Looking Glass War – E1 5b – Second Luke Lively – VS 5a – Lead Lord Lucan – E2 6a – Second
Of course when ever you approach a crag that is recognised for its sharp thorny things, razor wire grass and nettles you should ensure you don’t cover your legs. In this way you get the maximum amount of pain for your money!
Amazing flower display
In actual fact the walk in to Boscawen is lovely, although coming back out again after a days climbing can feel beyond the cause. Unfortunately it is still just a bit cold for a swim so I had to content myself with three excellent climbs. Not a bad trade.
Upper reaches of Looking Glass war
In keeping with my route back to climbing form, these all gave me a challenge. Joe’s initial E1 was excellent, with a couple of tough moves. Joe is leading very well at the moment and despite some initial anxiety, he cruised through in the end. I wont say I cruised, but I felt OK throughout which was re-assuring.
Stunning Granite
My lead on the day was the fantastic ‘Luke Lively’. A VS which from the ground doesn’t look too bad, but involves some committing crack climbing and lay-backing. Well protected though. Its getting established in the upper crack that is the tough move and of course the undignified exit on slopers and grass.
Stylin on Lord Lukan
Sometimes when you repeat a climb your mind plays games, as does your memory. Joes final lead was a climb he thought he knew the moves on. My own experience has taught me that this is often distorted and sometimes you are better off just putting your pre conceived ideas aside and just reading what you see. In the end Joe managed the very technical and balanced moves, but maybe there’s a lesson learned in thinking you can just repeat everything stored in your memory. Mine particularly isn’t that reliable :-).
And back out through the prickles. Does my fun never end š
Prickly walk in
Looking back towards St Loy which is over the ridge.
Loose Women – E1 5b – Alt Lead (dgd) Right of Spring – VS 4c – Lead Notre Dame – VS 4b – Second
So here was the big day. Sacre Coeur here I come. Or maybe not… As a believer in ‘climb it when you feel it’, this proved not to be the day for pushing my grades. My general nerves seemed to tidy up a bit, thanks to some generous encouragement from Nick, but I never quite got into gear this time.
Blackchurch Main Cliff
It didnt detract from an amazing adventure on Loose women though. What a climb. From the bottom it gives you a distinct feeling of ‘this will be quite out there!’ and it didnt fail to deliver. Nick led the bottom jamming pitch which is worth three stars in its own right. I got the harder and quite out there second pitch, but it is all there. Lots of pro, the holds you need and incredible airy climbing.
Looking up Loose Women P1
I think I talked myself out of cleaning this pitch, but once I worked it out, it went fairly straight forwardly. Its the exposure though that gets you. High above Blackchurch rock the views are breathtaking. It seemsĀ that the whole area has a bit of a Jurassic Park feel to it, with a stunning waterfall cascading onto the beach and jagged promontories everywhere.
Part way up Loose Women P1
Nick had the pleasure of the final pitch (if you could call it that). More like climbing a compost heap. Loose rock, grass, gorse for pro and a final ledge that was more likely to fall on you and kill you than be useful as a hold. I think Nick enjoyed it in a perverse way. It was definitely better on a second where you could admire the variety of plants and the interesting rock colours as they fell into the sea :-).
We moved over to the rock island for a lunch of proper cheese sarni’s and muffins, before Nick cunningly manouvered me into climbing Right of Spring. To be honest I wanted to have a go at it, although half way up with my muscles aching and a distinct lack of big gear remaining I wasnt thinking that way. The opening moves were very interesting. A move straight off the base would have resulted in grating a few layers of skin off and seeing as you couldnt see the rock for the molluscs, I came in from the right where an easy set of moves gets you above the nasty stuff. Placing the cam into the crack was tricky as my arms were 2 inches too short until I managed to move partway around.
Far too relaxed.
Then it was off on a bridging fest, intermittently dispersed with laybacks and a few jams. I found it strenuous, but my chimney/corner climbing is probably not what it should be. But i have to say its a good route, full of character and with some excellent moves. A bailed left on the finla moves as the rock had the beautiful yellow moss on it. Great to look at, but not so great for friction. Nick of course made it look effortless the g#t. And he couldnt help posing for a profile picture either.
Our neat little campsite
Of course it wouldnt be a day out with Nick if we didnt race the tide for at least a while. His accelerated ascent of Notre Dame went on as the tide washed over the normal belay ledge (I had climbed up onto the ridge which was eminently sensible). Finding gear on the underside of the climb was interesting, but it was run out in places and had a distinct airy feel to it. The final crack is poorĀ though, full of veggies and not pleasant. It is great for the exposure but not the best the area has to offer.
The day was capped off by a swim around the rock, both ways for Nick, which revitalised an aching body for fairly long uphill walk out. We didnt see the Turkey’s (I think thats what they were) on the way out. Coming in there had been a large flock of them who had mindlessly kept running away from us instead of getting off the track. I think I might return to this area for the walking. Beautiful woodland, stunning coastal views and a slightly remote feeling make this a must visit area.
Thane – E1 5b – Lead Gneiss Gnome – HS 4b – Second The Stormbringer – E3 5c – TR (dnf)
I love Carn Kenidjack! It’s official. Probably the crag of my best leads and always a ground breaker when it comes to grades.
Cape Cornwall
So Thane isnt any higher in the grade than any other E1… but sometimes it is reputation that counts and Thane, thought to be easier than Rock Dancer by many, is less attempted. Why?? Cos its f#*king scary that’s why.
Working hard in the upper groove
There are two sequences on the climb, one fairly low down and then another once established in the upper groove. Both are above your gear and both are a bit iffy for your head. It makes for a really interesting battle between your head and your feet. Head says ‘Go!’, feet say ‘Nope.. I’m going to stay right here where its safe’.
Me on the upper groove
In the end, after my usual deliberations I went for both moves and both were OK,Ā although my advice to others would be to keep going once you commit, because there are a number of moves before you reach more gear.
So sat here in the safety of my home I can say that Thane was an incredible climb, full of character and with some great moves. At the time of climbing I might have given a different opinion, but it is a big tick for me as it has long been on my list of ‘wanna’s’
Looking up Thane
Of course it wouldnt be fair for me to hog all the epics so Dave had his own version on Gneiss Gnome, discovering that the lower slab is particularly run out for a Hard Severe. Fortunately Tom did leave something for Dave to climb after his attempt to destroy the cliff when having a go on Seiging the Castle a long lost E4 5c which tackles the crack in the face to the left. Ripping breeze blokes off the cliff is just not cricket.
Line of Gneiss Gnome
Joe was as usual smashing his way through ridiculously difficult routes. I let him persuade me into attempting an E3 5c on the top rope. Having seem Joe on the crux, I knew it would be difficult, but my general power let me down on what was a really good route. Just need that explosive burst and I might have made it. Note to muscles ‘must get stronger’.
Joe checking out The Stormbringer
And so ended another epic day on the crag. I am absolutely bursting to get out again now. Thane has instilled a bit of confidence in the system. It was needed.
Needle Direct – VS 4b – Lead
Seabreeze – HS 4a – Second
Tourist Trap – E1 5b – Lead (dnf) T/R
Neither Nick or I have any concept of how long it actually takes to get to the Culm. We were both 45 minutes late and arrived within a few minutes of each other. Doh! Ā Obviously tuned in on the same wavelength.
The view over towards Screda Point
The drive up to Hartland is lovely and the lanes leading through the village and out to the quay were decked in purple rhododendronĀ and vivid green trees showing their new leaves. Quite spectacular. Of course you then drop down to the quay itself which has its own splendor, this time with stark rock outcrops and prehistoric jagged runnals heading out to the sea.
The detached slab of Fohn
Screda Point sits to the South and is only a short walk away. We decided to ab in so that our gear wasnt at the bottom (a good decision that one) and head straight out to the outer fin where an HS and VS lurked. Both turned out to be great routes. The Needle Direct was a well protected and tricky route up the centre of a slab. Fantastic climbing with a real out there feel because of the isolation of the fin. Nick’s HS also had a character of its own. Following the arete and then breaking out onto the slab it was a cool peer for the VS.
Casting a shadow on the great moves of Needle Direct
The tide was chasing all the way though and we left as the waves started surging up the runnals toward the main face. Just enough time for me to bag an E1 in order to get to the grassy saddle… or not???
Nick celebrating after Seabreeze
The start of the E1 was fine but I soon found myself high up with just a micro and a difficult move. The combination was enough to stop me in my tracks and with the water lapping at Nicks feet we opted for a me to downclimb and both of us to shimmy up the ab rope on prussics. So it was a lower off to fetch the gear and then a climb out.
The prussic out.
Of course I couldnt help but try to impress Nick with my magic tricks. David Blane makes planes disappear into nothingness. I make quickdraws and runners disappear into the sea in a blink of an eye. Impressive huh? The trick is to switch off your brain, use a bit of thuggery on a stuck nut and not bother attaching it to your rope. That way it cartwheels into the ocean and its possible to just stand there and look really stupid…
The fairly blank top wall
When will I learn. So with Nick safely up the route as well, we called it a day fairly early and so ended a brilliant session and a good return to ‘business as usual’ for me and Nick. Lets hope for loads more days like that in the near future.
The view over towards Screda Point
Steep on Seabreeze
Seabreeze. The initial arete
Casting a shadow on the great moves of Needle Direct
Nick setting off on Needle Direct
The detached slab of Fohn
The fairly blank top wall
Nick starting up Tourist trap just above the tide mark
Un-Named – HVS 5a – Lead
Mach 3 – HVS 5a – Lead
Ink and Ointment – E1 – Second
The upper buttress is a brilliant evening location. Fairly easy to walk into, non tidal and relatively close to Newquay (relatively…).
The rock though is not the best and the climbs are fairly short. That said, this particular venture was perfect and we successfully got three good climbs in.
What I would say is that the climbs as a whole are over-graded. Take one technical grade off for a more realistic indication. The severity part is probably not too far off on Un-Named because of the poor rock quality, but again for the other two, they are well protected so maybe one grade lower here too.
That said, they are still worthwhile climbs. Un-Named heads up the crack and face of the main slab and although not hard, is insecure and requires care. Both the others are one move wonders, but they are good moves that require a bit of thought. Tom’s E1 was tricky to start and probably the most technical of the three, but again, once through the hard part it finished quickly. Mach 3 actually looks harder than it is. Get your body shape right and its a breeze…
I’ve nearly climbed this venue out in two visits. There are still three more routes to grab, so no doubt this will be another visit when the tides are all wrong.
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.
Before the Dream
With the amazing spell of weather continuing, conditions were at their best. As Dave, Joe, Tom Ā 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 š
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!
American Dream E1 5b in all its glory
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.
After the dream!
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.
Pinch the crystal
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.
Still reading
Now we’ve just got to wait for next week and the crap weather they’ve forecast.
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.
Always beautiful Chair Ladder
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.
Joe contemplates Excelsior
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 prooveĀ 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.
Me moving into the corner
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.
Joe on the tricky final pitch
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!
Dots. And yes the tops pink
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.
Tom and Dave having fun
Always beautiful Chair Ladder
The scramble off the Western Buttress.
Dots. And yes the tops pink
Joe on the tricky final pitch
The famous corner.. which I didnt know about!!
Me moving into the corner
Sharing the climb with the gulls and diamons in the sea.
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.
View north from Oldwall
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.
The fin of Oldwalls Point
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.
Pete, post abseil
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.
Joe on More than a Match
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.
The treacherous escape
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!!!
The fin of Oldwalls Point
Rodeo
Tom getting personal with MTAM
Chris about to find out the Pancake isnt any easier
Chris starts off
Joe on More than a Match
The pancake
A rest of sorts but your feet are screaming by now!
Waltzing Matilda – HVS 5b – Alt Lead (Dogged) Mandalay –Ā 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. š
Ab
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.
Me on P2 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!!
Nick, P2 of Waltzing Matilda
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.
Nick on P2 Anzac Day
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.
Joe on Imphal
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.
Joe on Imphal
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!
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”.
View back across Carn Barra
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.
Dave on Weasle
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.
The traverse into the Southern Area
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…
Top moves of Sea Fox
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 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.
Approaching the moving belay of Rapido
Dave on Rapido
Rapido – Follows the right hand arete
Top moves of Sea Fox
Dave after the first corner of Sea Fox
View to Fox Promontory
The traverse into the Southern Area
Dave on Weasle
View back across Carn Barra
Why it never rains on a Friday!
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