Somebodies Switched My Medicine E2 5b

A few weeks ago Soames and I had a very Himalayan climbing weekend, whilst camping on Anglesey. Over the course of three days, when only managed to get one new route climbed (but what a route) as the rest of the time was spent laying in the tent, waiting for the weather to clear up. We could probably have left, but the weather was never bad enough to  justify anything other than just waiting it out on the off chance it would improve. At the time I'd not been to Anglesey for a while and just being there seems to calm me down and settle me. I was happy lay in my tent, eating good food and straining my ears to hear the sea.

The route we did put up was a line that we've both been looking at since we discovered the cliff. I think at some point it was Soames's line, but along the way it has become a small obsession of mine. Each weekend away new routing would see me throwing down the abseil rope and cleaning it, checking the holds and looking for gear. It's the first time I've done this for any route and it was quite a big thing for me. It made the actually first ascent very different from the onsight first ascents I've done.

It's called Somebodies Switched my Medicine (E2 5b), but honestly I don't know about the grade. I'm very confident that it's 5b climbing, as I've been over it so much. It's the abjectival grade that concerns me a little. It couldn't grade it for an onsight attempt because I have so much knowledge about the line. I had too much information.

When we first saw it I think it blew us both away a little. The top half overhangs, considerably (for trad) and the gear up to the overhang didn't look like the greatest either. Due to all this I was happy to abseil down it. Firstly it started off with just cleaning the holds and looking for gear placements, but eventually I was trying the moves in short sections (only 1 or 2 moves at a time) to get a feel for the route and where the gear would go. I still can't have abseiled down in more than ten times, but I've stared and stared at the line from all angles. It's been over 9 months in conception.

On our first day (of the weekend) we spent our time walking the coast looking for other lines and possibilities. There is a lot of what I'd call "background effort" that goes into new routing. So many weekends have resulted in very few routes but hours spent at a cliff checking photographs, abseiling and cleaning. There is a lot of mental preparation as as well. You're climbing something that you've almost mentally graded from below or on abseil but you don't know. A lot of the time you'll find the route is surprisingly different in character to how you thought. Somebodies switched my medicine was different to this.

We came round to the cliff we've spent so long climbing on and it felt like meeting an old friend. I must have walked across the top hundreds of times and felt like my feet knew the rocks underneath them intently. The day felt good. It was getting on to late afternoon by the time I'd abseiled the line again, checking for gear. I found a key piece of gear which'll actually protect a ground fall before launching out to the overhanging wall. It was a size 2 cam, but with a difficult move to place it. Satisfied I jugged back up to the rim.

The light was perfect. The sun was low enough in the sky and it was still early enough in year to get that weak winter glow. It turns the rock this beautiful orange colour. The tide was on ourside but my head wasn't in it. I must have sat around thinking the route for ages, Soames waiting patiently to hear my decision. I offered him the lead but he declined. Honestly I was happy about it. If he'd have taken me up on the offer he'd have got my support 100% for the lead, but that selfish egotistical side of me wanted it for myself. In the end we pulled the abseil rope and racked up. Instead of abseiling in we'd scramble round and belay on the ledge at the base.

I sat looking out to sea, stretching out my legs while Soames built a belay on the cramped ledge. All I could see in my view was ocean and sky, with the sun low and off to one side. I was intensely worried. No one knew where I was, only Soames and I. What would be the consequences of failing on this route in a bad way? We would I end up? Sat there staring out to sea I decided that I didn't care. The route would go, or it wouldn't and if it didn't then I'd cope with whatever consequences came from that. I would climb carefree.

Setting off was slow. I cleaned my boots rigorously and shook out my shoulders, chalked up my fingers and set off on the short journey. I placed my feet carefully and gradually made progress up the steep but delicate groove. The gear isn't the greatest until you get a little higher. With my arms clinging to two undercuts I realized that the excellent size 2 cam placement I'd found only hours before, was out of reach. To place it would have caused more problems so instead I made the first of the large moves upwards.

The moves up the overhanging wall are big and powerful. Each of the large chicken head type features means you can get a sling on to protect yourself, but for the feet there isn't much. The second large move means you can bring a heel into play, dangling above the ocean by 2 hands and a left heel. The next series of moves are like a 5b boulder problem, but high up. It involves more heel hooking and more dangling. I fought with my arms and my head. One telling me I couldn't pull up anymore the other telling me I couldn't afford to fall off. The carefree attitude that possessed me setting on the ledge before I started had gone. Each arm felt like a clock ticking down the time till my strength failed. Before this could happen I made the big rock over, converting that magical heel hook into a useful place to stand. I was still 10ft from the top but it didn't matter. With pumped arms I placed the final cam and climbed the last section, happily.

(Somebodies Switched my Medicine E2 5b)

WIthout hope or agenda...

For a couple of weeks I've been looking forward to going away with Soames with the intention of new routing somewhere. It has been quite a while since we've made it back to "our" cliff on the Lleyn and there is a route there that is eating away at me... slowly. We never actually made it to the Lleyn, but we did get to see the sea, and spend a day walking the coast and climbing  on the cliff there. We went to Rhoscolyn.

I arrived at Soames house at some god unearthly hour on Saturday morning to find the kettle on ready for tea. Soames then produced a pen and paper and his tiny laptop on which he had a topo of Porth Y Garan (which can be found here). Armed with our tiny sketch map of new routing possibilities and a sense of adventure we packed up and left. 

I didn't realise how much just going climbing meant to me. I don't mean going out for a day's bouldering with routes or problems in mind. Or going out to massage you're ego (or help someone else massage thiers). Going climbing, without any worry about grade or line, especially next to the sea (and to quote johnny readhead) nourishes the soul.  

The little cliff we were climbing at is situated in front of a quaint little bay. The bay itself is sheltered on most sides from the wind and would have made an amazing place to spend the night. It's somewhere I hope I'll remember to head back to in the summer. There is just so much climbing there and a lot of it is unrecorded or untopoed (new word I guess) at least. I could imagine long summer evenings soloing across beautiful rock while the sun sets over the Irish sea. The rock isn't perfect but it is compact and has great friction. At the same time it is a little loose and crumbly in places. It seems to be quite a soft rock to climb on and I managed to crumble a few gear placements when I was tugging my gear to set it. Whatever, it's a lovely place to climb.


We went armed with a small topo of the right hand crag, as this was where most of the new routing opportunities lay. However we didn't actually climb on it because, well it looked a bit small and broken. There was a couple of amazing looking lines there and something I'd really like to go back and try (obviously I'm not going to say on here just in case the three or four people ho actually read this run and steal my line). We climbed on the left hand cliff, the one which I'd not actually taken a topo for, leaving us with our imagination about what to climb up. Firstly Soames took an easy jug pulling line, before I was allowed to be unleashed on what was to become Without Hope or Agenda (VS 4b/c). This took a line up past 2 clear pockets in the face, then taking a small overlap before running it out to the top. It was a nice little route and I didn't know it was a FA when I was on it, hence the name.


Soames then took a bit of a girdle traverse on the basis that I'd brought 60m ropes and we were going to use them! This took a great through some suspect rock which you could feel crumbling under your feet as they settled. This line went at about VS 4a/b and Soames named it Kleptomaniac. The last line was actually on the topo, but it was one that has stuck me as soon as we got down to the cliff. It was a curving line just off centre of the face. I was pretty easy and the gear was very interesting. I also pulled an old wire out of the face which was quite nice too.


The rest of the day was spent walking along cliff top following the vague descriptions in the guidebooks and searching for new lines. We found loads of cliff that wasn't actually in the guidebook and had some really trouble relating the descriptions to the actual lines that have been but up. In then end I think we gave up a little too. The cliff which looked amazing from half a km away suddenly turned out to be tiered easy slabs and I lost heart a little. Aside from this there was some really interesting ruins, standing stone, old field boundaries and a host of other oddities. If you're interested in this then here might be useful.

We did actually do another route, by the time we'd walked round to Rhoscolyn main area. We scrambled in so I could lead Truant a classic VS there, which seeps badly. Today was clearly a bad day for Truant as it was pretty much running with water but we didn't find that out till we had got down there. Instead of just scrambling back out I just took a line up the driest area of rock I could find. Soames had clearly done it before as he offered me his skyhook, knowing the protection was a little run out. I actually really climbing. It was a little run out but that didn't really matter because the climbing was so good. Belaying however was awkward to find enough decent anchors.


We then took a walk back along the coasts and cliff tops, making more of an effort to explore the cliffs. In particular we checked out a short looking red colour cliff (named "crag x") in the guidebook. This cliff had been given a particularly poor write up in the guide, but we'd decided to check it out anyway... and what a shock we were in for. It's pretty awesome as undescribed cliffs go and we'll be heading back there soon enough.


Sadly, due to my inability to remember if I've pulled the photos off my camera, I think I've lost all the pictures from that weekend.

Quartz Staircase...

A couple of months ago I gave a 2 friends and climbing partners a very quick intro into dealing with loose rock. We climbed a route that had a massive loose flake on it but along as you pulled down it wasn't a problem. It scared them both half to death (the flake was a man-squisher) but it also taught them both a valuable lesson. Loose rock is a part of climbing. Yes I know a lot of people might never encounter loose rock climbing (especially if they spend their time climbing at nice neat little gritstone edges 10 minutes from the road) but if you climb on mountain routes, limestone, sea cliffs or in winter (or on the Lleyn Peninsular) then you'll be bound to encounter something loose once in a while.

My climbing over the last year seems to have had an awful lot of loose rock in it, and there's been many moments when I've been praying not that I won't blow the move, more that the hold won't blow off.

So with all this in mind Me and Rach, on a short trip to wales and in an effort to find some good weather, found in Pete's Eat's new routes book "the best diff ever". It was on a sea-cliff at Rhoscolyn and therefore we couldn't not do it.

 

The weather was awesome when we arrived at Rhoscolyn, sunny, dry and with a strong onshore breeze. What made it even better was that when we looked back towards land the mountains were shrouded in cloud and rain. We walked in quickly and then found out that getting to the base of the route would probably be the crux. The onshore wind was providing a great swell that stopped an clambering in and sea-level traversing to the base of the route. Instead much wandering along the top of the crag led me to find a nice slab that allowed us to abseil in. 

The route itself was quite clear (both from the top and base of the crag) but what my view from the top didn't tell me was quite how steep it was. The angle of the line was awkward to say the least. That didn't stop us and I set of anyway. The route itself was pretty good going. Like most lower grade routes (Diff and VD) there wasn't actually that much gear compared to the nature of the route. It's also a second ascent on a sea-cliff and you'll know what that means... loose rock. This will be an awesome route when it's been done about 10/15 times. It'll go really well with Bagger's and Symphony Crack that are in the same area but at the moment it's a little chossy. Having said that the route was still awesome with a definite crux at the top (pulling up on a loose block). Both me and Rach removed as much loose crap as we could within the realms of "cleaning" rather than just destroying the route.

I don't know about best diff ever, but this one is defiantly going to be hard to beat at the grade!

Sun, sea, sand and loose rock…

Last bank holiday weekend I managed to finally get climbing on the Lleyn Peninsular. I met Soames early Saturday morning and we headed into the Ty’n Tywyn Quarries. Considering the terrible weather report we actually managed to get good weather most of the weekend (the rain mostly fell at night) and I even might have picked up a little tan on the final day. So what did we get up to?

Day 1: Lleyn

A new cliff and a new rock type. Ty’n Tywyn Quarries is a very interesting place to climb. The rock is a micro-granite so it’s really compact. Finding places for gear proved to be a little problematic at time, but if in doubt (run it out!). Considering it is so compact you’d think that it wasn’t loose! Ha-ha you’d be wrong! Over the next couple of day’s me and Soames must have move about a tonne of rock between us. 

My first route was Timex (VD) but don’t let the low grade ease you. Soames lead P1 which was a run out slab but at a nice angle. About 10 minutes and 2 pieces of gear he was clipping an iron stake belay. Pitch 2 was mine and thankfully it had more gear, but it was still a little run out. It took a rising traverse line breaking through a series of overlaps at their weaknesses. Good value for VD but more like HS in reality!

The main slab of quarry 5

The second route was Sanatogen (VD). I took pitch 1 which followed a slab and corner up to a decent belay. The pitch had loads of gear, a little loose rock and good friction. It was worth its grade. Pitch 2 was a little different, and Soames’s lead. The first gear was a couple of opposing microwires before crossing an overlap to gain a slab. The slab was again gearless but pretty good climbing before a decent piece of gear and a hand traverse off to the left, avoiding a horn of rock. Another good value VD probably more worthy of a higher grade.

There’s more climbing to come. The next route was Round the Horn (HVS 5a) and it took an unprotected slab. To an overlap (and some gear) before turning the ‘lap and arriving at the belay stance of Sanatogen. Soames led this pitch as he’d been eyeing it up for a couple of days. I took the sharp end and followed Sanatogen to the hand traverse around the horn, only this time I went straight over it (very scrappily I might add) to top out. Not bad for 5a, but I’m not sure about the grade. 

Next up was our final route of the day (not that we knew it at the time). I’d picked Flat Iron to do, as it went at VS but there was no tech grades. The guidebook indicates that the lack of tech grades on some routes might reflect their nature or their lack of traffic. In the end it was the only route in that area of the cliff that we could be sure of the line, and as for the grade? Well it was closer to MXS 4b/c to be honest. Pitch 1 was for Soames, a delicate diagonal traverse across a slab… with no gear until reaching another iron spike belay (this was pretty eaten away). Found backed it up with a b/s nut and brought me up. The second pitch was nice. The climbing was actually quite good and reasonably technical, that is until I broke my hold pull pulling on it. I thought I was off and as I had no gear in I panicked a little (to say the least). I moved up and sunk 2 decent nuts into a good crack, breathing a sigh of relief and listening to Soames chuckle. Pitch 2 carried on up this ramp to a chimney. The chimney itself actually was really nice to climb, stemming and bridging up it. The gorse bush that was growing in it made it slightly less nice to climb. I should have cut it off to improve the route, but thought that wouldn’t have been sporting. I belayed off another iron spike, backed up with nuts and small cams. The final pitch was a brilliant bit of climbing from Soames, especially considering the nature of the rock he was on. The first rock over onto the slab prove pretty hard but at least gave him opportunity to place a piece of gear. From here the gear rapidly worsened, as did the rock. But it was good climbing. I topped out, glad to be on the bitter end of the rope rather than the sharp end for that pitch.

What a grand day out! Over tea (an excellent tarkha Dahl cooked by Soames) we discussed the new routing potential of the cliff and agreed the best thing to do would be to go back and take advantage of this fact the next day. 

Day2 : Lleyn again!

I woke up at 0515 and it was raining so I rolled over and went back to sleep. We eventually work up and had breakfast waiting for Stuart and Mick to arrive. The plan was set to head straight back to quarry 5 with a couple of new route possibilities in mind. This time I felt it necessary to sport my most garish of lycra for the day climb as the weather looked a little glum. 

On arriving at the quarry Stu and Mick set off up Sanatogen to get a taste for the cliff whilst Soames and I did a nice route called Exlax (HS 4a). This was a good route with decent gear for the crux as you broke through an overlap. The belay didn’t inspire much confidence as it was only a single iron bar, jutting perpendicular from the cliff. Then the second pitch followed a parallel line to Sanatogen, breaking through the overlap as it cross Timex before tackling the largest over hang. Thankfully this had an awesome borehole for gear and as a handhold. Soames’s happy little laugh as he finally clipped a decent piece of gear before pulling floated down the crag top. 

Then it rained.

Looking back along ptich 2

By this time we Soames and I had hunkered down behind a wall and were watching Stuart and Mick bail of the route next to ours in the rain. Luckily it passed quickly and it dried off fast giving us an opportunity to try and put up a new route. Pitch 1 took a slabby arête with better gear higher up to the belay for Sanatogen. It was nice piece and good start to the route. I took pitch 2 which went diagonally up the slab the follow under an inverted staircase overhang before pushing through the overlap and continuing under the next overhang. This was a great pitch to lead as the climbing was relatively easy, but the rock was a little suspect and I wasn’t too sure how much gear I’d get in. As it happened I emptied a third of my rack into the wall and belayed 40 metres away from Soames on the first decent crack I could get more than one piece of gear into (I had 6 in the end). Pitch 3 was Soames and what a good line. He carried on following underneath the overhang before dropping down a little into a corner. Here he could climb the corner and get onto the slab above before fighting his was through some very larger jumbled block that formed the last second. I watched as hand holds crumbled and foot holds slide away, only to find and awesome pitch for me to second. The route is called Interstella Ella named after the space walking on p2 and p3 and Soames new born daughter, Ella. It goes at about VS 4b and will get better with traffic. I think there is probably still time to grab a second ascent!

Soames tackling the crux of pitch 3

We only put up one other FA that day. Before that we sat around to watch Stuart on a 40 metre long E1 5b, which looked reasonably necked. It was a bloody good lead from Stu as the gear didn’t look so good. I sadly watched most of it upside down as I’d managed to trip and fall on the screen, gashing my knee open most spectacularly, and lay on the floor with my leg propped up on a broken spade. 

Our final route was another line we’d spotted the day before. It took a clean slab that wiggled it way up the cliff between Quarry 4 & 5. In the end I named it The Lycra Finish and gave it a grade of HVS 4c. It’s reasonably technical climbing based on the fact that several of the “good” holds are actual larger loose flakes that need to be avoided. Instead you get a run out slab climb with 3 pieces of gear, all of which are a little crappy. It doesn’t compare to Interstella Ella but it’ll appeal the climber who values a psychological lead over a safer and more technical. 

Day 3: Rhoscolyn!

I’ve only climbed at Rhoscolyn once and that was an awesome experience. I did Icarus (HVS 5a) with Mick, late one summers evening as the sun was setting. I was more than happy to get back there. After the new routing we needed to write them up at Pete’s, so it seemed silly to drive back to the Lleyn. This was also my first time writing up a new route so I was pretty happy. 

Rhoscolyn is a beautiful place. Shorter cliff than Gogarth but it still has a big feel to it. The rock is still quartzite which is nice. I really can’t wait for the Gogarth South guide book to come out, but seeing as I’ve been waiting 2 years I don’t have much hope. I’m not sure what’s going on with Ground Up, but they don’t seem to actually be producing guidebooks at the moment. I did 2 routes at this cliff. The first was Symphony Crack (severe). Sea cliffs scare me (bad experience at Gogarth involving high swell) and added to the fact I nearly slipped off the scramble in due to breaking off a hold I was a little on edge. 

A Soames in its natural habitat!

Symphony Crack looks like it overhangs by about 45 degrees. It looks really imposing, like it’ll force you backward when you try and climb it. Don’t be put off by this as it really is an excellent route. Considering it is only a severe on a sea cliff I can’t see why if doesn’t get more traffic! I guess just no-body knows about it. I climbed the route trying to use my arms as little as possible. This meant that I spent most of the route wiggling my back against the wall and commencing some quasi-chimenying motion or stemming wildly. The route has a load of pro all the way up and when climbed well it isn’t pumpy at all. This so be on everyone classic sea-cliff list… and it doesn’t even get a star!

Having done Symphony Crack, it was time for another of Soames’s classic routes, Baggy’s Crack (Diff). We’ve been doing a lot of “lower-grade” climbing this weekend (V.diffs and severes) and most of these routes are not something you’d want to send an aspiring VD leader up. Baggy’s was no different. Just as Soames described, it’s like a cenotaph corner but at a more convenient angle. The hardest part of the route was probably the scramble in, which required soloing above the ocean to then construct a hanging belay. The route itself was great. Good holds, good gear and nice climbing. It is again a fantastic route that needs more stars than it has, especially for its grade.

The cave below the route "electic Blue"

And well that was it climbing wise. I did look at Truant (VS) but in the end decided that it was worth leaving it as something to come back to. Instead we went and sat on the other side of the little zawn and watched Stuart and Mick climbing, even saw an another adder on the walk out. The Lleyn Peninsular seems to be embody what I like in climbing, adventure. I’ve not caught the new routing bug and can’t wait to get back to the Lleyn as there is so much potential. I liked trying the routes, cleaning then onsight and keeping a good ethic about the place. I’ll be throwing a rack of pegs into my bag for the next trip I think though… and a good brush!

Slow teams, Sea cliffs and Silly Arete...

 

So I should have been in the Lake District this weekend just gone with the Wrekin, but the allure of a trip to Gogarth was too great, and I'm a sucker for Gogarth. An alpine start on the friday morning was disrupted by Toaf and some keys, setting us back an hour. We still managed to meet Stewie and get some breakfast at Eric's Cafe. Here we met Tom, swapped into one car and hit the road to Anglesey. 

Toaf and Tom dislike climbing at Gogarth (they'll also admit it so they won't mind me putting it on here). Its not the climbing, it's the fact that you spend the time dangling around above the ocean I think. I can see where they're coming from completely. More than once I've let it get to me. Toaf will stretch to Wen Zawn, so that was where we headed, however it seemed like the world and his wife was heading to Wen so we buggered off that plan. Instead we took a short detour to Main Cliff.

You can walk into main cliff, but the word work is a loose term (as is the terrain, joke!). Sitting on the rim enjoying pre climb snacks Me and Stewie teamed up to climb something down on the cliff. On the cards was either The Strand or Gogarth itself. As we got down a scottish/finnish team was heading for the strand so we went straight to the base of Goagarth (E1 5b). Annoyingly there was a party on the first pitch, but after being reassured by thier friend that they where a quick team off we set up after them, taking our time.

As it happened they where not a quick team and we got held up all the way. We estimated that it must have taken us twice as long, but it least it meant we could take it easy. 

P1 (4b) fell to Stewie a groove to a sound belay while I hung out listening to the waves crash around beneath me. This pitch took us ages and my thoughts where left to wonder, normally towards the reason as to why the party before us was taking so long. I got P2 (5a) and traverse on small crimps which then went up and back round on itself. The pitch was definatly "out there" and not what I was expecting (quarztite always takes a little getting used to). I wasn't impressed with my ropework as I should have put more runners in on the final section. I was more worried about m0ving quickly for some odd reason.

P3 & 4 (5a) we ran together with Stewie taking a long (40m+) lead. From my stance on the 2nd belay I had a really good look at the final pitch and the crack system I would have to contend with. Stewie lead a good pitch of pretty hard slab and corner climbing and we sat eating wine gums, chewy sweets and waiting on the last but one belay. As we'd been climbing another party below us had started and I'd been talking to them. The poor guy had unleashed a krab of wires on the second pitch loosing what thier thought was a set of medium size rocks. Thankfully it only turned out to be 4 or 5, but I still made a note to be extra careful.

P5 (or p4 depending on how you look at it). It was supposed ot be a 5b pitch and looked like it too 3 steep/slightly overhanging cracks. I traversed out below them and placed enough gear should I fall off (Stewie commented that it was more than I use on most belays!). I knew the crux would be short (3 metres) and I could probably power through and place something after, so I went for it. The crux was hard. Like really hard but I managed it without coming off and then found that the rest of the climb seemed about 5a, not quite what I was hoping for. I got something in and then carried one, hanging on loose sounding flakes until I topped out on a gravelly ledge. Stewie must have managed it easily as he seemed to fly up it. 

So thanks to being stuck behind someone it took us most of the day to complete this route. By now Tom & Toaf had moved off to climb on Holyhead Mountain. We joined them to find Toaf topping out on a HVS 4c while me and Stu lacked the motivation to do anything more. Eventually we bombed back to the car for a couple of beers (7!) back at the Golden Fleece in Tremadog. 

Strangely I had almost no hangover from the night before. Maybe it was good beer, maybe it was all the water I drunk before I went to bed, or the nice warm bed I had in Eric's Barn. We breakfasted at Tremadog and set off for Craig Pant Ifan. Although Bwlch y Moch is closer I've been there so often that I can't get inspired. Instead I was to send Stewie up Scratch Arete (HVS 5a) while Tom & Toaf would do Scratch (VS 4b). Here's how it went...

I took first pitch of SA, which was harder than I expected it to be with some big moves to get over the overhang. Little did I know that this would be a day of overhangs for me and Stu. Stewie took the second pitch and started off the slab. I've told him not to btoher with the big gear (size 3 & 3.5 cam) as he wasn't going to need it but as I looked up I saw the final crack and rememeber I'd done the same thing last time. I decided not to mention it. At the over hang he hung around for a while placing as much gear as he could (finally my little cam gets used) and discovering the "hidden" peg round the corner. Later we would read about it in the guidebook! Not believing there was a good hold to go to, Stu then launched himself up and over the overlap finding said good hold and then carried on up the slab with relative ease to finish. What a route!

I then attempted Silly Arete (E3 5c) but after arriving at the overlap, I backed off. Someone had left a sling and maillion behind which I took adventage off, but I downclimbed it as much as I could. I know thats only a little thing but it meant alot to me. I was pretty bummed out about not climbing it, or not really trying when we got to the bottom... then Stu suggested doing Barbarian (E1 5b). 


Stewie took the first pitch and found it harder than he should he said. It didn't look or feel like a good pitch to climb though. I then had P2 (5b). I looked up at this massive overhang sticking out above us, "F*** that" I said. Stewie reply was somewhere along the lines of "just get on with it" so I did, begrudgingly. As I started off up the pitch with the first overlap I almost slipped off (good start!) and Toaf poked his head round to see what we where up to from the lead of Scratch. When he saw the overhang I was heading for he quickly called Tom across to watch too. 

Underneath it really was as big as it looked, but with pretty bomber gear. I got a decent wire in and then clipped the aging sling of a overcammed DMM 4cu, rotting away at the back of the crack (it looked ok). I thing thought of my size 4 cam, sitting on my bed at home. I'd neglected to bring it as I wasn't planning on using it. Last time I leave it at home as it would have fitted perfect! I then got up on into the overhand. With an extremely painful fingerlock which was so tight I was worried I'd get them stuck. I placed a size 1 cam and reversed to get a rest below the roof. Then went for it. I heard Toaf, Stewie and Tom yelling and egging me on as I scrabbled with heel hooks and slapping hands to try and get my fingers out of that tight lock and round again. I manged to get out, round the roof and got the ledge I was aiming for, shaking madly and tried to pull up on it. I tried so hard and eventually got it pulling myself up panting, sweating, shaking and smiling broadly onto the ledge. Never has climbing such a short distance taken so much out of me. 

Stewie followed my up with relative ease (I swear he's catching up) as I belayed getting dripped on by the roof above. He then took the last pitch, a 4c groove line. This was harder than 4c and had a loose block to contend with and was pretty dirty. Stewie lead it well and I followed still shaking a little. 

Thus ended our weekend, or so I thought. Stewie needed to get back so we high tailed it to Eric's cafe for a brew and he then headed off. This was going to be my first weekend in a while when I hadn't visited a new crag, but Tom suggested a final bouldering session in the evening sun before we went home so off to Carreg Hylldrem we went. My camera battery had died but we did some wicked bouldering (flashed a V4 first go) then worked a bunch of cool problems adding a removing holds as we saw fit.

Wrekin MC trip to Angelsey (Aug 28th - 30th)

Off to wales (serious I should just move there) but to Angelsey instead of the mainland. Auntie Sally had sorted a campsite near Rhoscolyn (Outdoor Alternative, which is a wicked place to stay) close to the beach (walk) and a short drive to the sea cliffs of Gogarth and Holyhead Mountain.

On the Saturday I drove up with Rach from Birmingham meaning we could stop off in Llangollen. The significance of this that I could stop off here and do my shopping for the weekend. After stocking up on fresh fruit, potatoes, cheese and bread off we set. We climbed at holyhead mountain for the day. Starting on Ramp C Rach seconded a couple of routes while I scrambled round taking photos. Then I jumped on the sharp end and lead P.C.H. (E1 5b). I don't know what it means either. I nearly fluffed it too and backed off the crux. It wasn't the purest ascent either. Either way I manned up after some shaking and whining a little and did the crux (from the slightly easier variant!). Just after the crux I managed to get in my biggest blue hex (well torque nut). Its a lovely feeling placing of gear, it just defines a bomber placement! Then we wondered round the Ramp B and I lead Romulus (VS 5a). It was a good route but a bitter of a one move wonder. The I lead Candlestick (HS 4b) which was an awesome route. Both Sal and Rach seconded me up this and we decided to call it a day.

The Sunday greeted us with poor weather (clouds) which eventually became driving rain. After almost suffering another defeat playing domino's I opted to go to Holyhead and drink tea sitting in a cafe. My plan was that we'd have good weather later on in the afternoon. I was right and we had great weather, well too good weather. Burning sunshine and a 40mph onshore wind which ruled out Gogarth main cliff (after a quick sortie with Mick we decided against it). So ended up at Holyhead again and I took another shot at The Arrow (E3 5c) on Quartz wall. Today was not to the the day and I ended up escaping off onto Tension (VS 4b) which as it happens is a wicked route.

Then we left Holyhead through shear lack of drive to climb and headed back to the campsite. I fancied a walk across the beach and then along the cliffs to explore Rhoscolyn, and possibly get a route in. The walk was pretty nice and easy especially as the sun was starting to set and we arrived at Llawder (the crag) with plenty of time for a route. An added bonus, well a couple really, was that we were not in the wind and the cliff was a walk-in. Me and Mick picked Icarus (HVS 5a) to do, I lead both pitches. P1 was pretty cool as it looked simple until you actually go on it. There was less gear than desired but the climbing was easy above the run-outs. The pitch almost had me off as I tried to place a wire and nearly over-balanced. Never fear as I didn't fall off but finished the pitch a little more gripped than I would have liked.

Pitch 2 was just even better! The climbing was harder but the rock was better and had more friction. It was good bridging and jamming in the crack all the way up, but it was strenuous. In the end I thought I was going to come off, but I hung on and topped out, smiling in the evening sun.

Monday came around and the sun was out. Instead of a day on the sea cliffs we took advantage of the good weather for a day in the mountains. We did Grooved Arete (HVD) on Tryfan's east face. I took p1 which had a thrutch groove to contend with, Rach took p2 and did a great lead, p3 was mine and I went completely off route but manage to get 2 stacked hex's as a piece of gear! Rach then took p4, but slipped off and decided to belay there so I finished it. Rach was a little shook up from slipping off so I took the last two pitches. The p5 was the chequered slab pitch and p6 was a thutchy groove where I places every hex I had (always the sign of a good pitch). We then hightailed it down the descent gully and manged to walk off in the setting evening sun.

All in all it was a good weekend. I manged to get out onto a new crag (Llawder at Rhoscolyn), explored a new area of holyhead mountain and did a classic mountain route on a glorious day out.

Cornwall, a southern adventure

Been kicking it in Cornwall for the past few days. I say cornwall but what I mean in Devon, Cornwall and Avon. Me, Sid and Rach drove down after picking up Rach from work at like 2230 on the monday night, meaning we had a nice arrival time of 3am, and to top it off it was pelting down with rain!

The Tuesday came around proper and it was still pretty wet. We made a break for the nearest foodery (ASDA) and ended up in the town of Bude. The rain held off long enough for us to get out for a walk along the beach. Then it cleared up and we made for Compass point but although the weather had cleared up sadly the tide was rapidly coming in. This was the first time this trip the tide was a problem for us. Instead Rachel (as a sea-faring hobbit) offered to teach me and Sid how to row, so we hired a boat and took it out on Bude canal whilst me and Sid learned to master the ocean, or try at least.

Wednesday was a nice bright sunny day so off we went to Baggy Point (Devon). We'd planned to climb in both Scrattling Zawn and Promontary Cliffs but the tide was massive and quick so we headed staright to Scrattling Zawn. This was Sid's first sea cliff climbing experience. We got down to the area we had decided to climb in and Rach had Sid's eyes lit up when he saw Scrattling Crack (VD). As he was worried about building a belay at the top f the route I said I'd jug back up the abseil rope and meet him at the top. So as he climbed up, I set off up the ab rope.

Sid had no problems leading the crack and topped out just fine. After a while we found enough anchors for him to construct a decent belay out of and up cam Rach. Not bad for Sid's 2nd lead. We had a spot of bread and cheese for lunch before another rapid descent down the abseil rope so I could get on Chiounard's Yard 1 (HVS 5a). I'm not a great big fan of the rockfax guidebooks as they just feel a little off to me, but the little symbol for this climb was "fluttery". I'd definatly say it was fluttery climbing because I have 6 pieces of gear in for the whole 40 metre route! Three of these were bomber, but all at or above half height of the route. Either way the route was pretty fantastic on compact sandstone. It had a few loose holds (both me and Rach pulled one off) and was beautifully exposed. I loved it, so did Rach and Sid.

With the tide hot on our tails be decided not to abseil back in but take a walk back to Croyde bay, foraging blackberries so Rach could make some jam on the way.

Thursday and off we set to Vicarage Cliff. The weather was looking a little overcast, but it didn't really threaten to rain. We parked up at the Tea Room and dashed off to the cliff. Alas us being so eager hadn't taken into account that the tide would be in. We had a choice of sitting and waiting staring out into the ocean, or sitting and waiting in the tea room. I think you can see that the choice was clear, so me and sid enjoyed a nice pot of tea and a warm scone with clotted cream, while Rach had coffee and coffee cake!

Off to the crag we went, take two! The walk in for Vicarage cliff is a little interesting. Finding it is damn awkward as the guidebook isn't too clear on where the descent is. It was only really by chance that I'd spotted the guiderope from the cliff top before that we found it. The descent has a couple of old pieces of cord to act as guideropes that end in a giant orange bouy, probably so you can see the damn thing when your running back across the beach from the tide!

Sid geared up for Tombstone (S 4a), his third lead and without any means for me to get to the top and check his belay, he was flying solo on this one. He lead it really well, with pretty much good gear all the way up. On the crux I was so nervous that his foot would slip off I actually almost couldn't watch, but he did it and was beaming with relief when he got to the top. I seconded this and concluded that it was not easy at all, so good effort Sid.

I then jumped on Harpoon (E2 5b). This was serious climbing, all about 5b on pretty bad gear. There was nothing larger than a size 3 nut, and mostly it was rusty old pegs. Having said that I got to place my tiny little yellow zero cam, something I've not really placed much and it was a crucial runner (thought it did reduce my finger hole to a mono in the process). The route itself wandered up the slab, using a little arete for part of it but it was mainly smearing for the feet and crimps and two/one finger pockets/edges for the hands. It was a great experience climbing something that you couldn't really afford to fall off. It's just something I haven't done for a while.
We then bugged out as the tide was coming in again and scrambled back up the dire walk-in.

Are final day in Cornwall (or was it Devon?) we packed up all the tentage and camping equipement and set off home early, but with a plan. Rach had not got to lead anything this trip os far so we where heading to Avon gorge on the way back. If we'd staying in Cornwall we'd never have got any climbing done because of the tides anyway. We ended up on The Arete (VD). Rach ran both pitch 1 & 2 together and sid took the second pitch, while I came along as a passanger (or and Uncle Rob would call it "technical support") and dutifully carried up a bad full of the food. The ledge that the route finishes on is called lunchtime ledge anyway so it had to be done! After a spot of lunch we abseiled off and got back in the car for the final journey home.

All in all it was a pretty cool trip down south. I've never really climbed in Devon before or along the Culm Coast so it was awesome to get on some sandstone like that. We took my camera and spent the whole trip filming everything with could so I've been trying to put it all together in a short film. I'll post it on here when I can!

Well, your no Nelson...

Cornwall and sea-cliffs for the may bank holiday weekend. It seems like I end up sea cliff climbing alot right now, not that it bothers me. I enjoy the fact that it's much more commiting then just single pitching in say, the Peak. I headed down on the friday night in Stewie's van and we camped in luxury all weekend. Seriously we had a tent you could have parked my old car inside, full camping stoves and frying pans, hell we even had chairs!

The weather reports for the weekend did not look good. Not good at all. Rain showers where pretty much predicted all weekend, with monday being our best day. Sadly I knew we'd be heading off a little earlier on the mondayso wouldn't be able tog et a full day in anyway. Still we come to brave the weather and we went to chairladder on the Saturday. In fact we had chairladder all to ourselves.

Thinking we'd got the tides spot on we left the abseil rope behind and headed for Detergent Wall on the main face. This would have proved a good plan, except that the tide wasn't quite low enough for us so I tried to traverse across the wall from ash can gully to the chimney/groove of D.wall. This wasn't possible so back I climbed. Instead we tried to walk to the bottom and after a 4 metre abseil to jump the sea we realised that reaching the start of D.wall just wasn't going to happen, at least not for another hour or so. Instead we made our way across the rocks to do Mine Climb (HVS 5a). After watching me run squeaking from the sea, Stewie looked at me and just muttered "Well, your no nelson are you". No I'm not, I'm afraid of the sea, it eats gear, gets you wet and has a habit of drowning you if you fall in it.

Mine climb takes a groove to below a roof, then over the roof and up across the slab to finish. It was agreed I'd tackle the 5a roof pitch, although deep down I was actually dreading it. I was afriad I'd pump out trying to get over it and fall off. After a initial scrambly start to gain a guano covered ledge Stewie set off up the groove/wall to the first belay. I joined him, swapped the gear and then headed up to the roof. It looked pretty big but I could reach the lip. After a little reach around I found a good hold and just committed to it. The hold seemed to carry on along the cliff and formed a massive jug, thankfully. I pulled over the roof and set off up the wall above. This was pretty easy and Stewie lead the final pitch off.

At the bags Stewie convinced me that we should lead Bishop's Rib (E1 5b). I was pretty hesitant as I wasn't so sure about this granite stuff yet, but Stewie's enthusiasm andthe picture in the book inspired me so off we scrambled. This time down a different gully bringing us to the starting pitch. It looked necky, like really necky. Either way I'd committed myself to it now and with some encrouagement from Stu I headed off. I managed to fit a single wire in to protect the first move and prayed I wouldn't have to test it. Then off up the slab. There was a good ledge to rest on which mean I could arrange a nest of protection for the next bit, mostly small wires (sub 4kn). I knew I'd have to commit fully to the next move and went for it. It gave me access to an awesome cam placement (thankfully I had spotted it and had it pre-rigged on my harness). In went the cam and off I went on a crimpy layback crux to surmount an overhang. God it was excellent! Stewie took the second pitch which dissapointed him. After an initially scary start it eased off greatly. However he was out of earshot almost immediatly and the weather had decided to start moving in. I wasn't looking forward to to prospect of climbing 5a in the rain. After what seemed like forever (it wasn't) I got a tug and set off, praying the rain wouldn't start. We bugged out with a plan to head back after that.

...but the rain never came. As we where driving through Sennen we decided to stop off for a pasty and see if the other Wrekin people where still about. They where and we were pursuaded to do Africa Route (VS 5a). Apart for a suqency start which would result in a ground fall if you messed it up, it was a excellent route. I felt VS 5a was good grade for it as it had everything from jamming, laybacking and some pseudo-chimneying. We bugged out as our car parking was coming up.

That night we headed to The Queen's Head and got Doom Barred. This for anyone who doesn't know means we got very drunk on a Beer called "Doom Bar" (an excellent brew I must add). The night carried on with talk of climbing, ethics, bolting, and cold fusion & e=mc2. You can imagine what kind of night it was and how we felt in the morning. The gods had blesses us with a little rain in the morning, meaning we could stay in bed till the late time of 0830. We took it easy and headed back to Chairladder (again!) as that was where the group was going. Today it was much busier so we headed far away from the crowd to do a route called Pirouette (HVS 5a). The guidebook description and topo didn't seem to link up together so we went with what seemed about that grade and I think it paid off (well I didn't die so). It was good route on a nice quiet part of the cliff. Having said that I should mention the rock was a little crumblier, probably the reason it was so quiet?

We then headed for Detergent Wall (HVS 5a) so it was back down Ash Can Gully but instead of bumbling around scrambling and abseiling we nipped down some roped left by a Navy Mountaineering club. Detergent wall didnt exactly turn out to be the nice simple HVS we'd hoped. The first pitch, whilst only 4b apparently was a horrible move with an ankle snapping landing. The next pitch however was the good pitch. It was definatly runout as the guidebook stated but had enough goo protection to make me feel happy. Stewie thoiught it was a good pitch too. The only downside was the low flying sea gulls which didn't take too kindly to us. The third pitch proved a massive problem due to the orange/green lichen that covered the final holds. Instead Stewie escaped up Pendulum Chimeny's finaly pitch. Our forth and final pitch had me diving to the floor when a seagull went for me, and then avoiding the vomit! I've never seen us climb so quickly just to avoid something as trivial as a 3kg bird. Eventually we where safe at last.

With an incoming tide but abseil ropes pre-rigged (thanks navy boys). We skirted around suicide pool and climbed to the ledge below our final route of the weekend, The Surfboard (HVS 5b). I took the first pitch as it looked excellent. Little did I know how scared I'd be. My little peenut seemed like my own good piece of gear I had in. I seriously didn't want to fall into the offwidth beneath me! I did mange the final moves to the cave stance, and took a minute to compose myself. Stewie flew up it. The difference between the fear of falling and how well you can climb without that seems great.

Stewie took the second pitch and made it out to the overhang he was meant to be going over. The backed up his gear, and went for it... before rapidly retreating. Stewie complained that it was too much and he nipped up Diocese (VS 5a) instead. When I seconded it I realised that it was overhang off the first route we did (Mine Climb), it was just that Stewie had come from a different direction. Either way he did an awesome pitch. I took the final 4b pitch which was stiff as hell for some reason.

It was 1840 now so we headed back for some more Doom Bar and a quieter night. Sunday rolled around and we packed up. One downside of having a massive tent and luxury items is that it takes forever to actually pack everything away again, I think if anything I prefere my smaller tent. Instead of climbing in cornwall we started off early with a plan to do a route in Avon Gorge on the way back. We got to Avon for early afternoon (we did set off late) and ended up at main wall, sponging a guidebook off some nice people and started up Clarion (VS 4c). It was an awesome route and I hopefully will get back to Avon Gorge alot more in future. We managed to dogde the rain, barely and get on the road again to head back.

Cornwalls a pretty cool place. The jumbling granite blocks arn't quite like the limestone cliffs of Pembroke or the quartzite walls of Gogarth. The ability to scramble to the bottom of most of the cliffs makes it a much more accessable venue. As for the granite itself having a big rack paid off. On some routes or pitches I placed nothing but cams so having a full rack of them paid off. I like granite, bit it doesn't half tear you to shreds.