Tag Archives: Joe

Climbing

Screaming Feet!

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Carn Kenidjack

2nd April 2013

Main Cliff
Saxon Direct – HVS 5a – Second
Rock Dancer – E1 5b – Lead

Seadreams Cliff
Seadreams – HS 4b – Second

Climbing in my own shoes is proving to be a novelty these days, but I got it right this time. On a bright sunny day Joe and I headed for Kenidjack to complete something we started a few years back when we visited on a rainy grim day and had to abandon our ambitions.

Cape Cornwall

Kenidjack is still probably my favorite crag in Cornwall. The climbing is fantastic with crimpy holds and small edges for your feet. Not that strenuous, but it does a real job on your feet and you have to work hard.

Almost there

Joe started things off on Saxon Direct. The final stage of this route angles straight up from the horizontal break rather than traversing to the block. In a way its a more natural line and makes for a spicy finish. IMO they’re both great and on this day Joe made a good job of the route. The start is quite a bold series of moves, but once on the main face the gear is OK.

The belay anchors are a way back

Our pre placed belay ropes made things easy when Joe topped out. By this time the heat was coming off the face and the bitterly cold start was a distant memory. The stunning views across to Cape Cornwall are enough to inspire anyone so we dropped back into the zawn for a crack at Rock Dancer.

I climbed this 3 years back with Nick and remembered it was brilliant but couldnt really remember much about the route except for the mono (guaranteed to be memorable). I knew good pro was spaced. Again there is a bold start followed by steep climbing. The crux is just about adequately protected which makes the ramp a spicy prospect. All in all worth three stars in my book and equally as good as Saxon.

The base of the Main Cliff

After some well deserved lunch it was off to Seadreams Cliff, a new venue for me. The descent is down a hole strewn grassy ridge which is obviously a hunting ground for the resident Peregrines. The ripped apart Seagul was testiment to this.

The line of Apocalypse E2 5c

It turned out to have some good routes and well worth a return visit when the tide isnt threatening to wash over the bottom ledge. Joe finished on a really good HS. Once again small edges for our, by then, battered feet but with excellent pro. A hidden jem.

Near the top of Seadreams

Fully knackered we decamped just as the temperature dropped. As a reminder we should park closer next time because the track is open for quite a way towards the old quarries.

 

Climbing

Unfinished business

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Aire Point / John Wayne Memorial Crag

14th March 2013

Biggles Flies Undone – HVS 5a – Second
Hit The Deck, Here She Comes – HVS 5b – Lead
Stagecoach – VS 5c – Lead

The first day of proper spring is what it felt like. Actual warm sunshine and blue skies. Deceptive because coming in behing this day were gales and heavy rain. Still we made the most of the window with a trip to Sennen Cove.

Back towards Sennen

The views on this day were stunning. As Tom said, the granite seemed to cahnge colour all day depending on the height and intensity of the Sun. A couple of very spectacular venues.

View back towards Aire Point with the prominent lines of Airplane and BFU

After checking out John Wayne Memorial Crag we spotted the lines we wanted to do but they needed a little more drying so we started on Aire Point. Chris and Tom on Aireline, a tough VS taking on the definative chimney in the centre of the crag and Joe tackling Biggles Flies Undone, an HVS I had had my eye on for a while but which I deferred to Joe because I didnt want him to cry and humiliate himself in front of the rest of the crew.

Joe mid crux on Biggles Flies Undone

Turns out it was tougher than first appearances suggested. The real problems are short lived but require a bit of commitment. There is little for your fet at first and placing pro is strenuous. Joe made a good job of it before blasting up the top thank god flake. A top start to the day.

Making our way back to JWMC

We returned to JWMC and set about the two HVS 5b’s. Chris on Regans Regression and me on Hit The Deck, Here She Comes (variation) We both suffered the same ignominious defeat. For me, it was my stamina that let me down. I’ve got to get that sorted. Howver HTDHSC is a very good climb and I want another go at it to clean it. Chris and I intend to return soon to complete our respective ‘projects’.

Tom on the deceptively difficult Sheriff VS 4c

As a finale Chris and Tom went for Sheriff, an outwardly innocuous VS but one which proves decidedly move difficult with technical moves on the upper slab.

The balancy final moves of Sheriff

Suprisingly Joe wanted a go at the 5c route Stagecoach (insert irony here). Clearly he hadnt fallen off anything yet and wanted the opportunity. Stagecoach provided it. It is really a one sequence wonder with excellent pro.

Joe tops out the 5c section of Stagecoach having given blood to the cause

Get a couple of nuts in and go for it (Pete that’s your red Metollius we scratched up).

Pete. Do you recognise this!……

After going up and down a couple of times I eventualy went for it and suprisingly made it. The barn door potential is the problem as Joe found out. However in the end we both did it and capped off a grand day out.

A day which left everyone knackered but feeling good. A word of warning though. The walk out from Aire Point is a beast after a long day and with a heavy pack. Be prepared.

 

Climbing

It’s raining frogs and fruitbats

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8th March 2013

Trewellard – Goldsworthy Buttress

Return of the Lemming – VS 4c – Lead
Bright Morning – V Diff – Lead (P2)
Sea Fever – Diff/Severe 4b – Second

Trewellard was looking a little different from the last time Dave and I climbed here. On that day the wind was about 40mph and it was pretty grey. This time, sunshine and good conditions.

View towards Bible Wall

That said, it is not the most attractive of venues unless you like industrial backdrops of broken ground, churned earth and arsenic. Yes arsenic, something worth keeping in mind – if it’s green dont touch it, lick it or dip your lunch in it cos it’ll probably kill you!

Belay Platform – Wide Ledge

A number of places show the vivid green streaks seeping out of the cliffs, but Goldsworthy isnt one of them. On this day it was relatively dry and we stuck to the buttress climbs and not the zawn which did look damp. One for another day as there are some cracking looking climbs there.

Pete styling on ROTL

ROTL looks a bit like a cliff which is rotting in front of your eyes. Similar to Coastguard Cliffs actually. The first pitch looks bold and pro (at least good pro) is difficult to find. I’m not sure I would have wanted to fall on half the gear I placed and there is a run out section in the middle. But, it is laced with small foot placements and little sharp edged holds. They look brittle but I found then solid and none snapped on me.

Chris leading P1 ROTL

All the above taken into account, the first pitch is great. Balancy, technical and just good fun. The other two match up well. Pitch two’s overhang is committing but well protected and Pitch 3 has a hard start and a camera friendly finish.

Top Pitch of ROTL

It was getting late when we all finished, but we had enough time to get another climb in. Chris and Tom went for Bright Morning, a climb Dave had led earlier. A difficult V Diff is the best way to describe it. Probably more towards Severe actually. Dave took Joe and myself for a wander onto the seaward face of the buttress where booming surf greeted us and a very wet chimney on Double Take.

Booming Surf below the belay on Sea Fever/Double Take

Dave wisely left this alone but contrived a new line between the Diff of Sea Fever and Double Take which was probably at around Severe 4b. A tricky mantel into a sparsely protected groove made for a good pitch. Well done to Dave for climbing this blind effectively. Maybe its worth listing as a new route.

Dave new routing

I finished on the second pitch of Bright Morning, an excellent pitch in its own right. Meanwhile Joe went off soloing the arete, probably looking for something hard to get stuck into.

P2 of Bright Morning

We were greeted by persistent rain as we packed up (perfect timing) which made the journey back interesting with strange animals flying past the van and the road littered with suicidal frogs.

View back to Pendeen

Cant wait to get back a do the traverse Chain Link in the zawn. looks scary and classic!

 

 

Climbing

One for the eternal optimists

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26th October 2012

Porthguarnon Cove

Moaning Minnie – V Diff – Lead
Strake – HS 4b – Top Rope
Coiled Stick – HVS 5a – Lead
Eternitys Few – VS 5a – Second

Stood on the gearing up platform shortly after our arrival it was hard to imagine we would be doing anything but heading for the Logan Rock Inn for a pint. Contrary to the forecast, there was drizzle and it was fairly persistant.

The traverse in.

I’ve never been one for giving up and so we decided to make our way over to the base of the lower tier climbs. This is a good warm up in its own right and in the wet with a bit of swell added, there was a bit of spice in the traverse.

Ian starts out on Moaning Minnie.

Erring on the side of caution Dave and I picked a Diff and V Diff respectively. Strangely, by time we got to the top the rain had stopped and the granite was drying fast. The rain didnt detract from Moaning Minnies qualities. Its a V Diff with good variety and it has a sting in the middle in the form of a narrow, skewed ramp. Climbing this with style is a major challenge as everything slopes the wrong way…. tricky.

Joe 'discovering' the narrow off balance ramp on Moaning Minnie

Dave meanwhile was making his way up Kellys Eye, the distinctive channel which bisects the main climbing area. So we all met at the middle tier platform. This gave Tom, Chris, Joe and Dave a chance to worm their way up Sloe Slab, the very different route with a crawl to finish. Having already done this I top rope Strake. I almost wish I hadnt. Its a bit grim, very overgrown and dirty. Without all the muck it might be a good route, but in this condition its best avoided.

The difficult start to Sloe Slab

Now Coiled Stick is very different. It has its moments with regard to dirt and moss, particularly on the middle crack, but overall its a great route. I cant deny that the middle section spooked me a bit. The pro would probably have been OK if the crack wasnt full of soil and weeds. Trying my best not to just rip everything out, I managed to eke out a few poor placements, but at no time did I think ‘That’s a bomber’. But the climbing is not hard at this point, just balancey.

The tricky middle crack

The top crack is a different proposition. Here the pro is good but the climbing much tougher as power starts to come into play. The damp conditions didnt help, but to be fair it was more a case of pushing on and getting established in the crack. Once I’d done this things became more manageable. Really pleased I did this one.

Ian on the tough top crack of Coiled Stick

Meanwhile Chris was on Porcupine. Given VS it is soft at the grade, but this doesnt detract from the quality of the climb. A great route which Dave and Tom thoroughly enjoyed as well.

Chris on the top section of Porcupine

We had time for another route (just) so Dave set off on the brilliant Iron Bells while Joe tackled the hard start on Eternitys Few. I knew Dave was in for a treat, but Joe’s route turned out to be good as well. The crux is a bold move about 6-7 metres up, probably why it is given 5a. It takes some working out and the slippy moss doesnt inspire you with confidence. A good lead by Joe.

Dave on Iron Bells.

Having to make our way back to the gearing up ledge, we ended up scattering across the crag. probably not a good idea as I spied Dave inching his way up what looked like hard territory. Joe needed a bit of help by Dave and Tom as he got stuck half way up a chimney. Maybe next time we’ll stick together. Chris and I traversed back on the lower slabs, back roping a dodgey wet decent crack and following the traverse back. main thing is we all arrived back safe just as we lost the light and trudged back to Penberth.

If you’d said the day would turn out this well at the start I wouldnt have believed you. Another stolen moment on Cornish granite.

Climbing

Was it left at the crack, second right at the groove and straight past the ledge???

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21st September 2012

Bosigran

The Armchair – HVS 5a – Lead
Doorpost – HS 4b – Second

Pete, bless his cotton socks , had to be on his toe’s as I took to the air on Armchair. A silly mistake really. I missed the wet patch on what is a fairly polished route anyway. The result was unexpected flight time.

Ian on The Armchair

The start of Armchair is a real mental exercise. Ten years ago maybe the edges were a bit sharper and positive, but on this day everything seemed rounded and smooth. As it happened I negotiated the harder stuff and then fell off once things eased off. This though doesnt detract from the fact The Armchair is a top climb. It just  get better and better the higher you go. Lots of tough exposed moves up the ramp add up to an exhilerating experience. One of my favorites.

Chris on the crux of P1 Paragon

Chris and Joe meanwhile tackled Zig Zag and Dave and Tom Doorpost. Because Pete and I took a little longer ( I had to strip some gear) by time we had finished lunch Chris and Joe has started off on Paragon. Shame they didnt take the guidebook, because they got lost on pitch three, missing the offwidth and ending up on Nameless. A lesson learned really in making sure a guide book is to hand on multi pitch routes. Still it means Chris and Joe have a target for the next time they go to Bosi.

Tom leading P1 Doorpost

I finished on Doorpost with Tom and Dave. Tom got his first experience of a Hard Severe on the lead. The big difference for him was placing gear on what is a tough traverse. Not sure Bosi had even heard of some of the language he used but Tom got there in the end for his first HS tick. Dave set off on P2. His confidence is brimming at the moment and it showed as he negotiated the crux move through the twin cracks on what must be one of the most exposed sections of bosi. Doorpost is remarkable in the exposure it delivers at the grade. Lots of adrenaline then.

The view down P2 Doorpost

So next time back at Bosi its going to be a full ascent of Paragon. Bring it on!

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

Find me something hard!

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7th September 2012
Fox Promontory

Sinister – VS 4c – Lead
Pilgrims – HVS 4c – Second

View toward Carn Barra

The scramble onto Fox Promontory is almost as much fun as the climbing. It’s definitely a good warm up as you move along the narrow ridge to the far nose. Once again you are enveloped in the ruggedness and beauty of Cornwalls coast. The view out towards Carn Barra opens up with miles of Granite climbing on display.

A busy ab point

A few of us (6 to be exact) made our way here with the thought that when it heated up, which it was going to on this day, Fox would be fairly cool being a more north facing venue. Strange how durig the cooler months you look for warm venues and then as soon as it gets hot, the search is on for shady spots.

The ab in

Finding the ab point caused us the usual problems, but most of the edges are steep and we managed not to destroy Pete’s new rope in the process.  We started again on the seaward nose with Joe and Pete on the Muzzle, me and Tom on Sinister and Chris and Dave having another go at the guano infested hairy monster that is the Whisker.

Pulling up into the groove of Sinister

The latter is given stars in the guide, but it would seem lack of traffic and nesting birds make what should be a great climb a little unpleasant in places. Still, Chris and Dave completed it this time, finishing up a tough and very dirty crack. No push over this one by all accounts.

Scouting out Pilgrims

Tom and I struggled to follow the described guidebook route, possibly because some of Sinister has fallen down. Either that or we were way of route. The mantleshelf described didnt appear to be there, but the moves around the corner and up over the flake are really good fun.

A busy belay as well

Fox Promontory is a stunning venue. Very secluded and a very different place when sunny to when its dark and grey. On this day it was brilliant, with water so clear that the seal watching us for most of the day could be seen in its entirety. Mind blowing.

Joe had been gunning for something with a bite all day and a venture up Pilgrim ticked all the boxes. After a short tantrum from me about not starting in the only damp niche on the south coast  on this day, we set off up the bottom pitch of Mistaken Identity which links more obviously with the top pitch of Pilgrims. As a complete route it works well, but doesnt make the top pitch any easier. Joe did a brilliant job leading this one. Gear is OK but the balancey nature of the climb makes placing it difficult. Lots of small crimpy holds, careful footwork makes for a top route.

Joe on the top belay of Pilgrims

Dave and Chris were on Sunshine cracks, by all accounts a slightly run out HS with some tough moves and Tom found his usual degenerating pile of choss called Foxblood which led to Pete ageing a few years prematurely as Tom ran it out.

Once again, completely knackered we trudged back to Porthgwarra. For Tom myself and Joe it would be more of the same the following day as we were staying at Treen for the BMC meet.

Climbing

Running out of options

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22nd December 2011
St Loy
Sloe Steel – VS 4C – Second rpt

Joe’s return from London should have heralded a few good sessions over the Christmas period, but this year the weather has been appaling. A combination of rain and wind on almost every day has meant few opportunities to get out and have a decent climb.

This was not a bad day when compared to what has been previously, but it was still grey and uninviting. St Loy as the warmest and most likely bright crag on the South Coast beckond. Dave, Tom, Kieran and Joe accompanied me in the beautiful walk in (undiminished by the overcast conditions) and we set up around Cress Cendo.

It’s an easy spot to set a top rope up on and provides a number of routes to play on. The biggest problem was that Chlorophyll Cluster was dripping wet and this had been Joe and my target for the day. We settled on Sloe Steel as an alternative, a good VS with a tricky crux. The move out of the diagonal crack and onto the rounded crest requires a bit of thought, but does provide good protection. The hardest bit is topping out through the gorse and setting up a belay as there is a wacking great Gorse bush blocking everything.

Joe leading Sloe Steel
Me seconding Sloe Steel

We made a real fist of scrambling out, although wet slimy, mossy rock is not a good escape route. My advice is to continue the climb on the cracks just behind Sloe Steel.

Joe pre crux
Joe going through the crux

On returning to the group who had all successfully climbed Cress Cendo we practiced smearing on the first pitch of The Hairiest whilst Joe went in search of something hard to climb (an unsuccessful venture in the end).

At the end of the day, you cant always get perfect days climbing, but given Cornwall’s damp end to 2011 this was probably as good as we were going to get.

Climbing

A hidden gem

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5th August 2011
Carn Gowla – Coastguard Cliff 
Supernatural – VS 4b – Lead

For some strange reason the guidebook gives Supernatural 1 star…… How wrong could they be. This is a 3 star climb with bells on!

Carn Gowla is a scary place and as you drop down the grassy slope towards Coastguard Cliff and the sea, there is a feeling that you’re going to just go of the edge. Add to this the sudden holes and Joe’s pre occupation with snakes in the grass and the whole experience becomes nervy. You havnt a clue what is coming up. You start to hear things before you see them.

Supernatural

The two belay spikes mark the spot and Joe and I set to work rigging the ab rope for what is a tricky descent to a hanging belay. We decided to set up above the new ledge. The old one has broken off from what i have been told. By setting up higher you can get gear in the crack which means your not just hanging on the ab rope. It makes for some interesting rope work in a dramatic and atmospheric setting with the sea crashing just below. There was a good swell running on this day and the entire experience was one of excitment.

SupernaturalSupernatural

If you wanted an example of a perfect crack climb Supernatural would be it. Its like a lightning strike down the entire height of the cliff. Well protected, it makes you work hard from beginning to end. There are a couple of sections I would give 4c and the location and seriousness of the climb I reckon probably adds a grade to it. However its one of the best I’ve ever done. The whole package adds up to a great experience and one Joe and I found brilliant. The climbing just brings the best out of you with a combination of small edges, laybacks and jams.

Supernatural

Trying to keep the smiles off our faces we headed for the Triple Butress area for a play on the E grades their (on a top rope I might add). We had intended on Journey to Ixtlan, but this will have to wait for another day. The star of the show however was Supernatural. A hidden gem on the North Coast.

This creature did its best to steal a bit of the limelight. Some amazing colours to be found on the cliffs!

Carn Gowla

 

Climbing

The Hungry Sea

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4th August 2011
The Lizard – Coastguard Cliff – The Holywood Walls
Limelight – HVS 5a – Lead

Weather plays a huge part in life in Cornwall. We are very much at the mercy of Atlantic weather fronts and on occasions like today you can only hope that the squalls and showers miss you.

Coastguard Cliff was probably not the best place to go on a day when it was grey and windy, but I’d had my eye on an HVS called Limelight for a while. The top of the cliffs were blowy but after dropping down onto the gearing up ledge things settled a bit and at the base it was actually sheltered. The descent route is a little intimidating, with a steep narrow ramp the main acess to the base of the cliffs. They are though essentially non tidal, so even with a roaring sea we were well above the sets.

Holywood Walls

For Joe, who hadnt been climbing outside for a while it was a real senses fest. Wind, noise from the sea, damp conditions and a tough HVS. Not for the faint hearted! However it was not the climb which took centre stage but the patch of sea below us which during the coarse of the day claimed two of my ‘Rocks’ (nearly a third but Pete rescued it) and my Rockfax climbing guide which slipped out of Pete’s pocket when he was partaking in acrobatics on the opening moves.

Holywood Walls

This brings me into the climb. It has a thuggy start with a pull up a diagonal rising crack to get established on the main face. It didnt help that part of the crack was wet and to be fair it is a bit scary as you haul yourself up. Still once through this I found things settled down and good climbing led to the upper groove. This is really the crux, not the bottom part as I had thought.

LimelightLimelight

There is gear, but you leave it below you as you move through a really technical section. It is brilliant climbing; really testing and it makes you think your moves out carefully. Loved it. The final top wall is atmospheric and provides a suitable climax to what is a solid HVS.

Pete struggled with the opening moves and having lost the book I dont think his heart was in it. Joe tackled it with his usual gusto, although by his own admission it was a scary return to the rock. That didnt seem to wipe the smile off his face though.

As the rain came in and we called it a day we tried to get a cup of coffee. The local cafe at The Lizard turned out to have a scary women and we were not flavour of the month when we queue jumped and grabbed the only remaining table, so we retreated before things got ugly. Chips at Pete’s turned out to provide a suitable end to a good days climbing.