Tag Archives: 5a

So this is where all the water went.

January 22, 2016 dillwat Leave a comment

22nd January 2016
Boscawen Point
Lucretia – VS 5a – Lead OS

God this winter has been awful for rain. Never ending since November so it was a real GodSend that we had a sunny Friday (even our eternal optimism was getting dampened)

However when Joe suggested Boscawen as a venue,; fair enough because it dries fast, I hadn’t anticipated that most of the rain that had fallen this winter was lying on the path in. To say we scated our way there would be fairly accurate. However, despite this it was brilliant to be back on the coast getting an eyeful of Cornwall’s best gift.

Despite a bit of wind it turned into a great day out. For me it was a return to a climb that had properly spanked me on a previous visit. To the extent I didnt even get off the ground. Hence my onsite claim 🙂 On this occasion Dave and I tackled it with zest (almost) and I grunted my way to the top never really feeling in full control but getting through each of the hard sections.

So you do this wierd hop thing and then your through the 6a move... its easy — So you do this wierd hop thing and then your through the 6a move… its easy

Lucretia is a great climb. A bit lichenous, but not so much it cant be done. Some strenuous jamming leads to an awkward niche. I spent a while here summoning up the courage to break out into the layback needed to make the next section. Its a head game really because having made the move I found it ok, if a bit tricky to place gear. Lay of the amazingly grippy edge and walk your way to the top, with a final pull to make the top jug.

To say I was pleased is an understatement. To say I was f#*!ked is an understatement. I need to climb more! We retreated to the main face where Joe and Tom were climbing something very hard. Lord Lucan I think which is 6a on the bottom moves. Fortunately I left my shoes with the bags so had a good excuse to dose off before a edgy solo out up the right hand blocks.

Joe pointed me at Luke Skywalker, a really good looking VS up the main face for next time, so I have something to aim for. The E1 looks good too, if a bit bold.

The walk out with the sun setting capped off a good return to the crags for our little gang. Lets hope the weather improves as I’m up for a good season.

Climbing

Old Favorites

September 19, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

19th September 2015
Carn Barra

Super Crack – VS 4c – Alt Lead
Axis – VS 5a – Lead
Fourteen Fathoms – E2 5c – Second

I’ve been to Porthgwarra loads of times but never considered parking up nearer the junction to the l-bend. It is in fact a nicer walk in, if a little bit longer, down blackberry walled lanes and it brings you out in the Carn Les Boels area a bit further south. Ideal for Carn Barra and crags south of here.

I knew Nick had has eye on one of the E2’s at Carn Barra, but we started on the upper tier, on Super Crack. I remember this being really good the first time around and this time was just as much fun. Pitch 1 is a bit nervy on the top slab, but is good climbing with small holds and neat little moves. The top pitch is great, with more strenuous jamming and laybacking. A really top VS.

And so to Fourteen Fathoms. It has good climbing throughout and the bottom section (with the exception of the bold and bouldery lower face) is reasonably protected. Once onto the upper face, protection possibilities are there (the crux has some good gear) but the climbing becomes harder and the crux move is tough. It took Nick a while to figure it out (how he hangs around for so long I’ll never know) but in the end it is about strength and commitment.

Steep!! And hard.... — Steep!! And hard….

On my turn I had just as many issues and probably made the move by the skin of my teeth. My arms by this time were shot so it was with relief that I moved up a bit for a rest before dropping back a few fet to get the remaining gear out. Really pleased to have done this though.

We finished on Axis, where Dave joined us. This was so that I could climb it throughout. My previous attemt had just been from the upper ledge. I made the lower moves, but I cant say I made a good fist of them. I grabbed the edge of the lower shelf with relief in the end. After this thought the route went easily for me, so I was pleased with this. The first time I remember it being a real struggle.

A good day at CB and nice to climb with Nick again. Must do this more often. Next ‘American Dream’ 🙂

Climbing

The Sea is full of diamonds

July 31, 2015 dillwat 1 Comment

31st July 2015

Chair Ladder

Kittiwake – HVS 5a – Lead (dogged)
Excelsior – E1 5b – Alt Lead

Ok, before I get started… the most surprising part of the day was when Joe told me he had never tried Marmite! That is something I intend to resolve the next time out so be prepared for Marmite Sandwiches.

Sometimes when you are out climbing you realise how blessed you are to live in Cornwall. Chair ladder could only be described as magnificent on this day and the sea rippled with millions of refracted suns making it look like it was covered with diamonds.

Eulogy to Cornwalls coast over… now to some important stuff. It’s been a while since I’ve climbed at CL and I wish it hadnt been so long. Its such a good venue. Kittiwake was one I had looked at before when on Seal Slab, but I must confess I had forgotten how steep it looked.

It didnt disappoint. The slab is fairly staright forward, but as soon as you hit the diagonal split it steepens and from then on until you clear the overhang it’s ‘power on’. I was doing great until I arrived at the overhang. Its a little run out, but to be fair I bottled it, and instead of pushing through ended up slumped in my gear. Disappointing to say the least, but this year has been a bit like that. I think I’ll get on it right away next time and proove to myself that I can do it. Strangely the wall below the overhang is littered with good holds, just a bit crumbly as you move through the overhang.

Sharing the climb with the gulls and diamons in the sea.

Joe and I have not done many climbs together recently, so it was brilliant to set ourselves up for Excelsiour. With Joe’s recent run of form in the E3 catagory, I left the two 5b pitches to him. A bit of a cop out, but I’ve been a bit up and down, so a bit of cushty seconding seemed a good idea to me.

True to form Joe blitzed the lower cracks, which are by far the hardest sequence of the route. OK until you have to make moves into the left hand crack and then push for the horizontal break. That’s where they become a bit desperate, but if you keep moving the good holds come.

I had the honour of the 5a corner. Great fun! A bit tricky and more than one way to go abut this pitch as Joe and I did it in very different ways. Joe also found the hidden hold deep in the crack, which I missed. Bummer as it helped to increase the pump for me.

The final pitch is not so much hard, but freaky. Good lower gear leads to thin moves with little or no pro until you make the upper section. Good lead by Joe as it is out there and scary. And so finished our E1 multi pitch and well worthwhile it was. 3 stars!

There was enough time left for us to barrack Dave and Tom on ‘Red Wall’ as we sat above Carn Guthenbras looking across to the Western Buttress. And yes, Tom also has a Pink top. Welcome to the club Tom.

The famous corner.. which I didnt know about!!

Climbing

How wide is your gatehole?

April 17, 2015 dillwat 1 Comment

17th April 2015

Bosigran Ridge Area

Waltzing Matilda – HVS 5b – Alt Lead (Dogged)
Mandalay – HVS 5a – Second
Anzac Day – E1 5b – Lead
Imphal – E2 5c – Second (Dogged)

… is not a question you should be asking any of your friends!! This was the finale to a superb day at Bosi Ridge Area where I managed to put ticks in a load of climbs I had been eyeing up. Not sure where this conversation was going, but I’m glad Nick didnt know the answer to Toms question. 🙂

Joe, Tom, Nick and I were obviously hungry to get on some good routes and as there was nothing there easier than HVS 5a we had to up our game immediately. Joe and Tom went for the tough corner of Imphal and Nick and I ended up on Waltzing Matilda.

Wow, what a route. Two amazing pitches. The first with a hard short traverse to the Arete which Nick led with aplomb. Then a long traverse out across the upper wall of Galipolli. I got this one and was shocked at how hard it felt. I was going along great guns when instead of thinking through a section I committed in, and found myself sliding off and ending up down on Kohima. It made for an interesting return to the traverse and I cant say I wasnt disappointed. But more importantly I got to do a fantastic route. I must stop falling off stuff!!

Manadaly was a good ‘get your breath back’ route, although gear is tricky on the crux and its an exposed move on the crux. Nick made short work of it though.

So I decided on Anzac Day next. A very patient Nick stood silently while I went through the full range of Freudien self doubt, anxiety, bullishness, indecision, euphoria and any number of other mental states you can think of. Reasonably pathetic and not something I’m used to, but in the end I started again and did it in one. Really pleased I did because this was a terrific climb. Akward in the lower section and then great jug hauling through the overhang.

Meanwhile Joe was leading Galipoli, probably the choice of the crag. I knew he and Tom would like this one, and they did. Both making the hard move onto the face.

Nick was right on his game and I knew he wanted Imphal. It is not an easy climb. Lots of jamming and bridging and some precarious positions. Nick, with his ability to make a T shape seemed to be in balance all the way. I on the other hand was not quite so tuned in, although it was only one small slip that cost me the onsite. It was actually encouraging for me and an excellent tic for Nick. Both Joe and Tom who had been on it earlier, were in my category, although of course Joe had the added complications of leading it.

Dolphinarium and start of Waltzing Matilda

The walk out from sea-level with full packs is not a pleasant one, but when you are buzzing it doesnt really matter. The is the one remaining issue. Who of us will be the first on Dolphinarium, the E1 on the nose. Looks scary hard!

Climbing

The new improved moving belay….

April 6, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

6th April 2015

Carn Barra

Weasle – VS 4c – Lead
Sea Fox – HS 4b – Second
Rapido – E1 5a – TR

When you anchor yourself in at the top of a climb the most reassuring aspect is the ‘imouveable’ feeling of the rock around you. There again, you can find yourself in among a heap of large fairly unstable boulders which you can re arrange to construct a sort of bespoke belay. “I think I’ll have a rock here” and “actually that boulder might be better at this angle”.

The stack above Rapido and Sea Fox was just this kind of jumble. Safe, but slightly disconserting when a 2 ton boulder moves around a bit.

My list above doesnt include two very steep routes which Joe and Tom spent the day on. Mean Street a hard E4 and Sunny Corner Lane and equally hard E3. Probably too much for me and Dave, but after their recent training regime, Tom and Joe tackled them with relish.

Dave and I went exploring down the South end of Carn Barra. I’d always intended to repeat Weasle and the distant memory of exposed commiting moves past the overhung corners soon came flooding back. This really is a totally underated route. For VS it is very good value, probably being nearer 5a and def close to HVS. The excellent pro probably makes it VS but dont let this fool you. It’s still scary…

So returning to the platform we set off on a fun sea level traverse with the small waves washing around our feet. A quick chimney above a rock pool led to a hidden area and Sea Fox. This follows two steep 90 degree corners, needing a fair amount of lay backing and trusting your feet. It is a bit crunchy at the top, but otherwise is a great climb. It probably needs more traffic to tidy it up.

Rapido - Follows the right hand arete — Rapido – Follows the right hand arete

Rapido is a technical E1. Not strenous or pumpy it has a couple of balancey moves around 5a. The reason it is given E1 is because the first pro of any value is at half height and although the flake provides placements I’m not sure I’d trust them. This is why we top roped it! It is one that I know I could lead fairly easily, but its one I never will (because I dont want to die). The slightly unreliable holds adds the final dimension to a good but lethal route.

Carn Barra continues to deliver. Maybe next time I’ll get on Illustrated Man and tick that one. Who knows.

Climbing

The Weatherman

March 6, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

6th March 2015

Black Head

Archangel _ HVS 5a – Lead
Rebel Yell – E2 5b – TR

Any excuse to return to Balck Head is a good one, although I think Joe may have had his doubts this time.

My assurance that ‘Balck Head will be sheltered. Dont worry’ was misguided to say the least. The Wind is from the South West. I though you said North West I lied. I just got it wrong really.

But, and its a lucky but, when we got down to the water shoot gulley it wasnt too bad. While Joe set up a top rope, Tom and I did Archangel. It looks deceptively easy from the bottom, but has a tricky crux and a boldish top out becasue of the fragile rock up there. This was the second time I’d led it and it was just as much fun. It really is a tremendous crack/corner climb. Safe but hard enough to add spice.

Rebel yell was a lot more difficult. There appears to be more pro than the guide boook suggests and although strenuous, it is manageable. I will be back to lead this, hopefully this summer. It has small holds and vanishing foot placements which bizarrely are there for your hands and disappear for your feet. Very weird.

The tide eventually chased us off, starting to shoot up the gulley with alarmingly increasing force. So we returned the long route back to the car at Treleaver Farm (because the fu!#ing farmer has shut the permissive footpath on the grounds of a bull – 6 months ago. Tosser) satisfied with a couple of good climbs. I’ll be back in the good weather for another climb and a swim.

Climbing

Please sir, can I have some more…

August 3, 2014 dillwat Leave a comment

3rd August 2014

Pedn Kei / Carn Gloose / Zawn Duel

Fagin – HVS 5a – Lead
Astral Stroll – E1 5b – Alt Lead

The nerves started a couple of days earlier when Nick text me about climbing on the Sunday. For some reason I already knew that he was thinking of Astral Stroll. This is one of those climbs with a reputation for wildness and commitment. One that invokes excitement and intrepidation.

It boils down to the fact that the whole climb requires both buddies to commit into some startling climbing territory with no opportunity for escape (accept to climb out). We had heard that AS can be a bit greasey in the mornings so this gave us the chance to go and check out Pedn Kei first.

As it turned out this gave rise to the most sketchy climbing of the day and this was just on the approach. This amounts to a slide (in my case) down grassy embankments until you reach a rock platform above the climbing area. I cant say I enjoyed it. I think next time a grab line might be in order. Something to remember for the future.

Abbing in, Pedn Kei reveals how much good climbing is available. We only did Fagin, a good and tricky HVS following the seaward corner. It looks like it will be damp and unpleasant but in fact its was dry and offered really good moves and pro. You start in the corner and move out onto the face at around 2/3 height with a cruxy finish. I can thoroughly recommend it.

I wouldnt say the access description in the Climbers Club book is easy to follow but it did get us to the correct start for Astral Stroll. You end up in a recess on the point. A stunning place to start watching waves smash into the point and wash through the gaps below. Nick set off heading up diagonally which put him on the higher version of P1. Unknown to us this was a good choice as a rockfall now means that the lower version skips past the P1 belay point so you no longer need to down climb on the start of P2. I think this is probably the better option for the full AS experience.

OK spoiler alert. If you dont want to know about the climb dont read on……..

Pitch 1 is an exposed traverse across a slab to a corner and belay point. As you move around the initial corner you get a view into what is coming and it is astonishing. Its hard to believe a route at E1 can go through this kind of territory.

Pitch 2 has a difficult move down followed by a bold traverse and a final grunty move up under the roof. Its great but the belayer loses sight of you straight away and its hard to fully protect your second. That said a back rope helps take some of the potential swing out.

Pitch 3 is the best of all the pitches. Hard moves under the roof lead to a series of rock overs/pulls into niches and onto aretes. All whilst dangling above a drop into the ocean and with the roaring sea all around. One of the truly great pitches on any route I’ve done.

Pitch 4 starts with a strenuous pull over an overhang and onto a slab. Steep crimpy moves lead to the grassy alcove above and a feeling of having just been a part of something really special. It’s not worth doing another climb after this. You might as well head off to the pub and pat yourself on the back – which is exactly what we did.

What a day and many thanks have to go to Nick for sharing the experience and being the ‘competant partner’ the book says you need. And they’re right!

Climbing

Straight forwardly harrowing

July 11, 2014 dillwat Leave a comment

11th July 2014

Hippa Rock

Coitionary Tales – HVS 5 a – Lead
Virgo – VS 4c – Second

I always enjoy a trip to the Culm. This one was full of promise as we were heading for Oldwalls Point. In the end the descent defeated us with a mix of loose shale and thick gorse. As we dropt down the path became less distinct and more treacherous. In the end ignorance and uncertainty got the better of us and we decided to abandon this attempt and head for Hippa Rock instead which according to the guidebook was a straight forward scramble down the point.

Wrong!!! After eventually finding an indistinct path we came to a steep gulley full of loose manky rubble and looking like it was ready to fall down the same chute of a recent landslip. Every step was one of uncertainty and dread for me. I hate loose shit and this really was shit. From then on it was just one more pile of teetering rubble after another.

The climbs though were worth it ( I think). Coitionary Tales is a diagonal crack climb of top quality. Some very thoughtful moves greet the climber and it has a sting in the tale with the crux occurring in the final moves. I loved it.

Dave’s VS was no pushover either. The main body is solid 4c but if you finish it directly the top moves are solid with a very sketchy move onto a smooth slab. 5a+ IMO or harder if you miss the hidden holds. A good lead by Dave who put in some air time as a reward for his efforts.

The tide eventually drove us away and into the jaws of the walk out which was equally as unenjoyable as the walk in. Still it was a beautiful evening and you can’t complain too much when you have great adventure and this was yet another one.

Climbing

Blood Brothers

May 9, 2014 dillwat Leave a comment

9th May 2014

Logan Rock

Lightning Crack – HVS 5a – Lead
The Wormhole – V Diff – Solo

God I hate the guide book comments on Logan Rock. For the most part the Climbers Club Guide is brilliant, but they had an aberation when it came to Logan Rock. Normally I pick up one route and from there everything falls into place. Not here. Everything is so vague you cant even pick one out.

Still after a little tantrum early on Pete and I set off on one of our ‘Adventures’! It was so much fun. Abbing in with the tide pushing and swell charging into Castle Boot Zawn. Hanging just above the surge made for an exctiting belay and the initial moves meant dropping down to sea level and quickly moving back up before a wave got you. Speed climbing.

Me posing at the belay in Castle Boot Zawn

We negotiated the initial moves setting up an improvised belay part way up the groove to avoid rope drag. It’s all a little off balance but great climbing. Then the main event. The pull up into Lightning crack through an overhang. Well protected but scary. And after a few good holds its all jamming. My footwork was appalling resulting in me getting stuck lying along with my right foot jammed. After some serious grunting and heavy breathing I managed to untie myself and get some poise back. Then its a balancy mantle onto the face and its all done. Simples… Except I left blood all over the place in my desperate attempt to untangle myself. Its amazing how adrenaline masks the pain of jamming in sharp crystaline cracks. I’m feeling it today though.

Meanwhile Dave was finding out about Logan Rocks serious issue with undergrading. The two HS cracks are probably VS and E1. The whole place is full of great potential but a lot of it is hard.

Dave wondering how an HS can be so hard!

The end of the day saw Tom and Dave working some of the hard routes on the short face in the main bay (Crack 1 and 2 area). Pete and I undertook some caving finding a bizarre route which worked its way from the bottom to the top via hollows between jammed boulders and narrow gulleys and chimneys. Probably not a new route but I call it ‘The Wormhole’ and grade it V Diff just because its so f@#!k#$g awkward and tight. Pete is coming along great guns and his confidence is soring. We both solo’d the whole route. Never high, but committing all the same. More fun than chasing cats!

The Logan Rock Inn provided a fitting end to an amazing day in a stunning breath taking location. How can you not feel happy when you have this on your doorstep.

Climbing

Tolkeins World

April 25, 2014 dillwat Leave a comment

25th April 2014

The Dewerstone

Central Groove – HS 4b – Alt lead
Silken Thread/Imperialist – HSV 5a – Lead

The Dewerstone is a long haul from Newquay but its worth it and on a day of repeats like these your time and money are well spent.

Central Groove is undeniably one of the best HS’s around and Dave got his chance to lead P1 which is just awesome. There were a few other climbers around on this day, but dont get me wrong, it wasnt busy. I still get a real feeling of being in place that was created from a novel like LOTR. Twisted trees, thick lichen, bird song and the sound of the river all add to the impression.

Climbing up through the canopy is always fun and sat on the belay ledge while Dave brought up Tom, I got the chance to just savour the whole experience. I dont think there is anywhere better to be in the world when you get days like this.

I knew Silken Thread/Imperialist would get my blood flowing. It feels bold to start and the entire first pitch seems off balance. Its a good route though and the second pitch exposed my lack of strength training this year. Time to beef up a bit me thinks.