Climbing

When your nuts drop for the second time

Leave a comment

24th April 2024

Cornakey Cliff

Stormy Weather – HVS 5a – Lead
Sunday Bloody Sunday – E2 5c – Second
Wreckers Slab – VS 4b – Alt Lead

Cornakey Cliff is not an easy ramble in. In fact its a pretty hard slog from Morewenstow Tea Rooms. But it is worth the effort. With going away so close upon me, I was thinking that a relatively relaxed day was in order. Of course stupidly I didnt factor in Joe. And the location should have screamed ‘adventure’ at me.

So it was my first proper HVS lead of the season, followed by an E2 and then a crumbling, run out VS to finish. Nice and relaxed.

Stormy Weather is just brilliant. I t steepens as it gets hight. Pro starts off fiddly and gets better. The perfect way around. It took a few moves before I got my head properly in the game, but then the added fitness from my hours at the wall kicked in and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Even placing pro mid crux. Just shows how strength can be a bonus.

Joe’s E2 was a fitting partner. Much more airy lower down with a poorly protected traverse. As it gets higher you need to work hard on your foot placements. Everything is there, but it needs a bit of thought. Joe made an excellent job on the lead. Looks like he’s going to carry on right from where he left off. I can foresee some brilliant routes ahead.

We had left our bags near the top of the descent. A good idea, but remember to take water. Thanks to Joe and his fitness for sorting this one out.. This meant we could climb out on Wreckers Slab which tops out right at the top of the cliff. No need to drop back down, unless you stupidly throw a set of nuts off the second pitch! The climbing on Wreckers is steady but with spaced gear. 4b is about right, but you need a steady head on some sections as you move a long way above your gear. I loved it. Adventure at its best and would recommend this to anyone who is competant at VS. Pitch 1 is the run out one, although the final section gives it a run for its money. P2 is just great climbing with regular good gear.

What a day. A good lead into summer and a chance to test myself on some challenging climbs. Will be back up to visit Joe soon methinks.

Climbing

You’re a s#!t climber, but you’re great at hanging on…

Leave a comment

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.

Oh its all happy faces and fun up until you try to climb out!

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.

Illustrated Man

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.

Looking down Twin Cracks

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.

Climbing

I am a washing machine repair god!

Leave a comment

18th April 2024

Pordenack Point

Helmet Ridge Direct – HS 4b – Second

Little Cracker – Severe 4a – Lead

With my confidence overflowing due to a miraculous washing machine repair job, this was a day to check out Sea Fury, a tough HVS or E1 depending on who’s climbing it. I’d not really looked at it properly before and unfortunately the intimidation factor got me on this occasion, but it looks so good from below it will be one for a little later in the year.

Sea Fury

Chris picked out Helmet Ridge Direct for his route. From below it does what many a route does. It looked straight forward. But reality led him into a route with a number of mini crux’s, each of which was awkward and challenging. Maybe worth a little more than HS imo. The adjacent climbs look equally as tough

Dave on Helmet Ridge Direct

Little Cracker was exactly that. A little cracker. A surprising find. After all the times I’ve been here I was really surprised I’d not done this before. It wasnt Sea Fury but it was a good consolation.

Climbing

Getting cold feet

Leave a comment

21st March 2024

Bosigran
Shorl Slant/Black Vein North – Severe – Alt Lead

Well it was unexpectedly cold. I thought the wind would be coming over our heads but it swung to the west. Much of Bosi is understandably still wet, so we abandoned the idea of Zig Zag and headed for the Ochre slab area.

Weirdly we have somehow missed Shorl Slant in our many ventures to this area. Following the black vein its a rough, crystalline route which is a lot steeper than it looks. The Black Vein alternative finish seemed a better choice as well. But it was sooo cold.

Its all we managed on this day. Worth the trek to Bosi just to get out in what has been the wettest winter I can remember. As a bonus, Dave led his first pitch (P2) for a while. Major progress in getting back to his old form and what must be a massive confidence booster.

Climbing

When its Howlin

Leave a comment

7th March 2024

Pellitras Point

Poor choice for a crag location when its a howling South Easterly, so climbing was always going to be very iffy. But it was a good opportunity to have a mooch and explore the area in a bit more detail.

And the mooch of course turned into a solo adventure as Dave and I traversed the back of the headland. This included a sketchy crawl through a gap and some tenuous smearing and ledges. Good for the adrenaline and with added spice because of the wind.

Pellitras is a place to return to. There are a few parts to it, but the one we were looking at was the Buttress with two tough but great looking VS/HVS’s (Las Meninas and Facsimile). We’ll be back for these.

And finally we had the howling dogs, a good accompaniment to the wind for the walk back through the mud. They always make me giggle. All bark and no teeth.

Climbing

A Tough Crowd to Please

Leave a comment

1st February 2024

Bass Point

Meteor – VS 4b – Lead
Three Tiers (Variation Finish) – HVS 5b – Lead

If I’m honest, my target for this day was Kafka’s Wound, an HVS in the Micronut Wall area of Green Lanes Cliff. However the tide was still a bit full, so we returned to the Cull area.

Kafka’s Wound

I’m still struggling with moving up the grades. Confidence really, but time at the wall has helped me trust my endurance and strength, so jumping in at VS seemed ok.

Dave about to start Comet

Comet is a climb which gradually gets harder, culminating in a steep top wall with dubious rock and nervy gear. Its a great climb to get your head in the game and Dave and me were ready to up the anti.

Dave on the middle tier of Three Tiers

Three Tiers is just that. A blocky but easy bottom tier which we solo’d. Followed by a steep wall with small holds and foot placements and little gear. Followed by a steep, slightly thuggy headwall which just completes a challenging overall climb.

Dave on the upper tier headwall of Three Tiers

Finding gear on the second tier was a real mission. I ended up with a shocking cam and a solid micronut in a split which didn’t look like it would last long under load. Still I didn’t need it, but the climbing is technical and thoughtful. I loved it. Dave also had the biggest smile when he topped out. And its testament to how much he’s come along since getting back into climbing, that he got up an HVS. And 5b no less!

Green Lanes Cliff area

Meanwhile Chris and Tom were also pushing, with Chris getting on Meteor as well and providing a very vocal audience for Dave while he climbed Three Tiers.

Kafka awaits……

Climbing

A Beast when its East

Leave a comment

17th January 2024

Carn Boel (Terrace)
Four Directions – Severe 4b – Lead
Carn Boel Cleft – V Diff – Solo

I really am impressed with how easy the Lands End facility make getting a locals permit for parking. It is a welcome change from those rip off bastards at Porthgwarra who are charging £8.50 a day! Disgraceful really for winter parking.

I know LE’s a tourist attraction, knocked by many, but it has always had its own charm and I have always enjoyed going there. Not least because it is situated on one of the most stunning bits of coast in the UK. The walk in always sets the mood and despite the cold Tom, Chris and me were looking forward to getting on the rock.

I had tried Four Directions with Barry a while back and backed off for a number of reasons. The main one being that it felt quite tough and it was one of Barry’s first outings. Strangely, it was even tougher when your fingers and toes were numb and you are dressed up to the nines.

So it was on with the fannying around getting gear in and trying to sort the ropes out. The crux is about 8 meters up, above a ledge. Its a overhang and to get through it you have to move up left and into a short v groove. The problem is that holds run out as you get into the steeper area, not something you’d expect on a severe. But the cold definitely played a part. If I’m honest I couldnt tell if there were better holds. Once I latched something I had to trust I could hold it because my fingers were so cold. There’s also an interesting wall above the overhang with small foot placements and dubious looking rock. Oh yeh, and the gear goes thin.

Not selling it really am I. Strangely though I did enjoy it. I was also relieved when both Tom and Chris found it hard. It wasnt just me being a pansy.

The cleft was a great ending to the session. Squeezing between trapped boulders and bridging up the narrow cave like recess is so much fun. You emerge back into the light through a narrow opening in the roof. Straight forward as a solo, but dont fall off. You’d rattle on the way down.

Climbing

Have a word with yourself Ian!

Leave a comment

11th January 2024

Chair Ladder
Pegasus – HS 4b – Lead

I last climbed Pegasus in March 2007, 16 years ago. And prior to that and unrecorded in my logbook, I climbed it with Tony H and Bart on what was probably the most adventurous climb I had ever done up to that point.

So returning with Barry, who would be in the same stage of his climbing initiation as I was, was very apt. A bitterly cold day, we managed to find a spot of warmth and sunshine, at least for part of the day. Having checked out Panda buttress and declined, the tide was low enough and the swell small enough to get on Pegasus.

I always find the first pitch more difficult that the technical grade suggests. I think its because it is nearly always a bit greasy and wet. It makes the move out of the top of the groove just that bit insecure. But I did remember the ‘secret’ hold, which sorted me in the end after I’d told myself off for dithering.

From then on it was plain sailing. The slab pitch didn’t disappoint. Its one of the best pitches at its grade anywhere imo. Amazing exposure, good holds and just generally all around fun. The hard move is just that. Harder than anything else on the climb. Many give it 4c and I wouldn’t argue with that. I think there is an easier and more difficult way to tackle it. However one feels a lot bolder than the other. Barry did a fine job of getting through it (the bold way) and it wrapped up a fantastic adventure.

Smug we were having completed one of Cornwall’s more iconic routes. And we finished in sunshine. Luck was with us on this day.

Climbing

The rise and fall of the Underbeanie.

Leave a comment

8th January 2024

Carn Barra
Taurus the Second – Severe 4b – Alt Lead

Wow, it was brass monkey’s today. Easterly cold breeze and air temperature of around 4 degrees. A beautiful sunny day though, that delivered on so many fronts except for the wet foot from treading in the lake that blocked the lane leading through to the southern end of Carn Barra.

Chris and I mooched around the Weasle area, checking out the fierce looking offwidths of Criss and Iron Cross. Some good climbing to be had here I think, but maybe on a day when you can feel your hands (or maybe thats a good thing ofr these thrutchy fella’s)

We settled on Taurus the Second on the upper buttress. Strange how I,ve not done this considering how many times we’ve been here. Still it was an ok climb. A hairy V notch with few hand holds gets you working hard. Good gear, but it feels a bit sketchy because of all the vegetation. Good to do something a bit different though and with the sun out I actually got a bit of a sweat on, which was good reason to not wear our beanie’s under our helmets.

I think both Chris and me were just glad to get out for a bit given all the rain recently. One climb was enough and so it was off to Spoons in Penzance. End of a good day.

Climbing

Second slab on the right after the obvious tuft of grass….

Leave a comment

15th December 2023

Penberth

Wavemaster – Diff – Lead
New Bionicle – VS 5a – Lead

I’ve been to Penberth so often its like my second home climbingwise. So it was strange to suddenly not know how to get to the crag. Clearly some coastpath shenanigans have been undertaken, meaning now it runs a bit higher up and the usual descent onto the slabs is bypassed. I think it is to preserve the delicate area just above the rocky platform so its fair enough. But the fact it is quite overgrown gives an indication of how long its been since we were there.

Its a V Diff… or an E1… cant quite remember

Forgetting the guidebook was a first for me. Spending too much time on UKC is a clear cause. Read the route reviews and forget to research where they actually are 🙂 . That wont happen again.

So Wavemaster is a gripfest of a climb. Very soloable, but good as a lead route. The rock is purpose made to be grabbed hold of, course, grainy and positive and was a good opener for the day.

Clueless!

New Bionicle was slightly different. Its very deceptive from below. The clear cracklines are actually shallower than expected, particularly on the right side of the upper slab. Turns out the upper slab holds two routes. The left is a HS and the right a VS, a bit contrived to separate the two, but if you do the right is delicate with few out and out holds and more about your feet.

Climbing on a single rope meant I had to pick a crack. I chose right because I ghought it might be more protectable. Jury is out on that one. The final move to the apex jug is ‘adventurous’ ( that one was for Barry). In the wet the whole affair feels a bit slippy but still great climbing. I was very please to see it through, as was Barry, who stepped up quite a bit on this one, into a land of side pulls, chicken heads and small edges.

Barry on New Bionicle

Meanwhile Chris and Tom were having fun on the main HS which runs up the centre. Always challenging and probably more so given the conditions. The barnacle encrusted lower section is a bit nasty judging by the language coming from Tom. Main thing is we beat the Tide so no wet feet today.

We’re going up there???

The weather and light made further routes seem a chore so we headed off. Two more climbs bagged at one of my favorite venues. We’ll be back for barbeques and swims in the summer no doubt. Might even try the E1 (Thirty Something’) again haha. Fell off it last time.

Why it never rains on a Friday!