The grit normally been a pleasant option in April especially for my Birthday weekend.
The weekend before I had a sunny but chilly day clipping bolts at Robin Proctors Scar after a miserable week of weather in the Moray Firth (a few hours bouldering at Cullen Caves 1 day and 1.5 routes at the lovely Logies Head was the sum climbing total).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3FbFtyNnqs
The bolt clipping was fun, though I was bit off what I aspire my pace to be but still new numerous flashes from 6a to 6b.
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| Some 6a ish thing at Robin Proctors Scar |
Mid week weather was poor but one evening session at Almscliff was achieved. Weather was grim on the journey down to the peak meaning I had to forego my usual evenings solo session at Birchen. Few southern based GMCers were on the meet list, Jurgen and Big Rich were off aiding Saturday so I met Paul and newly Sheffield based Anjay at the campsite in the morning. Sunshine was out but chill in the air and snow on the ground.
Lower crags felt a more sensible bet to keep out of the wind so after some deliberation we plumped for the safe, pleasant but not too exciting Birchen Edge. By not too exciting I mean there is very little at my desired grade range of HVS/E1.
The crag was mostly dry when we arrived and after a few solos Anjay was first up with a rope and took on Hammock a 5b eliminate start to Camperdown Crawl. Anjays purist mindset meant he refused the inviting crack of Camperdown for gear as well as holds. This meant a rather worrying spot as hes' a big lad but he made it to easy ground and gear without incident.
Paul having not climbed all year used the Camperdown crack a bit, I managed the 5b moves ok. I was up next and went for the tricky Barnacle bulge which I cruised last time I did it having previously failed on it many moons ago. Birchen is filled with hard starts as much of it is undercut at the base. After much huffing and puffing and up and downing followed by a change of approach I manged to do the hard start and bimble up the easy ground above. My seconds followed with a bit less fuss.
Next Anjay went for the famed sandbag of Orpheus wall with much used gear placements at the crux. After a couple of rests/falls and some ground based beta from me, Anjay dispatched the awkward crux and disappeared from view to find a belay after some jubilation. My seconding didn't go as well. Getting off the ground is surprisingly hard and had a little fall whilst Anjay was belaying the other rope attached to Paul!
The crux didn't go as well as the sunshine had left us leaving me with numb fingers to grasp rubbish holds, this combined with lack of will to fight the reachy move lead to shameful lower. At least I got the gear out!
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| Photo courtesy of Paul |
It was now Pauls turn to lead the way and he chose the miniature classic, Powder Monkey Parade. Paul had an amusing struggle surmounting the chockstone after the starting thrutchy groove. After a rest and delivery of large cams the traverse was quickly dispatched followed by the finishing slab.
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| Paul on Powder Monkey Parade |
I have done the start to Powder Monkey Parade numerous times as other routes share the udgy groove start. Today I struggled like never before to leave the ground, much to Paul's amusement. I did the notorious offwidth Desperation Crack at Brimham a year ago with less hassle.
Anjay then went for and got a clean ascent of Orpheus Wall. Whilst he was sorting out the ab I quickly nipped up the the one move wonder classic of Top Sail (Which according to my log book I first lead 6 years ago on my birthday). I followed this up with Porthole Direct a fun varied route including a slab, awkward groove, a lying down grovel before a overhanging chockstone finish. Despite the finishing move alone being harder than the 'move' on Topsail it has an easier grade (HS, in the definitive guide?)
Last route of the day was my personal highlight the Crows Nest. A wide crack to start into which I placed my monster cam before lovely classy gritstone slab padding leading to mini pinnacle summit. Both Anjay and Paul enjoyed this one as well.
A pleasant evening with Guildford Mountaineering club Splitters group (People from Yorkshire, N Wales, Lancashire, Sheffield and Norwich). Jurgen and Big Rich had fun attempting to aid some bolted roof thing in Dovehole Quarries. A few 'extra' beers were enjoyed with Rich after everyone else had retired to their beds.
After a chilly night Sunday dawned bright again. The first problem to overcome was extracting my van from the bog I had plonked it in Friday evening. Muscle power didn't work so had to resort to VW power.
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| Thanks Jurgen and the pushers! |
The next problem was where to go with limited imagination we settled for Stanage Plantation as felt the more preferred Millstone/Lawrencefield might still be damp. Anjay was keen to get on the softish E1 Milsoms Minion I recommended to him. That was first route of the day and was dispatched in fine style.
In a fun coincidence Big Rich wandered by as I was seconding so got to show him a free climbing masterclass with no shortage of banter flowing. I wasn't feeling overly motivated and as the area we were in filled up with fellow punters. We wandered rightwards, from afar I could see the Unconquerables were strangely quiet until I got closer and noticed the seepage at the bottom of the route explaining the lack of ascentionists.
I went for the nice looking line of Namenlos as was keen for an extreme tick (though it exists on the HVS/E1 border line). The starting crack was more strenuous than it looked but not too bad. At the top of the crack I went left and executed a heinous mantle pulling on rubbish rounded holds. Once stood safely on the ledge I commented that was never 5a to be told by Paul I should gone higher before traversing left. Never mind, I can justify the E1 tick with my direct variant.
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| Me starting Namenlos |
A pleasant bold looking groove beckoned above. Less than inspiring cams caused hesitation but the chap before had got some gear just above so on I went. I tried and failed to get a decent nut in the flared crack from an awkward out of balance position before just committing to the enjoyable bold climbing to easy ground and safety. It reminded me of Kirkus Corner further down the crag.
The final route of the day was an at times desperate and brutal wide crack VS/HVS called Wall Buttress, good effort by Anjay on the lead.
Time for ice cream to soothe my grit rash then home.
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| Grit Rash with added chipped finger nail |
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