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!
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