Monthly Archives: June 2025

Climbing

Paying Tribute to Cligga

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18th June 2025

Cligga Head

Stone Table – HS 4b – Lead

That bloody ab rope. Mike and I have issues with this rope. It always ends up depositing us about 15-20ft above where we need to be. Hence the need for a bit of nervy soloing to get to the starting slab of Stone Table. We’re using a 40m rope, but next time I’ll bring the 60m.

This time we abbed down mucky gulley (yet another way down) using the same stake as for C Land Super. Quite a bit of crumbly stuff at the top of the ab, but the climb is on good rock for the most part.

The start of Stone Table

It’s a tale of two crux’s, with fairly straight for ward climbing at about Diff in between. The first is an energetic layback with great holds as long as you dont ruin them with clever gear placement haha. The second a mantelshelf onto a short wall, which is exposed, but not too difficult (although you need to hunt out the gear placements).

Cligga really is an adventure climbing paradice. For somewhere that is just round the corner from Perranporth, it has a remote, wild feeling to it. Probably because of the commitment to get in. But also becasue you never see anyone here, except the odd kayaker and seal.

So glad we’ve returned to this venue and for evening hits it’s brilliant. The sunsets arnt bad either, especially when you can wash it down with a warm can of Tribute.

Climbing

The signs of madness

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17th June 2025

Vessacks West

Little White Jug – V Diff – Lead
Flared Nostrils – HS 4b – Lead (rpt)

As you get older I think you are meant to learn from past experiences. So having shredded myself on Flared Nostrils last time following Chris up, I figured I’d do it again, this time whilst leading. Not my best decision.

It looks so innocuous from below. But it pushes you out and you end up needing to jam on sharp crystals. It’s not that pleasant really so why did I do it again. I of course blame Barry who given a choice selected it. Possibly he and Craig regreted this decision as they too bled for the cause.

Craig on the deceptive ‘Flared Nostrils’

It was though another great day out in such a beautiful part of the county. We are blessed to have this on our doorstep, and as yet we are untouched by the crowds elsewhere in the uk.

The not so easy decent route

I think Barry and Craig had a good day. Vessacks West is ideal for novice climbers and is a good place to ‘learn the ropes’. Maybe next time we’ll try something a bit higher and get some exposure involved.

Climbing

Only in Cornwall….

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11th June 2025

Cligga Head
C-Land Super – VS 4c – Alt lead

On a windy, grey evening with storm clouds approaching, it was kind of surreal to encounter a burlesque dance class, whooping away in an industrial unit in the middle of no-where. But it did bring a broader grin to both Chris and my face, than the one which was already there, having found a little gem of a VS at Cligga.

Fortunately the trials that Mike and I went through the previous week when exploring the crag, meant we knew exactly where to ab in to start this route. It also helped that we could use the ab rope as a belay anchor, so we were set up pronto and ready to begin what was another typical Cornish sea cliff adventure, especially for Chris who had the waves getting closer and closer as I climbed.

I was surprised to find that it was the initial opening moves up to the huge overhang and then across to the base of the main chimney , that were the most tense. There is good gear in the initial crack, but to avoid rope drag this needed to be extended by about 5 ft. So any fall would have put me right back at the start. This is a delicate section. Small footplacements and slopers for holds means you need to approach it carefully.

But once in the chimney, you get all the advantages of bridging, right up to the final escape out of the chimney, on a brilliant jug, which looks like it will snap off at any moment.

We also managed to beat the rain which was moving steadily towards us from over St Ives way. It was a real quick hit and was quite satisfying to know we could work this efficiently when we needed to.

So we hit all the ticks:-
It was scary
It was technical
It was grey and a bit forbidding
We had a laugh
and we had cheese and biscuits for dinner.

Job done!

Climbing

High Stakes (or a lack of)

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2nd June 2025

Pentire – Redwalls
Joseph Bell – HS 4b – Lead

Mike and me are making a habit of these evening climbs. They are encouraging us to do a bit more local exploration, which I have to be honest and say should have been the case anyway.

Redwalls Crag – Pentire

This evening saw a return to Pentire Head and the Redwall area. Really easy access from the Pentire Farm car park. Just follow the main track to the coast and drop down right of the bench. It looks like you should go left, but the right gulley allows you to arc around to the face. It’s also out the wind when it’s South Westerly.

I’d previously done a couple of climbs on this wall, but had missed the HS, so me and Mike set up for what we thought would be a straight forward route. It was in a way, but the opening steep and awkward corner catches you out, meaning it’s easy to get pumped. We split it into two pitches which seemed sensible. The second up the tall corner is well protected and has good holds. The rock appears more fragile, but I had no breakages, although some holds you wouldnt want to yard on. Both of us were pretty knackered by time we finished. I still dont feel quite climbing fit. More work needed on endurance.

Top section of Joseph Bell HS 4b

The belay at the top is awkward. There’s a very old stake which is decidedly dubious, but would probably hold. You can find placements in the little rock crowns scattered behind, but I’d advise using multiple anchors.

The weather wasnt the bright sunshine of our previous outings. Much more forbidding, but the light created a bit of a Jurrasic Park feel to the area. Still amazingly beautiful.