27th August 2026
Lands End – Hotel Buttress
Lands End Long Climb – HVD 4a – Alt Lead
Just how twisted can your ropes get during a climb. Well the answer is twisted enough to dance your way all the way up 7 pitches. For some reason, however we ran the pitch, the rope always crossed over requiring a lot of spinning. It was like doing the Salsa.
Last time out, me and Chris S got rained off. It almost happened again. Standing on the belay ledge of Pitch 2 (the crux pitch imo) watching the squalls move across the ocean off Lands End there was that ominous feeling we were going to have to abandon agaian. But the weather gods were with us. And the jumping dolphins who stayed with us all day agreed. Get on!
For me it was 15 years since I climbed LELC. For Chris it was 20! This probably explains why neither of us could remember a thing about it. My only real recollection was that the top of the chimney pitch had a tough move. I’d forgotten that ei9ther side, there were plenty of other tough moves. For HVD it is not to be sniffed at. Depending on the line you take, it offers up some excellent moves. P2 is probably the crux.
Awkward moves lead to a powerful exit. Pitch 5 is great on bridging, but has a sting in the tail. And the final pitch is steep if you go direct which tbh is the best line.
It also has a bit of everything. Jamming, crimps, slopers, traverses, bridging, laybacks. They’re all there. What a great climb. For me and Chris S this was our first actual climb of the year. It brought back memories of loads of great times and was good to be back out together again. The fact we’re both climbing with injuries probably explains why we found it so tough.
Lands End is a bit of an enigma as well. They brilliantly give out local pases for free parking (if you provide your license and proof of address), but it is ultimately a tourist centre, and today was really busy. It’s quite nice to climb in solitude with just the amazing views and sound of the seagulls and then re-emerge into Cornwalls disneyland with all the buzz of the crowds and amusements. What Cornwalls always been about really. Contrasts.
