everything at your disposal just to get upit. He did brilliantly, especially considering the experience he’s had so far. Failing at what I consider to be the crux (the move out of the middle crack system.

I made it just. Taught me a lesson in that I’m not where I have been in terms of fitness, as I climbed this clean and fairly well when I was last here with Chris. I did however remember to hang on, something that my old friend Bart (RIP) said I was particularly good at, even if he didnt rate my climbing abilities… haha

In the end Barry climbed out on Dialectic, no mean feat on its own and so the beasting ended and we retired to have a go at Twin Cracks on the upper buttress. I’s only ever climbed pitch 1. Turns out Pitch 2 is the difficult one. Steep and with few rests. PLace gear and keep climbing. Its also brilliantly exposed as you move out above the whole of Carn Barra.

What a day. We had it all. And to top it all off Barry spotted dolphins. And so to the long slog out past the wolfpack which continues to make me smile.