Considering I've been on half-term you'd have thought I would have been out climbing earlier than this but life has been getting in the way and it's just rained alot too. However I managed to find a partner in the form of Matt Snell (SUMC Chairman) and we set off into the peak! I had originally intended to get an early start and head over to the east peak, just because there is a higher concentration of climbing there than in the west, but as chance would have it Matt pointed out that he'd never climbed at Hen Cloud. Seeing as he's lived in stoke for a couple of years and not climbed here it seems the decision was made.
Now I like Hen Cloud, for several reasons but that main one is that fact that it seems to be constantly overlooked. You can stand on the cloud some days and look across at the Roaches and see it almost swarming with Ants (obviously they are not ants) and at the same time it'll be lonely and peaceful where you are. Having said that, it does mean that it can get a little green at times. Today was not exception and we saw no cars parked beneath Hen Cloud as we pulled up.
After suffering the grueling walk in (about 400 metres up hill at 45 degrees, yes I am a pansy) we settle on climbing Central Route Direct (VS 4c). This is a route that I'm ashamed to admit I've tried twice before but I've never really got off the ground (I think it has more to do with my lack of effort than my ability). however this time there was no escaping it. In the bitter cold I started up the first pitch trying the save my precious cams for when I really needed them. The first set of moves was really trying and hard, especially since it was only 4c but I pushed on. The climbing felt really unstable and thought I was off loads. I guess this has more to do with what I've been climbing recently which is slabs and faces rather than thrutchy cracks and offwidths. In the end I topped out, after making a right meal of the first pitch. It was only 8 metres. Snell came up as I snuggled down into my jacket, apparently belaying in the only breeze I could find. Snell then tackled the next pitch, a offwidth crack with polished sides. It was that or a horrible little crimpy pitch. Snell doesn't like chimenys and even a offwidth was not too his taste but he blasted up it to belay on the next ledge above. He commented that we should have set up a tent on this ledge and I don't think he was far wrong. The final pitch was left up the me and it was only 4a but don't let that fool you. It was a right little thrutchy hard pitch with leff me feeling happy to have topped out. It wasn't at all bad for our first climb.
Having descend it was obvious that the next route should be Central Climb (VS 4c), the original line compared to our first route. This time we would alternate the pitches leaving Snell to head off up the first one. It's a nice pitch but the footholds are super polished meaning that it's a little hatrder than it should be. As I seconded it I managed to retrieve a sling that had been dropped in the crack by another party. This did entail a long and complicated proceedure involving a weights 240cm sling and all my nuts, but I managed it! Pitch 2 fell to me and I took this as a chance to go up the flakes that Snell had avoided on last time. They are pretty thin and I didn't feel good at all about putting my weight on them. The gear itself wasn't that great but the climbing was reasonably easy. I'd rather do this sort of climbing than hard climbing with bomber gear! I set up happily for Snell to lead the last pitch. Again Snell is not a fan on chimneys and this seems to extend to anything that has two walls either side of it. The last pitch has such a features so while I seconded up it, back and footing most of the way up, Snell tired to stay outside of the crack as much as possible. It made for interesting climbing to say the least. These is also a pretty big but loose block at the top of this pitch. I don't think it'll fall out, being pinned in by the surrounding geology but it's scary as hell when it moves when you stand on it.
On our walk down we took a look at the routes and walls on the right hand section of Hen Cloud. Our intention was to take a look at Great Chimney, but instead we both spotted the line of Hen Cloud Eliminate (HVS 5b). Apart from being a good looking line, it's also mentioned in the guide book as one of Hen Clouds top 3 HVS climbs. It had to be done. I led it, but a few problems on the top section but overall I thought it was a good route. In the beginning it started with ahrd move off the deck, before you gained your first piece of gear, then came a painful hand jamming crack, which I felt me hand were a little too big for but it lead to a half decent rest. The final section I probably climbed completly wrongly. I ended up turning in the groove system above the wrong way round so I ended up in a thurtchy/squirmy exit. It was simply none other than bloody good fun. It's probably worth noting that UKC now grades this route E1, which I think is unfair given that it's incredibly well protected climbing followed by a series of good rests. It's probably also fair to say that Joe Brown (and ilk) wouldn't have had the fine camming devices we've got now when they originally put it up.
Our last route of the day coudl only really be one route, Great Chimeny (Severe) and what and what made it better was that Snell led the route. He actually led it really well and only managed to freak himself out at the top section when the walls closed in a little. It's probably my favourite climb at the grade in the entire country too. So four routes, two of which were multipitch and a classic HVS too. Not bad for a cold day in the Peak.
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