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(Continued from page 4)
seemed like too much bother. The rock
looked good, not many places for gear, the routes were short, and the landings looked
fairly soft - so we started soloing. Tea Shirts, Shorts and rock boots - so simple
compared to the usual palaver with ropes and racks etc. We opened up on Grey Slab with
Left Edge (VD), Grey Slab (S) and Babbies Bottom (S), all routes being 11m in length.
With these successes under our belts on Grey Slab we meandered over to Betty's Slab.
Charles spotted a route he did last time. "Use a rope?" "Can't
remember" "Oh well let's give it a try" (the soloing continued). We
did the Gollywog Cakewalk (VD) 25m, a rising traverse up a fault line, no more than
13m high. Upper Betty's Slab called next, along to the right and up a short gully.
Working basically from left to right the following routes fell in quick succession. Thorn
(S 4c), Fork (VS 5a), Slow Home (S), Teaspoon (S 4a), Bramble Edge (VD - just me). We then
went back to Betty's Slab, a walk of at least 20m! Charles went first, and then I
completed Hard Shoulder (HS 4b).
Back to Upper Betty's Slab we attempted to gain |
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shelter from the sun beating down on us. No such look and we'd forgotten hats,
drinks and sun cream. Charles then climbed Kate (VS 4c) while I did Nicks Way (HS 4b).
Both routes ended up in the bramble at the top. This proved more dangerous than the actual
climbing. We then swapped onto each other last route. I then ascended Celeste (HVS 5a -
9m) to the left of a crack line up the slab. Charles had a go but quickly retired a foot
or so off the ground. Charles then did Cake Walk (D - 25m) while I did Quaniantics
(HVS 5a - 13m). The last route was more exposed than I first thought, and at 3/4
height a delicate balance move proved interesting. The rope then came out and I took
this up Cakewalk and subsequently put up a tope rope for Charles on Quaniantics.
The climbing then came to a close, 15 routes in an afternoon, not bad. A great venue
for soloing, with safe landings if needed, plenty of routes and sound rock. I'll be
back. The Real Ale guide came out and pointed us towards the bricklayer's arms at
Thornton 3 miles distant. This proved to be closed so we went to the next one in the
village. Not one to add the recommended list. It served it purpose in quenching our
thirst. Throats thus slated a pleasant drive back to Hertfordshire and |
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August 22nd - 25th (B/H)
The return to Baggy Point had been long awaited. Last year Tim Gledhill and I had visited
the area with a general guidebook to the Southwest. A number of routes had been climbed
that weekend. There was one route however, that we had bottled out of.
Kinky Boots is a well-known and classic VS of two pitches. Neither of us had been
prepared to lead the first and daunting pitch. This pitch involves a very special
start. Lean across a 4-5ft gap across a Zawn, with a 50ft drop into the sea. Place
friend for protection. Swing the feet across and climb over the overlaps onto the main
slab and the belay stance. This time I was determined to lead the route, despite the high
probability of falling headfirst into the sea.
We arrived at Cherry Tree Farm Campsite at 1am on the Friday of the Bank holiday. This was
following a typical 4.5-hour journey from Stevenage, with a traffic jam near Bristol due
to an accident. A sign proclaimed "Thou shalt not pitch ones tent before booking
in". Ignoring this, we proceeded past reception and found some space near a picnic
table. The 4 cans of Duty Free Murphy's went down very well, after which Gary and I
retired for the night.
Friday dawned bright and sunny. After paying the
(Continued on page 6)
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An alternative demonstration of kinky boots from an earlier trip to Skye
in April '97 |
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Back to September 1997
Crux |
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