The Magic Rock

3rd July 2009

East Crag Trewavas
Avalanche - VS 5a - Lead

West Crag Trewavas
Per Ardua - VS 4c - Lead

Explaining to someone where your climbing at Trewavas can be confusing. Are we on the East Crag South face or the West crag West face. We ended up on both, but not without the crag fighting back.

I had made a cursory glance at the guidbook on the way in and never having climbed on the main seaward face decided that a VS called Avalanche looked OK. From the bottom the crux crack looks hard but up close it looks a lot harder and when your on it you discover its even harder than it looked.

The first part of the climb is a series of moves up through bolders and short faces. Once at the top, you are faced with pulling yourself up into the overhanging crack and then trying to stay in it. The guide book describes it as strenuous and it is. Placing pro (which is very good) is tough and I found moving a bit more quickly helped. As I topped out my arms were shot  and I had a bad attack of disco leg, but it was a great climb which got the adrenaline flowing. I made it particularly interesting for Joe who had to hang around trying to remove a well placed nut which refused to budge. Just what you need on an overhanging crack.

With the sun setting we decided to give the West crag a go as it was still in the sunshine. This was a good idea flawed by the Gorse jungle which we had to pass through. Obviously not climbed very often. By time we made it to the platform our legs were shredded by brambles and a variety of nasty thorny things.

We abbed in and decided to try Per Ardua a really tricky VS. Not so strenuous as Avalanche but with a baffling move up to an arrete. There is a hidden hold that you need to find which unlocks it. Joe previous exersions at boxing training were starting to tell so in the end I gave it a go. I think I've climbed this before a long time back on a top rope with Bart (I remembered the jammed nut which is still there!) which explains why it seemed familiar. This time on the lead it felt a bit more exposed but once past the crux move the climbing is on good holds.

Then it was back through the gorse forest (next time I'm bringing a machette) and a beautiful walk back to the car past the restored engine houses and an amazingly coloured slow worm hanging out on the coast path. This is a good venue for those evening trips as its a bit closer than West Penwith.

Chair Ladder
26th June 2009

Seal Slab - VS 4c, 4b - Alt Lead (P1)
The Buccaneer - VS 4c, 4b - Alt Lead (P2)

Two great climbs, both with contrasting pitches. The day didnt go completely according to plan, as we had hoped to do South Face Direct, but our feathered locals had something to say about that.

With the tide dropping back, Seal Slab was an obvious starting point. The bottom was damp and a bit slippery, but not too bad. Once off the initial slab, things dried out quickly and the corner/overhang was great fun. More exposed than I thought, it was solid climbing with good protection. My arrival on the belay ledge brought our first encounter with nesting seagulls. A suprise because I thought they would be done by now. Maybe this is a second batch. Anyway, they look strangely cute in a gawky sort of way, but boy do they stink and the belays were pretty manky.

The second pitch involved skirting around a tiny chick and tackling a layback crack and a short chimney before eventually scrambling over a series of lichen covered terraces. Coupled together its a really enjoyable climb, nicely exposed and with amazing views out towards the seal colony.

We mooched over towards South Face Direct, but were confronted by ledges still full of nesting gulls surrounding the route up. The last thing we wanted was chicks jumping off ledges as we appeared on them and when 'mama' gul crapped straight down the main crack on pitch two, we figured it was best avoided until the young ones were gone and it stopped raining guano .

The Buccaneer was a secondary choice, picked mainly because of the absence of Guls and guano. It is different again following the left side of a steep gully to a large ledge and then finishing up a chimney (oh yes another chimney for me). It was decidedly wet on the lower section which made it very difficult. Chris did phenominally well to keep his footing and made a good job. I was less positive and gave it the thrutch approach hauling myself up. The one big advantage of the Buccaneer is that it is very well protected, with bomber placements throughout. It gives you more confidence on the slippery sections.

Of course when it came to the chimney I managed to get myself stuck as usual, although I must be honest and say I enjoyed it. The move up into the chimney is great. I just think I'm thinner than I really am.

Sally will be gutted as the basking sharks were out and patrolling off the coast. Typical. In fact, all the coastal woldlife was blooming with the usual array of seals, fulmars, herring guls and lots more. Another great day. Keep them coming....

20th June 2009

St Loy Cliff

Yardang - VS 5a - Lead
Cenopod Corner - HS 4b - Second
Ivy Incorporated - V Diff - bailed

Its been a while since I was properly scared but Yardang did it for me. More adrenaline than I'm used to. Graded at 5a I assumed the hard move was the start or it would be well protected, hence its VS grade; but the moves kept coming and for me it was one of the toughest leads I've done. A good Cam low down gives you confidence but after that nothing seems to fit (at least for me).

The crack takes cams but always a little offset and it was only at about the two thirds point when I got a solid nut in that I felt better. Shortlived though, as placements again prove tricky above and the top crack is too vegetated to place gear. Maybe I was not mentally right, but one of the scariest leads I've had. I reached the top pumped and drained, but very pleased with myself. I'd give the climb Hard VS 5a, but what do I know about grades......

Of course Chris then sailed up it making it look easy!!!  Sally had joined us for the day and I think she found it as hard as me, but noticeably Chris took a line on the left of the crack. This seemed to make the climb easier, but would have made placing gear even more difficult.

St Loy as usual kept its remote feeling. Detached from the bustle of things, it makes you feel you're part of something special and priveleged to be in such a beautiful area. A quick walk up through the ferns took us to Cenopod Corner, a lead for Chris. This too has a strenuous start and remains strenuous right through to the upper ledge. A great route though, which forces you to use good technique on the crux.

By this time we were all getting thoroughly cooked on what was turning out to be a hot day - thank god for the breeze. A bit of adventure followed as we tried for the shortcut across the bottom of the crag with all our gear. We got there, but not without a bit of meandering up and down the gulleys.

The final climb of the day was Ivy Incorporated, aptly named. Tough for Sally who led it at the end of a tiring day; it has a tricky start before running diagonally up the face into the top gully. I inspired Sally with tales of climbers falling off to build her confidence and then bailed on it with a poor excuse of a bad knee. Still I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at the top watching them both come up. From above the climb looks great, nicely exposed with a rainforest gulley at the top. Bring a parang and a shovel.

The walk out was as tough as the walk in. I think the walk from Penberth is harder than from Boskenna, but the views make up for it. All in all a cracking day out at the crag.

11th June 2009
Roche Rock

Tregegles Crack - Severe 4b - Lead
Porkys - VS 4c - Lead
Lord Falmouth - E1 5b - Second

An evening session at Roche saw Joe bag his first E1 Lead. Lord Falmouth has a technical and smeary lower pitch with almost no pro for 9 metres. After this it eases and although the overhags look trickier they are OK with good holds coming all the way up. Still it was a balsy and great lead. We've all got to step up now that Joe has broken E1. I'm off to Vietnamerica at Pordenack on the next outing to bag mine.

I lead Porkys and the crack, both nice climbs and tricky for the grade. It was a good session all around so no doubt we'll be back at Roche again soon. Rich had his first outing at a  proper crag and enjoyed it, even if it made him a bit nervous. He'll get used to it.

6th June 2009
Clough Buttress (Carn Clough)

Popse - Severe 4a - Lead

We (Alex, Joe and me) abandoned our intended attempt on C Ridge becauseit was bloody freezing in the wind and we wanted a warm balmy day for the adventure. So onto Carn Clough and lovely hidden and very unspoiled crag just down the coast. The climbing is limited, but Popse was an excellent climb, if a bit vegetated on the lower section.

Trying to hang on whilst not disturbing any of the plants makes it interesting but we did it. Once clear of the initial groove you are faced with a chimney  (usually this means problems for me but not this time) which is the real jem of the climb. Move up into the chimney using the main face and then find the bomber gear placement and finish with confidence.

There are also a series of overhangs graded around HVS or E1 which are pumpy but look as though there is pro there.

The most impressive part of the crag is the view over the beach. We watched two basking sharks cruising around the bay for two hours. Magnificent animals.