Wet Wainstones

Went back to the wainstones, this time with Rory, with four intensions.

1. Attempt 'Ali Baba'
2. Do 'Pebble climb'
3. Attempt 'West sphinx'
4. Solo the 'sphinx nose traverse'

So i'd turned up with great intensions and didn't expect to manage them all. We started off by soloing a few of the trade routes, with wall and ledge and east sphinx direct becoming a bit of a tradition!

We then met some nice chaps who I ended up giving a tour of the boulders. They were looking for something 'ard so I pointed them in the directions of 'For leichenstein' 'The prow', 'The right side of the prow???' and 'The Finger'

Rory had a go at a few of the classic lines and then I made a keen repeat ascent of 'central route' (this time with a bit less sloper grunt).

Shortly after, I bumped into Jason Wood, someone i'd heard about and always wanted to meet. He showed me a few of the exellent boulder problems such as 'The shelf' and showed me the way on 'Pebble climb'.

My next objective was to climb either ali baba, or west sphinx. It had been drissleing on and off all morning and I thought the entry groove to ali baba might be a bit slippy, so west sphinx it was! So, anyway, as I racked up, It began to rain, at first I thought this a bit of a pour excuse, but then I looked what looked like a rock over move I would have to do, and decided to sack it off :P.

After a quick look at the prow, we walked along to ravenscar to 'have a look'. No suprise it was wet, especially the top of satchmo which would have been my objective. Then it began to rain harder and so we did a bit of bouldering around the 'ahab' area. The direct start made a good problem at about english 6a, although i didnt fully top out ahab due to the waterfall.....

bouldering around ahab
We also had a go at a dino at the start of 'Rock Bottom' from the first good break to the next, although we never completed it as what looks good is infact sloping! One to come back to.

dynoing from large break to the break above, looked positive, infact sloping!

Overall, a bit of a failure in terms of objectives ticked, but actually turned out quite well, meeting some sound people and propably gaining some strength.

Then, to top it off, we missed the last bus. Doh!

Hair line crack in the bench waiting for dad to pick us up! we aided across it, *** aid route, will make a hard project, there are now holds in the form of peg scars ;)

Moors Youth Team!

On Wednesday, me and Jake went for a trip to the wainstones to meet two other young moors climbers from 'the other side' of the moors, Jack Graham and Matthew Ferrier. Its quite exiting to meet someone new who climbs on the moors crags and especially if they're into new routing. When we arrived, Jack and Matthew were on 'Tiny's dilemma' so Jake desided to start off with the classic, and one of the best routes in the moors, 'The sphinx nose traverse'.

After soloing a few routes, I got on Concave wall, another moors classic and a fantastic slab climb.

Then Jake lead and I soloed Tiny's Dilemma, another good route.

Jake soloing 'East sphinx direct'
Meanwhile Jack and Matthew were on 'central route' another superb moors hvs which we also climbed later.

After the teams 'storm' of some of the crags classics, we retired to the boulders.

'The youth team'

It was really good to meet more psyched people, the moors scene is getting bigger! There has been another surge of development recently which has led to some fantastic new routes and problems being put by the whole moors crew. Hopefully next time we can have a whole 'moors crew' photo with some nice esoterica in the background!

Highs and Lows at High Crag

Myself, Franco and Dave were headed for High Crag. Our objectives, to try some of the original routes, get pictures on Warrior and put up a new route. I had heard rumours of legend about the crags uniquely steep walls and selection of hard and rarely repeted routes.

We trail blazed our way up to the crag and there it was, In all its glory, stood hidden in the woods.

The main face. Warrior Climbs the Huge crack groove!

Me and Dave began by climbing Kestral Crack while Franco abbed down various possible projects.

Kestrel Crack **

Originally given HVS 5b, we desided it was a bit ard and is likely E1 5b**

Next, it was time to 'get the scoop' so I gave warrior a try, one of the best E2s on the moors!

I found it difficult just about all the way up. Near the top, I thought about slumping, however great encouragement from below brought out my last 5% of effort and I got to the top of my best lead to date! YES!

After the lead....

After one of the best E1s and one of the best E2s on the moors. I was knackered. Franco had a look at a possible new line, but unfortunately, it had been raining for the last few hours and it was wet. Ah well, all in all, a damn bon day!

Round Crag - Fingers, Shins and F.A.'s

Sunday began with a trip over the moor to meet Franco and Dave. The crag on the cards was Round Crag, one with a reputation for having hard, bold and often sandbagged routes. It was also pretty windy.....
Franco and Dave were psyched to get on their ground up project, dubbed 'the leaping cougar'.

They began attempting it ground up whilst I looked to see what fortunes were to be found on the lower boulder. Now dubbed 'The Chocolate Box'

'Can you do the Can Can' font 6a+ * climbs the overhanging right arete of the north side onto the slab. And 'The Candy Man Can' font 6b+ * climbs the overhang direct up the centre and onto the slab.

Good gear at half height.


After some more attempts on the unclimbed wall by Franco and Dave, Dave finally cracked it using a tiny broken gaston. Franco then also managed it and they graded 'Mane Vision' E5 6c,  keeping with the 'lion' theme of the butress.

Wicked Willy! / Psycho Sam!

Although E5 6c, is rather a long way out of my league, I though as I may as well have a go! especially as it is so well protected.

Hard rock-up for a two finger crimp.

The moves up from the break really are ace, but very thin and very hard! After a few attempts, I managed to get into the crimp, which was poor! A two finger crimp, which at first felt good, but as soon as you moved position, it was very hard to stay in. After trying to rock up, I fell off. Unfortunately, my poor judgement meant that my shin gave a legde below with a hollow 'whack'. I lowered and we saw white! thankfully it was only a fatty layer between the skin and the shin.

That was enough for me, although the moves are superb! and it makes quite a ground up project which is quite unique to the crag!

Overall, a pretty bon day!

Check out Dave Warburton's Vimeo to see the video of 'Mane Vision' E5 6c

Ravenswick with the moors crew!

It was a pretty wet day so a gathering of the 'moors crew' was in order at the 'every dry' ravenswick quarry.

We arrived to find the fine walls in a magnificently dry state. I didnt particularly do much but one problem. Although a new poblem was done, called 'Rum rum watch bum' by Franco and Dave.

The Moors Crew!

Park Nab

The day after I had arrived back from Jersey, I got a text from matt with a plan for an evening seshion at the wainstones/ravenscar. Feeling pretty good about my experiences in Jersey, I was pretty psyched to get on the classic 'Satchmo'.

After Picking up Rich, we headed to the wainstones, and passed Park Nab, It looked pretty good and I hadn't been before, so soon enough our plans were changed and we were approaching the on looking crag.....

We all lead and soloed various classics which were basked in the sun. I Soloed longbow and then soloed bow string a classic HVS 5b micro route.
After that I had a go on one of the clasics of the crag, Hari Kiri HVS 5a which definately one of the better routes on the moors at that grade.

After that it began to get dark and I thoguh I may as well have a go at pessimist E2 6a. It began well and I placed good gear in the letter box slot below the groove. It was by this time getting quite dark and I made the move off the small pocket onto an odd sloper. From this it was a large reach up and to a small hold. My foot slipped and I was off! I had another go, but by this time I was pretty pumped and it was not to be. Ah well, maybe next time!

Jersey!

Me and Jake were heading on a trip to jersey, hopefully to find fine granite sea cliffs! On the way, we stopped off at haytor to see what granite was really like. Not overly inpressed by the over polished haytor, we did one route each and then had a cream tea.

When we arrived on Jersey we picked up our guide book from 'Kevin' who seemed to think we had a car so I had to explain how we were only 15.....
Very Good guide by the way! - http://www.jerseyclimbs.com/

We decided to go to the 'Nethe', where Kevin and his friend were climbing. Our first ever sea cliff route ended up being a 65 metre three pitch multipitch which had some fantastic climbing and great positions!

Toping out the route.

The Nethe! one of the best crags on jersey?
A few days later, we went to La rouge nez, a fantastic single pitch sea cliff.
When we arrived though, the belay ledge appeared to be a bit damp.....

So we warmed up on the small pinnacle.



At last the tide went out so we went to the main crag, can get pretty scary belaying when the waves are crashing over your back!

Open heart surgery - HVS 5a/5b

After an ascent of the fantastic 'open heart surgery' I decided enough was enough and that I may as well try getting on something hard, so I tried 'Jersey Girl' E2 5c.

Jersey Girl (original finish) ascends the blank looking wall right of the main crack (chalk marks) and continues up to the red steak at three quarter height, and then step right into the crack to the top.

The tide had only just gone out and it was 20 odd degrees by now. I slipped off on the first few moves, but after a false start I climbed the route without a fall although it definately felt hard for me. Really pleased to get my first E2!

The next day, we headed to the south and found a cool costal bouldering venue at the west end of beauport. Managed a font 6a+ and a 6c but no pictures :P.

We also found another cool costal bouldering venue on the west coast north of Gorey on an odd conglomerate shale type rock, was pretty cool! though crimps to seem to fall off....

Pain!

Nice Prow.  Bum beans font 6a

Another loose prow 'Shale' font 5+
Later that day, we biked up to the north of the island. I didnt really feel to psyched for climbing but Jake lead a good slabby route, which took a bit of getting too!

All In all a really good trip! Climbed some superb routes and Got my first E2, love granite two! And sea cliffs! Ace :)
P.S. Thank you to Kevin and other Jersey climbers, for allowing us to venture onto there superb crags :).