Tag Archives: St Levans Wall

Climbing

Just let it go……… FAT CHANCE!!!

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24th May 2013

Pedn-men-an-mere

Zip – VS 4c – Lead
Panos – HS 4b – Second
Bandwagon – E1 5b – Lead
Midnight Express – E1 5b – Lead (dog)

A brilliant day marred by my nemesis which as usual bit me on the arse.

Sheltered from the wing St Levans Wall was the perfect venue. With a good low tide we had plenty of time to play on the climbs on the lower tier as well.

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To start though I had a go at Zip a VS with a tough start. I keep forgetting that VS are not there to warm up on and this one as usual reminded me of that as I struggled up the initial crack to be halted at a slightly bold mantleshelf. I actually enjoyed it though, the same of which can be said for Chris.

Tom on the latter hard moves of Panos
Tom on the latter hard moves of Panos

He started on Panos, an HS with a bite. The opening V goove isnt easy but the top move onto the pillar is made spicy if you stay right which seems to take you away from anything useful to pull over on. Tom and Dave intelligently went left which seemed a far more amenable finish. Still, one to get the heart going.

Chris flaking before Bandwagon
Chris flaking before Bandwagon

Bandwagon looks good from below and it didn’t disappoint. Good delicate climbing which requires good footwork and a steady head through the crux. Just our type of route really and we both loved it.

Chris at the crux on Bandwagon
Chris at the crux on Bandwagon

And so to the finale. What could go wrong after such a good start. Midnight Express beckoned me, and proceeded to teach me a lesson in humility and trash my bank account at the same time as 5 of my Nuts cascaded into the deep water filled trough below. Thats my third attempt. Its got to be fourth time lucky?

The view across to Porthgwarra
The view across to Porthgwarra

Still, it didnt detract from a great day out although it took a little while for the red mist to clear. One to get on again soon methinks.

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

Not always in Harmony.

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Treen
21st – 23rd May 2010

St Loy
Harmony – HVS 5b – Lead (Dnf)
Monochrome Men – E1 5b – Belay

St Levans Wall
Phenocryst – HVS 5a – Lead
Gentlemans Relish – Severe 4a – Second
The Scorpion – E1 5b (provisional) – Second

The decision to camp at Treen on this weekend could not have been a better one. Probably the best weather of the year and perfect conditions for climbing and camping. Joe, Nick, Kath and I met up in the evening and after setting up spent a relaxing evening down at the The Logan Rock Inn.

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It was probably here that Joe and I made a questionable decision to climb at St Loy the following day. Probably the hotest crag in Cornwall on the hotest day of the year so far. We should have foreseen a few problems.

Saturday

Still, its a great venue and we had two climbs in mind (Harmony and Monochrome Men). The former was mine to lead and wasting no time I set off up the first corner/niche before the sun came around onto the face. Well, Harmony proved to be a bit much for me in the end… an opening difficult corner leading into an even harder one. It was the second that stopped me in my tracks. I was just not strong enough or lacked the technique. On reflection I have considered a different approach which I will try next time which will hopefully be shortly.

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So then it was on to Monochrome Men, an E1 with a strenuous start. Joe made good work of the opening moves, moving up onto the slab with relative ease. MM is fairly well protected, but Joe’s decision to stay left meant he eventually ran out of holds and pro only a metre or so from the top. Two falls later and well pumped Joe retired to give it a go another time. Meanwhile, I was wilting in the sun and after an brief foray up to the starting ledge I decided discretion was the better part of valour. That and the fact I was kna…d.

So a frustrating day, one which knocked my confidence a bit and made me a tadge grumpy. A BBQ on Pendvounder Beach with our gang and LECC cheered me and Joe up. Stunning views and a sense of isolation make this a perfect spot to end the day with lots of new food to try courtesy of Nick and Kath. I will have to be more inventive when we have BBQ’s.

Sunday

A chance to explore St Levans Wall area or Pedn-men-an-mere. Parking up in the church car park down a quiet lane (with a lovely lady security guard making sure we were all honest) we made our way down to the wall via a series of grasy steps and boulders.

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The wall is very impressive with a series of crack running up and across, all of which looked difficult. The E1, Midnight Express, looked unlikely at the grade, but at a later point we were assured its OK. Having just missed Redfish because of the tide, I went for Phenocryst, described as ‘cheese grater granite’. I soon found out why with the rock being crumbly and not giving me the feeling of maximum reliability.

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Still, I enjoyed the climbing and reached the top virtually on empty, but very happy with myself. With my breath back I belayed Joe up, who in keeping with his exploits on this weekend snapped a hold and fell off. He was not happy. Nick joined us at the top making me wonder what all the fuss was about… how come I make it look so difficult?

Instead of dropping back down we moved off to the Marconi Slab area and Nick tackled a Severe which led us nicely onto the middle tier. The rock in the Marconi Slab area (lower tier) is not brilliant, but it improves as you move towards the centre recessed cliffs. We found a number of lines here, but finally settled on twin cracks on the headwall of a descent slope. Both Joe and Nick had spotted these and Joe, determined to redeem himself led them.

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Later we decided they were around E1 5b, but were not named in the guide. We named it The Scorpion (it may well already have a name) because the climb, which is strenuous from the off leads you to believe that having nailed the final large black chicken head its over. Oh no… the sting in the tail is the final move which is hard, as Joe found out and took his fourth fall of the weekend. Nick took over the lead and finished the route, acknowledging the final tricky move. We’re not sure what the route is, but as Nick remarked just seeing a climb and getting on it is climbing at its purist.

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We packed up in pristine weather, with views over Hella Point and the Seagul’s feeling relieved that we were leaving their nesting grounds, walking back to the car park and stopping at the Logan Rock for a beer and a bit of reflection on the weekends events.

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For me it was mixed, for Nick his highlight had been Boysens Groove a tough E2 at Cribbar Head and for Joe it had been a weekend of pushing his grades, culminating in a few falls. At least it is a sign of progression that we are tackling climbs of these grades and stature.

Rest of the photos here