On Wednesday evening, me and Edmund jumped in the van and drove down to South Devon to meet up with film maker Jerry for a couple of full days capturing ascents of Moonraker at Berry Head and Aviation at Lowman on the Dartmoor National Park. After packing in two big days, we returned home to Pembroke feeling happy but tired...
Last week I was out with Ben for two days of sea cliff climbing. He has recently submitted an application to do his Mountaineering Instructor Award Training course in Snowdonia and wanted to get more sea cliff climbs in his logbook prior to his training. We had a good day at Mowingword ticking classics on a classic crag. Day two was spent at another classic crag - Mother Carey's Kitchen, where more great routes were climbed. Good luck Ben with your training, I'm sure you'll love it.
On Friday I was working for NICAS doing a moderation of an outdoor climbing tower in South Wales delivering the scheme. The weather was amazing and the GCSE students enjoyed their session.
Yesterday I was out with local friend Alun for a couple of ace adventure routes on the lesser visited Western Face of Mother Carey's. We climbed the first pitch of Oz, into the second pitch of Sporting Chance, which provided an excellent journey with a good dose of adventure. We followed by climbing another good route Oil Me Up. Two top routes that both didn't get a star between them...
Over the last few days I've been in the Peaks with Ed and Jerry to continue Jerry's filming project. We were pretty lucky with the weather and we got two classics covered - Sirplum, "One of the great ticks in the Peak which reaches positions that other E1's don't". I had done this two pitch route with friend Dean Russle back in 2011 and it was fun getting back on it and revisiting "the very edge of the world"... We also climbed a route called The Stalk, given VS, but decided not to film it as, despite it's stars, wasn't a great route. The following day we strolled into the beautifully lush Chee Dale Gorge, with our attention fixed on the grand five pitch Chee Tor Girdle, an epic VS, given 4b, 4b, 4a, 5a, 4c. I had also done this route before, back in 2008 with Giles Cranston, in the pissing rain, but fortunately the first pitch was the only to succumb wet rock and we enjoyed the rest of the routes in the dry. This time we were blessed with perfect conditions and although the filming of different angles on the girdle took a long time, we managed to get it all covered in two days. Not a bad three days in the Peak.
This weekend saw Climb Pembroke running another BMC course on Sea Cliff Improvised Rescue training, for affiliate club members in North Pembrokeshire. Eight participants spent the weekend looking at various skills that can sort out minor problems, to full blown epics. The more I run these type of courses, the more I realise that these skills are so vital to climbers taking them selves into committing areas. Thanks everyone for coming and I hope you all feel a lot happier with your future climbing.
Yesterday I was out with Alice, who wanted to brush up on her rope work and anchor set ups (also in North Pembrokeshire), Porthclais was heaving with groups, so we headed to a little known spot a short walk further on, to go through skills for the day. As with the rescue weekend, the weather was great and there were times I felt a bit too hot... Nice one Alice, it was great to catch some rays with you while boosting skills!
On Thursday I head out to Stackpole Head for some personal climbing with Edmund. Waiting for the tide to go out enough to get on the main cliff routes, I led the top pitch of Stackpole Crack, a go'y little number with pretty burly lay backs and a unstable feeling top section. That done, it was down for the main events; Puritan (E2 5c ***) and Silver Shadow (E2 5b***). Personally I found Puritan to be a real effort, with a thrutchy, insecure and difficult crux. Silver Shadow on the other hand was out of this world! rarely you get on a route that has seemed to be designed to be climbed, and SS is one. I am still struggling to think of another rock route that I've climbed that matches it's quality...
On Saturday I met up with Jonty, who was down from Bristol on a two day guided rock climbing weekend. Having done a fair bit of sport climbing, he was keen to get on some trad sea cliff climbing adventures - great! It was a top weekend, getting in loads of routes at four different venues and the weather was perfect. Thanks for coming Jonty. This Tuesday I was out guiding with Sam and we headed to the beautiful Penally Range and blasted up loads of fine routes, in perfect weather again - looks like summers here to stay!...
