Tag Archives: 5b

Exploding Antipodian

May 27, 2016 dillwat Leave a comment

27th May 2016

Coastguard Cliffs – The Lizard

Aboriginal Sin – E3 – Second
Casablanca – E2 – Alt Lead
Rendezous Manque – V Diff – Lead

Sometimes you have a vision of how a climb will be. I imagine myself climbing it and invent the holds, hoping they will be as good in real life. On a beautiful sunny day, Joe and I stood below Aboriginal Sin and I considered whether I was in good enough form to actually get up it.

The guidebook describes a series of juggy flakes leading to ‘the fang’ that sticks up at the end of the steeply rising and overhanging crack. Easy then! Get on it and move quickly until you can get hold of the juggy fang.

After creating a bomber nest of gear Joe launched out for the fang and as I watched him fight with the crack and eventually grab the fang, I realised that this was going to be really tough. Of course it’s not over at this point and Joe had another sequence to negotiate before it was my turn.

Now in my mind the holds were going to be positive flakes and the main problem pure grunt. No, the main problem is that the jugs are actually rounded and not positive and so my first attempt ended in some air time. The second time I was lucky that Joe kept me on a tight rope as I used my last reserves to gratefully hug the fang, gasping for air and with my poor arms blown. Of course the exploding hold which literally dissolved in my hand didn’t inspire confidence and nearly shrugged me off again. Still, I got up it in the end and what a great feeling. Brilliant lead by Joe, who is going from strength to strength.

We joined Tom and Dave who were having there own route fest, baggy some of the class VS and HVS of the main cligg. These really are good climbs, if a bit bold at times.

Happy, Happy Joe :-) — Happy, Happy Joe 🙂

My initial suggestion of a VS traverse turned into a two pitch E2 after both me and Joe liked the look of Casablanca. I led the opening 5a pitch which was great fun. Not difficult, but nervy as the gear comes late. Joes lead of the top crack was another stirling effort. My try ended up with me jammed in the crack facing the wrong way. It was only when I extricated myself and faced the right way that the finishing moves became possible. Still a really good route and maybe I’ll try the top crack on the lead next time if I’m feeling brave.

Joe and I finished up a V Diff chimney (great…?) with a laughable belay on boulders that were more likely to kill you than save you. And so at the end of a hot, sunny and memorable day it was icecreams/drinks and a contented drive home.

Uhmm. Are you an ‘inny’ or an ‘outy’

Climbing

Time to go back to Skool

April 7, 2016 dillwat Leave a comment

7th April 2016

Trewarvas

Joy Direct – VS 4c – Lead
William’s Chiney – HVS 5b – Lead

Your laces should not really be an issue in climbing, unless you lose the ability to tie them. This seemed to be the case on Williams Chimney with both of mine coming undone. The Virgo in me then kicked in and I couldnt get settled until I’d re-tied them. What a faff. Back to school then where I can learn to double knot them.

Shoes aside it was a great afternoon. First time back at Trewavas for a while and two good climbs bagged.

Joy Direct is a climb I mistakenly thought I had already done. I have done Joy and I have done a variation which breaks left, but not the correct route. So this was a good one to pick. Except that it was a lot more difficult than I thought from the bottom. Gear is good, but you place it on power. The route is slight akilter, so you’re never really comfortable. And it sprobably not the best warm up as your straight into it. Still good fun, although Dave had a traumatic time trying to remove a nut stuchk on the crux. His arm’ ees were soon sorted out and I think it took the rest of the session for him to recover.

Dave approaching the chimney on Williams Chimney

Williams chimney I knew would be reasonably tough, but I didnt realise how good it was. A bit of everything- thin groove and face climbing, crimpy pulls and a narrow chimney. For me the crux was lower down negotiating the groove. For Dave it was the move into the chimney where my height probably gave me the advantage. Only just 5b and definitely more HVS than E1 which some have suggested. That said it is top of its grade.

Still a really satisfying climb and a good bit of progression in what has been a poor year so far for climbing. I now need to return and do South Groove and West Wing. A definite for my next trip there.

Climbing

Crispy

October 3, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

2nd October 2015

Zawn Kellys
American Dream – E1 5b – Lead

Carn Les Boel
Camelot – E3 5c – TR

Sometimes you get the bit between your teeth. This year has not been my most outstanding in climbing terms. I’ve been up and down, so why I felt the need to go for a tough E1 I dont know but I did and in hindsight I’m glad I did.

With the amazing spell of weather continuing, conditions were at their best. As Dave, Joe, Tom and I walked in the Penwith coastline did its best to draw your breath away. The sea textured like marble, azure skys and a coastline set in stark relief by the low sun.

Dave making me safe :-) — Dave making me safe 🙂

I’ve never climbed Zawn Kells so it took a while to work out the ab point. This established Dave and I dropped in just as the tide cleared the boulders at the base of AD. The wave polished rocks need to be treated with care, but the view up the line of the route takes your mind off these. Its very impressive. And it looks bloody hard! And it was!

The opening moves give you an idea of what is coming. Balncey mantleshelf followed by some fierce steep moves up to the first ‘rest’ point. From then on its a series of high quality moves on amazing rock. Two overhangs need to be overcome (both need some thought and commitment) before you arrive at the overhanging crack. This is strenuous but technically easier than I expected, although by this point I was running out of gas so it was chuch a couple fo camms in and keep moving. And suddenly everything gets less steep and your there.

Dave made a valiant effort but too many stuck cams did for him in the end and the base of the crack shrugged him off. However he did get to climb the crack three times in order to get them out – lucky git…

I was soooo pleased to get this. On a number of occasions I got that overwhelming feeling of ‘f@~k it. Just slump in your gear and have a rest. But I found myself consolidating after each mini crisis and moving on. Just brilliant and one of the best single pitches I’ve done in Cornwall.

We all met up after this and despite Dave and I lingering around chatting about our adventure, we headed off for Carn Les Boels and a look at Excalibur. As it happened we left this for another day and Joe set up a top rope so that we could have a go at Camelot an E3 5c no less. It was a strange but enjoable climb. Crispy is how I’d describe some of it. A great flake move on the bulge which looked like it might disintergrate at any moment leads to some nice moves on the upper face. A fitting end to a great day.

Now we’ve just got to wait for next week and the crap weather they’ve forecast.

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

25% Pink??

July 17, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

17th July 2015

Oldwalls Point

Matchless – E1 5b – Lead

According to my DNA listing I am roughly 5% Irish, 2% Iberian, 2% North African, 46% Western European, 20% Anglo Saxon and 25% Viking or Pink as the boys put it. I prefer the analogy with hairy arsed, ax wielding, pillaging fellas from up north personally.

Mind you, being part viking would help on a day like this, where the walk in was equally as terrifying as the climb. Teetering pile of choss is a good description for the area around Oldwalls Point. Looking at the huge fin of rock I wonder how long it can survive. I’m glad I got on it now.

After a sketchy traverse onto the ridge above the wall/slab you are faced with an abseil down a grassy gully and down to the beach. Pete, using his particular branch of warped logic felt that extending the gully out onto the wall might create a fun situation. It duly obliged, launching him into an arc across the face resulting in ‘resistable force meets very immoveable object’. Hence Pete spent the rest of the day bleeding over the beach and anything else that came close to him.

Chris and I set up for matchless, which was … well ‘matchless’. Its quite unique in the climbs I’ve done, with a full on wall experience which makes mincemeat of your toes. The crux is fairly low down ( I always hate that) with a series of difficult moves past a rusting old peg. The committing part is starting off past the peg. Tiny holds and smeary foot placements get you into slightly better territory, but not enough to set and place gear, so I had to push on a ways until a nice thank god hold appears allowing for everything to calm down.

A rest of sorts but your feet are screaming by now!

From there it just keeps coming at you, consistently good climbing with pretty good gear up to the pancake. The next dilema is ‘push on through the veritable forest’ or take the clean unprotected arete. I took the arete which is fairly easy but needs to be treated with real care.

Chris about to find out the Pancake isnt any easier

All in all, a fantastic route which Chris smiled his way up, with a few cheek puffing moments. I think this one suits both our techniques which is why we were so chuffed with the route.

Meanwhile Joe was fighting his way up More than a match, the E3 next to Matchless. It looks to be in a similar vein except for some grunty moves at the bottom. It does have a 5c move so one to consider for the future maybe. Thats if I can be pursuaded to clamber back across the nightmare that is the walk in and out.

Pete, Chris and I exited off the beach, saving the most dubious climbing until the end with Chris nearly getting stuch in a pile of shale and Pete threading his way up through a boulder field and remarking on how one particular boulder the size of a Mini was loose. It happeded to be right above me and thankfully he treated it with kid gloves.

Now the most scary part. Explaining Pete’s injuries to Melis!!!

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

Little guns….. “Meet the Beak”

March 20, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

21st March 2015

Porth Loe Buttress

The Beak – E1 5b – Lead (dnf)
Times Remembered – HS 4b – Lead

This was well and truly the first proper day of spring. Equinox, Eclipse, New Moon. And mega sunshine.

The conditions transpired to make Porth Loe Buttress appear to be the best venue in Cornwall. There is a stunning backdrop across towards Carn Guthenbras, the sea was an amazing blue and the granite immaculate. Add good friends and it was just perfect.

We’d never been here before and yet we’ve walked past it loads. Probably because of the more major attractions of Fox Prom and Carn Bara. The descent is down a narrow steep grassy gully with a cool gearing up ledge. The final section is climbable, but more relaxed on a short abb. The platform at the bottom provides a spectacular location with a few really good clims.

Dave and Chris set off on Eileen and multi pitch severe on the left looking towards the cliff. A bit damp, it nevertheless looked very good and challenging. High in the grade I think.

Tom, Joe and I set up for The Beak which I was lucky (unlucky maybe) enough to get to lead both pitches. The first is some tricky manouvering into a great crack. Layback and commit and you’re OK. The top pitch is mental thuggery. A hard groove leads to a massive overhang Both I and Joe looked at the actul beak, but this seemed really unlikely at 5b, and the description of ‘well protected’ in the guide is a loose one. Yes there is gear in the bottom face of the o/h but once up into the beak there is nothing and you’d take a pretty good lob.

I found a flake just left of the beak which seemed more positive and protectable. Good job really because after 15 determined attempts I fell off. Thankfully Tom caught me but it was still freaky and lead to the loss of much skin. I just couldnt do it… not quite strong enough, but very close. I was within a whisker of making it.

Tom suffered from the same problem as me, but Mr Muscles Joe cranked through it remarking that he’d wished he’d ‘warmed up a bit’.

Times Remembered is great. The top giant flakes are hard to unlock and pro is sparce, but the climbing is engrossing. More importantly the view across to the couple of idiots on the Eastern Buttress provided grand entertainment. There was a reason the big rock at the base of the climb was wet… it’s called the sea and Chris very nearly became intimate with it on this day. We were having bets on how long they’d last, but to be fare it did look very exciting. Adds a new spice to the climb when there is the chance you could be doing it underwater.

So what a day. One of those that will stick for a while and one that just makes you want more and more.

To good friends……

Climbing

Now we’re friends

March 7, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

7th March 2015

Trewortha Tor

Just Good Friends – HVS 5b – Lead

I soooo wanted to lead ‘Just Good Friends’ but after a quick top rope practice and still struggling mentally to make the move onto the flake it looked no closer.

The problem for meis that its a good 12 ft up and if you blow the move its an awkward fall (onto mats admittedly) which is likely to do my knee in. There is no pro to be had at the flake, at least none you’d want to trust.

After deciding I would never lead it, much to Dave and Tom’s amusement, I realised I could with a bit of leverage off the flake get a cam into the break. That was it then. Straight onto the lead and finished on the E1 now HVS finish.

I dont undertsand this actually. The hardest move is the lower one which gets 5a and yet the top finish is HVS 5b, with a well protected and reasonable move. I think the lower move is 5b and both variations could be given HVS 5b.

We mozied over to the next buttress, but by then conditions were cold and windy and the sun was gone. Tom though managed to clean a 6a boulder problem. Very awkward and requiring lots of power and commitment. Good on him.

I think Trewortha is going to be a regular evening haunt for us during the summer. Lots more to do and loads of bouldering to fail on…

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

Failure Friday

February 19, 2015 dillwat Leave a comment

19th Feb 2015

Carn Boel (Upper)

The Drum – HVS 5b – Lead (dnf) then TR
Grindeer – E2 5B – TR
Drifters – E1 5c – Retrieve gear (and some sneaky practicing)

We made this day a real cack handed ordeal. One we should have driven to Lands End and not walked all the way from Porthgwarra and two, we should have recognised a series of sandbags when we arrived!

It was though a terrific day, with lots of hard climbing and some really challenging routes. I started the day trying to lead The Drum. An excellent HVS running up a crack line on the left of the main face. From the ground it looks innocuous and well protected. It’s neither.

I havnt felt so pumped for ages. A proper test of my ability to keep hanging on. Placing gear was strenuous, climbing was strenuous, staying still was strenuous (you get the idea). I felt like Popeye by time I eventually succumbed and slumped into my gear. It was all a matter of mental state.

By time I reached the crux I was pumped and couldnt find any gear. I knew in my mind that once I committed there was no going back and it looked poor for gear. This was actually an accurate forecast as it was. For HVS it is remarkably bold. I think it would be E1 in most peoples books. Definitely 5b though.

So all pumped up I tried again on the top rope and this time went straight through. Of course without having to place gear. One I will try again maybe later in the season.

Meanwhile Joe was having his own epic on Drifters. Another one where gear is hard to come by and the climbing suprisingly dificult. It did for Joe on this occasion (unusually), but I expect he will be back shortly to tame it.

We all (Tom, Dave, Joe and I) had a go on the E2, which actually proved to be OK. Tough again with some amazing moves into the vertical crack, but manageable.

This spot is great for a winters days climbing. Above the sea, sheltered with great views. We were lucky to get this on this day as the weather came in with a vengance on the walk back.

Shame Dave and Tom chose to take the long walk to the car. Pay attention!!!!