Category Archives: Climbing

Climbing

The Tide waits for no man

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24th November 2023

Lighthouse Cliffs – Lizard

Gigging – Severe 4a – Lead
Long Time No Sea – V Diff – Lead

Well it was a good choice of crag for the weather, but a poor one with regard to tide times. Our second look at Lighthouse Cliffs was slightly better than our first when the swell was pumping through. Having said that, me and Dave still managed to get wet. Turns out our belay ledge wasnt high enough above the pushing swell!

We now have a pretty good idea of the layout of the crag. Once you have your bearings it all falls together. Which also describes some of the rock quality. In the lower sections it tends to be a bit sounder, but as you get higher it degrades.

Gigging was definitely in this category. We belayed on a small but higher ledge because of the swell and tide. This meant traversing across onto the main wall which was ok, but the more you progressed the crumblier things got. It gets a star in the guide, but I dont think it really warrants one. Its not particularly memorable. Although watching Dave get hit by a set wave was quite memorable.

We’ve definitely earmarked a number fo routes we want to get on, so I’m certain we’ll be back shortly. Next time at low tide with no swell though.

Climbing

Perfect Timing

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17th November 2023

Dewerstone

Reverse Cleft – Severe 4a – Lead

What a filthy month this November has been. Good job I saved the decorating for now as there has been sod all opportunity toi get out on the rock. Except of course for today, during which Barry and me managed to pluck the only dry spell for weeks.

However the crag was dripping. The Devils Rock area was in no condition to climb at all. But The Pinnacle was ok. As a stand alone buttress it doesnt suffer from seepage as much as the other buttresses. I sort of got a bit mixed up with the routes. I actually thought we were doing Pinnacle Buttress a V Diff, but it turns out we were on Reverse Cleft a Severe.

It didnt matter as Barry and me had a great time on the route. A fairly straight forward first pitch, leads into a much steeper and more technical second pitch. Being damp added a bit more jeopardy and the jamming section was a bit grim, having to trust greasy cracks. I found it a tough lead for Severe in the conditions. Still, it honed technique. Barry, still very much learning the ropes so to speak, did excellently. The work on the indoor walls paying immediate dividends.

We walked out up the gulley between Needle and Raven Buttresses, probably the crux of the day, with slimy boulders and no grip. Finishing at the top of the Tor capped a great day out. The rain had held off all day and only came in as we reached the car. A very satisfying moment.

Climbing

The Many Faces of Barry D

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6th October 2023

Tater Du

Bounce – HVS 5a – T/R
Worry – E2 5c – T/R
Eric’s Route – Severe 4a – Lead

We have all been to that place in climbing, when your body stops behaving and wont do what you want it to. It was Barry’s turn to find the point where he burns out completely occurred today. Multiple attempts on a burly HVS resulted in little left for our final Severe.

Looking across the boulder field of St Loy

I could see the energy draining from him as he gradually progressed up the route and his change in facial expression. To Barry’s credit he never gave up, meaning he topped out with arms of the same texture as solid steel. Lactic Acid I think does this to you.

Barry on Eric’s Route

Still, as days out climbing go this was a good one. Tater Du is always fun to visit, but its also a real effort. The walk in through St Loy and across Boscowen Headland is second to none however for its beauty. And Tater Du always reminds me of a painting more than a cliff.

And there were dolphins!

The reason for all the muscle ache was that we dropped down to the seaward craglets. If I am honest, I was not so impressed with this area. It pales in comparison to TD proper. It is really a series of boulder problems, all be it a bit highball in places. But they do present some tough climbing, but with little gear for the most part.

Tony topping out on Eric’s Route

Erics route was much nicer, with good moves and lots of exposure at the top. A thoroughly good way to finish the day.

Gearing up platform with a view

I do like these team days out. The company is always great and it has more of a social feel to it. It was also really good to see Tony out again after a gap, and climbing really well. It bodes well for future trips. Bring on the next one.

Top pitch of Eric’s Route
Climbing

Red Stockings and Lipstick

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29th September 2023

Sennen

Skewcrack – Severe 4b – Lead
Black Jack – Severe 4b – Part Lead

The Chough really is the ‘tart’ of the Corvus/Pyrrhocorax family. They were buzzing around us all day, but on one occasion a flock of about 6 went by with one Jackdaw in the middle. He was clearly being upstaged by the much brighter Choughs with their red bills and legs. They clearly had their make-up on.

A Cornish Chough near Hayloft, Sennen

The numbers would seem to confirm the belief that this has been a really good year for breeding Choughs. I rekon there were between 6 to 8 of them buzzing around for most of the day.

Looking back towards Sennen

The climbing also sparkled, although Chris may have a different take on the day after his epic battle with Black Jack. Fairly innocuous from the ground it has a very tricky section as you break out of the initial twin cracks. For Chris, this was a day his head was clearly not in the game. I have had many similar days. It just happens.

Big Surf

Both climbs were good though. Challenging and typical Sennen, at the top of the grade. The thundering surf below only added to the drama, with Tom even having a game of chicken with the spray shooting up over the main platform.

Chris coming up Black Jack

We all need to spend more time climbing to get back to our previous abilities and grades. It will come. The trick I think is not to rush or you’ll be listening to the little voices in your head going:-

‘This is too hard for me… just give up. Why do I climb anyway? I dont neeed to make this climb. Lets have lunch’………..

Climbing

No Joy Here

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25th September 2023

Trewarvas

Joy – Severe 4a – Lead
Side Step – Hard Severe 4b – Lead

Many years ago Joy was one of the first climbs Bart ever put me on. Obviously seconding it or it could have been a top rope, I had an aweful struggle on it. Unable to unlock how to get through the big flake and onto the ledge.

So on this occasion I figured that with all the added experience I now have, I would manage it fine. Uhhmmm…..

Nope, still an epic. This time I missed the traverse onto the ledge completely, carrying on into the VS version and pumping myself out, loosing my confidence and then down climbing back to below the flake. I needed a stiff word with myself to have another go, this time getting it right and then wondering how I made such a gaff of the low crux.

For Dave, it seemed a similar experience. I think its one of those routes where if you get the sequence wrong initially you end up in all kinds of difficulty.

Dave on Side Step

Still a much better effort on Side Step helped to restore confidence. Always a good route, its all about the exposure as you come out of the nice cosy chimney onto the face for the final crux moves on the headwall.

All in all it was a fine day out and so good to be out with Dave again getting some great routes done.

Climbing

A strange door obsession

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23rd August 2023

Bosigran – Main Face

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.

Climbing

Difficult = Fun, Very Difficult = even more fun

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17th August 2023

Carn Boel – Upper Terrace

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.

Dave on Kari
Climbing

GOAT – 🐐 Goes Over All Terrain

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10th August 2023

Valley of Rocks

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.

Climbing

When you need that extra bit of oomph!

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9th August 2023

Foxhold Slabs

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.

Climbing

En Route

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15th July 2023

What a fucking day. I was chasing buses from the moment I landed. The only important one was the connection from Pamplona to Ochagavia.

I made this with about 3 minutes to spare. But only after missing two buses and sacrificing a ticket to try and intercept the Ochagavia bus. It worked in the end but tres traumatic.

So now the next crisis is no gas to cook with. Can’t get any in Ochagavia, so Isaba is my best hope. If I can’t there, then maybe more changes to my plans. We will see.