Tag Archives: E1

Climbing

Wolves in sheeps clothing

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Pentire point
Redwall Cliffs

28th March 2013

Warrior Mouse – HVS/E1 5a – Lead
Cradle of Filth – HVS 5a – Second

OK. Leaving you climbing shoes behind three times is beyond a joke. I need a new system whereby I keep my shoes with my bag instead of in the shed where they so often seem to be when I need them?

Fortunately Tom came to my rescue, sharing his red chillis with me which did me fine for two difficult routes. Redwall Cliffs are to be found at the end of the path from Pentire Farm, so access is straight forward; just walk past the bench and head towards the sea. Watch out for the outlandishly large sheeps poo which Chris assured us came from the famous Pentire wolves……… Whatever it was, Tom shouldnt have stepped in it.

View to the Rumps

As with a lot of the Atlantic Coast routes, the rock is not as solid as Penwith granite.  In fact around this cliff there is a lot of looseness. Tom detaching a grapefruit sized lump of rock from the cliff did not instill confidence. But Warrior Mouse is a great looking line leading up a steep groove and then out onto a steep face.

After my usual faffing moments where I started…stopped..started…etc I got stuck into the bottom chimney/groove. It is very steep which makes it tough to place gear, but once I had placed a key nut my confidence leapt and and the rest of the climb came together nicely. There is an atmospheric traverse followed by some excellent face climbing where the rock deteriorated with altitude.

Gearing up on Cradle of Filth

Creating belays is troublesome as there are no anchors directly behind the crag. On WM you can anchor to a side bluff, but for Chris he ended up using a concrete water trough some 55 metres back connected by Tom’s 10mm rope (just a little stretch in the mechanism).

Concentration

Chris chose another HVS further across on the main cliff. Cradle of Filth is aptly named due to a muddy step early on in the climb. But after this it is anything but dirty. The meat of the climb starts when you reach the headwall. This is also where the crux is. The move up from the ledge is precarious and technical. Once you work the sequence out it is OK but you have to rely on some less than positive holds initially.

The loose top out

There’s also another exciting finish to the climb with loose rock abounding. Having said all of this, Redwall Cliifs turned out to be a good venue. The views across to the Rumps and Pentire Point are startling and on this day the sea was calm and clear.

View to Pentire Point

 

Climbing

One demon down. Another one added…..

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8th September 2012

Pordenack Point / Carn Boel

Friends – VS 5a – Lead
Immaculate Groove – E1 5b – Second

A really foggy morning greeted us from our tents at Treen. Treen has a great campsite and was a good choice of venue for the BMC meet. Shame then that most of the BMC was at Treverven Farm campsite on the other side of the valley! It appears Treen hadnt been warned so we ended up on the wrong site.

Even with an inauspicious start the day turned out to be a cracker. The previous evening in the Logan Rock I’d arranged with Nick to meet at Pordenack which would give me a chance to have another go at Friends, the VS that had bested me previously.

Hot. The weather that is... not me!

With everything heating up nicely Tony and Joe set up for the tricky Nothing Much. I set off hoping that things would be easier second time around. They werent. But Friends is such a good climb. Once you are past the overhang the pressure is on to get through it. There are no good rests so by time I reached the atmospheric top out I was fairly pumped, but well chuffed to have made it clean this time.

Tony on the final section of Nothing Much

For Tony, it was straight in at the deep end on Nothing Much but he made a good fist of it, making it clean and getting Joe’s pro out, including the bit he fell on doing the difficult traverse. I think after three HVS’s in a row Joe was pretty knackered.

Me and Nick after some strenuous climbing on Immaculate Groove

Nick had his eye on an E1 on the point across the bay called Carn Boel. Immaculate Groove turned out to be just that. A brilliant technical slab leads to a brutal overhang which needs to be dealt with through jamming. Nick made the slab look straight forward, but found the crack tough on the overhang. Fair play though, he made it even if it cost a little blood. I didnt fair so well, slipping on the slab and then just running out of energy and strength when I needed it most.

So a fair trade. One nemisis conquered in Friends and another created in Immaculate Groove. I will return…

The upper section of Carn Boel, called Terrace Cliff has some meandering routes. From the bottom they look poor, but actually they offer good climbing. I’ve done Kari before which turned out to be a tough V Diff. Tom led Bitter End, another challenging climb which goes up through the heart of the cliff.

Pordenack Point from Carn Boel

And so ended another great weekend. Lots of good routes and good company.

 

Climbing

On a yellow rope and a prayer

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22nd August 2012

Carn Barra

Socket Wall – Severe 4b – Lead
Crack in the Sky – E1 5b – Lead
Exodus – VS 5a – Lead

Carn Barra was our second choice of venue, from the ‘cant make a decision crew’ in the van (Tom, Dave, Chris and Pete) but as it turned out it was the right one. With a quickly dropping tide and a small swell the main platform of CB was dry and we had access to some classic routes.

Socket Wall

Socket Wall was dry and we paired up to tackle two quite tough routes, Socket Wall and Cumbelloe. Both have physical starts and although the pro is decent neither are pushovers at the grade. They turned out to be good warm up routes for what was to come.

Chris moving up Cumbeloe HS 4b

The main event for me was an attempt at Crack in the Sky. I’d been meaning to have a go at another E1 and this was a route I’d had my eye on for some time. A difficult corner leads to a ledge and then comes the strenuous stuff. At first you cant see the holds, but once you’ve committed up onto the face the holds are there.

Pete finds the wobbly chock stone
Thank god for arm bars!

When you reach the crack the jamming starts. Arm bars and fist jams help and there are some hidden edges in the crack but ultimately it is a power struggle and you need to keep going and use your feet as much as possible. I just made it with nothing left in the tank and a real sick feeling from the adrenaline rush. Amazing! One of the best climbs I’ve ever done just because of the effort it took to get to the top. Pete, after a little hesitation got stuck into CITS. The look on his face and Chris’s for that matter rivalled my own when they topped out. That top crack is great, matched equally by their smiles.

Pete fighting with the upper crack on Crack in the Sky

Meanwhile Dave and Tom were knocking off a few routes of their own. Peel Crack and Sleazy Corner to be precise. Two good V Diffs, especially Peel Crack which is atmospheric in its upper section. Both of them are growing in confidence each trip out.

Dave and Tom on Sleazy Corner a hard Difficult or V Diff in other words

 

A well earned lunch left just enough time for a quick assault on Axis and Exodus two VS’s on the higher Eastern platform. I went for Exodus which takes a line similar to Axis but branches off rightwards along a horizontal break. The traverse is great fun but there is a really tricky move up into the steep niche/crack and then another to reach the steeper ground. But its a really good climb as long as you avoid the rope drag and keep in touch with your belayer. Tom did a good job listening out for my jittery shouts, especially when my left hand cramped up due to a distinct lack of salt in my system.

Tom belaying on the Axis ledge

This whole event was capped off when Dave came up on his own because of time. Tom shimmied up Axis and Dave kept asking me to take in on blue. Typical of Sea cliffs, comms are not easy with the roar of the sea and wind. This would explain Daves suprise when I gleefully informed him that he was only on Yellow so what was the point of taking in Blue. Fortunately Dave had tied in on yellow and was past the unprotected traverse by then (all the pro was on blue). He would’nt have decked, but the swing would have been a long one!

God I love climbing.

Climbing

A right good spanking

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1st June 2012

St Loy

Ivy Incorporated – V Diff – Second
Harmony – HVS 5b – Lead (dnf)
Monochrome Men – E1 5b – Second
Supercruise – HVS 4c – Lead

I returned to St Loy for one specific reason on this day and as with my attempt before with Joe, Harmony gave me a good seeing to.

Once again things just did not flow on this HVS. I thought I new what I was going to do, but its easy to forget how akward the climb is and how pumpy it is too. Add to this my sweaty hands and I had a recipe for disaster which I duly served up to myself.

Ian making it look like a straight forward step up. IT ISN'T!

I have resolved now to return on a cool evening and remember the lessons I have learnt so far.

  • Dont place pro on the high crucial hold on the first niche. Otherwise you just make it even harder.
  • Wait until my hands are not as sweaty so I can get the jam working on the second niche.
  • Do this climb at the end of a session, otherwise the bitter taste of defeat stays with you.
Ian about to get his second spanking of the day on Harmony
At least this time I didnt spit my dummy out…..just.
Otherwise this was a great session, mixed with Chris adding to his E1 tally and Dave tackling a stiff V Diff. And we had the company of Dolphins, which always brings a smile to your face.
Dave kicking things off on Ivy Incorporated

 

Ivy Incorporated is not a straight forward V Diff. The bottom section is steep and unusually for a climb of this grade you place gear in a not very relaxed position.
Dave looking after Ian on Ivy Incorporated
But it is a fine climb, leading to a high top out above the main face. Dave managed to find the biggest pro placement I’ve ever seen looping a sling around a three ton boulder. Its what you might call ‘bomber’.
Chris moving onto the face on Monochrome Men
Chris had great fun on Monochrome Men, a demanding E1 but well protected. It really should get four stars it’s that good. As some passing climbers said, if MM was up country there would be people on it all day and I could see why. A committing swing on to the face leads to good holds and pro.
Chris getting balanced before the final tenuous moves on Monochrome Men
But as you get higher the holds and foot placements start to get thin culminating in a desperate move for the thank god holds at the top. Just brilliant.
Dave about to encounter the difficult stuff on Monochrome Men
My final climb of the day was Supercruise, a soft HVS given 4c, but really more 4b in my opinion. I think it gets the HVS for the bold moves high up where you leave your pro a way behind.
Cruising on Supercruise
Having said that, its a good climb, if a little taxing on the toes. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is a good candidate for a warm up if your going to tackle the other more demanding E numbers at St Loy.
And with that we walked out a lot quieter than we had arrived. Exhausted but happy.
…. as Larry
Climbing

Old Guns!

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29th May 2012

Carn Gowla – Triple Buttress

Rainbow Games – TR
Four for Texas – TR

I thought that with the dry conditions of recent weeks an inaugeral trip to Carn Gowla for our little group was in order. It turned out to be a good call with perfect conditions.

The perfect Evening

To keep up the momentum of recent weeks, we set up for some top roping. Time to just climb hard and enjoy it without the hard work and mental stress of leading. Mind you, Carn Gowla is intimidating in its own right and coming face to face with the overhanging Buttress C sobered everyone up quickly.

Chris tackling the tricky start on Rainbow Games

By the end of the session though everyone had got some good strenuous routes done and given the jump in grade it was a good effort. Both climbs are slightly overhanging and both have tricky starts.

Dave low down on Rainbow Games

But once going the climbing is strenuous but fun. The hardest part is setting up the belay on rock your never quite sure about.

Ian on FFT

Having climbed Rainbow Games for the second time and intend to go back shortly and lead it. It suites my style of climbing perfectly, and whilst not being an onsite it would make a great first E2 lead.

Climbing

True Grip

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22nd May 2012

Roche Rock

Swink Chimney – VS 4c – Lead
Lord Falmouth – E1 5b – Lead

Our regular Tuesday evening focused on Roche Rock and a number of great climbs on the South and South West face.

Chris and Tom got stuck into Porkys, whilst Dave and I set about having a minor epic on Swink Chimney. Described as VS the bottom part of the pitch seems overly easy, with just a short strenuous pull into the initial crack. But the suprise is in the top section. From below this looks fairly innocuous, but up close it overhangs and isnt the easiest crack to get established in.

After a while of trying to figure out the easy way to do it, I decided there wasnt one and just launched up into it.  It remains strenuous, but the holds improve with height to an airy top out. Better than I thought it was going to be to be honest.

The end of the session was a suprise. Both Chris and I took on Lord Falmouth, the E1. To be fair it is given E1 because of the relativelt unprotected slab at the start. However there is a micro placement fairly high up and an agile belayer would ensure you didnt deck. The fantastically grippy Roche ‘rock’ came to our aid and Chris and I made short work of the slab. Most importantly this was Chris’ first E1 and a real landmark, so we all left on a high.

Climbing

Perfection all around us

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23rd March 2012
Pedn-men-an-mere (St Levan’s Wall)

Geriatrics – Severe 4a – Lead
Midnight Express – E1 5b – Lead

St Levan’s Church is tucked away in a valley near the Minack theatre. Idyllic is probably the best word to describe it, nestled in amoungst a small copse with probably one of the best beaches in Cornwall a few hundred metres away.

The view across to Porth Chapel Beach

There is an honesty box for the grass car park run by a friendly women attendant, who appeared as we were about to leave. Luckily we had ‘been honest’ as ours was the only van in the car park and it would have been fairly obvious if we had not been. The walk in brings you out on a headland  with an absolutely stunning view across Porth Chapel beach.

Getting down to the main face can be tricky but follow the most obvious path to the left of the lookout and it takes you down through boulders and grassy gulleys until you arrive above the Bemuda Wall area. A quick ab down and you’re faced with the two amazing crack lines of Midnight Express and Devils Meridian.

With Tom and Dave making up the trio, we set about Geriatrics, a Severe just above the lower rock pools. It’s a strange line with a tricky start. Wet rock (which it was because of the tide and good sized swell) always un-nerves me and this proved no exception. So the warm up route became an adventure in its own right, with poor rock quality and unreliable holds.

Ian on Geriatrics
Dave on Geriatrics

It did though get me focused on Midnight Express, a line I saw the previous time I was here, and which looks hard but magnetic. After a nervy start where micro’s are the only thing stopping you taking a splash in the rock pool below, the route goes through a series of delicate bridging moves. Unfortunately I spent too long trying to fiddle in pro just below the horizontal break which blew out my arms so I ended up sitting on my gear.

Ian on Midnight Express

I think its something I’ll have to work on. Being confident enough to push on when I need to and leave my gear a bit below me.

Midnight Express - Before the final ramp

Still, I was pleased with my climbing and I’ll return shortly to clean it. Tom and Dave both made it up which was impressive given that it was top end E1 and I reckon a tough 5b on the crux. Be warned though, there is a sting in the tail and on rock with the texture of weetabix.

We finished what was a fantastic day near the marconi slab on a climb originally attempted by Joe. It proved as hard on the repeat, but gave a good bit of climbing to finish on.

Dave on the 5b finale

I’ll be back shortly to do Midnight Express again and possibly have ago at Devils Meridian, although it too looks hard. But it wouldnt be fun if it wasnt!

 

 

Climbing

What a difference the sun makes.

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9th July 2011

Carn Gowla

Four for Texas – E1 5a – Second

Rainbow Games – E2 5b – Second

After three weeks away in Corsica where I worked my legs hard but not my arms, this was a short sharp reminder on how to climb.

Carn Gowla is renown as a scary location. High seacliffs, with shear drops toward the sea and a forbidding darkness make them feel threatening. However add a dash of sunshine like we had and the place feels a lot more amenable. Part of the scariness comes from the steeply sloping grassy cliff tops which appear to disappear at the cliff edge.

In reality the drop offs are not so bad. There are a number of platforms which you can use as gearing up ledges and we duly located one above the Triple Buttress area. An ab down saw us on a fairly substantial belay ledge, although with a rising tide and some swell it felt a bit exposed.

Nick had a couple of E grades in mind and from the gearing up ledge they looked brilliant. Once at the base they looked even better. Nick has been pushing his grades recently and it showed as he cruised up Rainbow Games, a very pumpy and sustained E2. The pro is pretty good and the holds excellent, but you are on power the whole time. I would have struggled leading just on the basis of sustained effort. The move off the ledge is no pushover either. At the end of the day though it was an amazing climb and I managed it cleanly which boosted my confidence no end.

Four for Texas is actually an easier climb, but the pro is not as good and more care is needed with the holds which are more brittle. It is still very good though and because of the juggy holds is a real pleasure to climb. If I had to choose to lead one it would be RG.

So ended a great return to climbing which has inspired me to want to go on and add to my lonely E1.

Climbing

Benchmark!

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19th April 2011

St Loy Cliff

Monochrome Men – E1 5b – Lead

The previous Saturday ahd reall been bugging me. I was hyped and ready to go for M Men, but the weather put paid to any chance then. Feeling slightly deflated I spent Sunday winding myself up to the point where on Monday morning I collared Pete and begged him to come and belay me.

St-Loy_Apr11-Pano

Given that Pete had a bad finger this was a little unfair but Pete with his usual generosity agreed immediately. And so I spent a nervous Tuesday Psyching myself up for the climb.

Whilst Pete spent the walk in gazing at the fantastic views I was very much pre occupied with working out how I was going to approach my first E grade lead. As it happened, events have a way of just taking control and in double quick time we were set up and ready to go. Monochrome Men did not disappoint. It’s an amazing climb. A tricky initial mantleshelf followed by a strenuous pull onto the face and then the best bit. Twin cracks leading up a fantastic open face. Lots of holds and pro right up to about 8ft from the top when suddenly I was faced with a very hard finish.

My recent use of hand jams came in ‘handy’ so to speak, enabling me to pull through to the thank god rim of the slab. I spent the next ten minutes thinking I was going to be sick. All that adrenaline had to go somewhere, but what a fantastic feeling. 

I’ve now achieved my aim in climbing for my 50th year on one of the best climbs I’ve evr been on. It cant be bad and many thanks to Pete for his time.

Climbing

The sunniest and warmest place in Britain….. or not

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16th April 2011
St Loy Cliff

Sabre Dance – E1 5c – Top Rope
Smear Fear – E2 5C – Top Rope

St Loy has a reputation of being one of the warmest places in the country. The old bronze age field systems were said to be the first in the country to be harvested. So therefore why was the only place in Cornwall not to have sunshine and warm weather St Loy! Look either way along the coast there was blue sky, but ovel the crag there was a nasty dark cload which proceeded to unload an hour and a half’s rain on us.

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This was going to be the day I did my first E1 lead but having been forced to top rope for the morning and with the pm feeling chilly in the wind we chose to spend the day top ropping. There is something to be said for top roping though, in that it allows you to climb with complete focus on the climbing without the responsibility associated with placing protection. Not as exciting or challenging, but equally as enjoyable. Under these circumstances and with Steve along with us on his first outing on Cornish rock it was eminently sensible.

St-Loy_Apr11-007

We moved to the Test Piece buttress because of its accesibility and also the variety of climbs available. Starting on the East end we tackled a few un-named climbs which gave Steve a chance to test himself out. On my go I drifted left from a starting crack and ended up on Smear Fear an E2 5c with small holds and foot placements. It was hard work but I made it. It’s amazing how grippy the rock is at St Loy. The guidbook calls it immaculate granite and for good reason.

St-Loy_Apr11-002

Then the anti was upped as Chris tackled Test Piece another  E2 5c with a thuggish final sequence. The holds are their but it pays to keep moving as your arms tire quickly.

St-Loy_Apr11-7St-Loy_Apr11-5
St-Loy_Apr11-3St-Loy_Apr11-2

The best of the E numnbers though is Sabre Dance. Graded E1 5c it is hard and very fingery. Again good foot placement helps a lot. Having been grossly unfair on Steve with the E climbs we moved West and finished on a couple of grooves. These were made much harder by the fact they were so covered in moss and lichen. Its a shame because under all that growth there are a couple of good climbs here. Again not in the guidebook but, worthy of being listed. I’m sure someone has recorded these as first ascents, but they need a lot more traffic before they came into condition.

St-Loy_Apr11-014

The walk out as usual sapped our strength, but the beauty of the area is always inspiring. My only regret was that I didnt get to do my E grade on the lead.