Giveaway Project of The Month - February

It was with  warm fuzzy feelings of reminiscence that I saw that Climber ran an article on the Isles of Scilly. Between 98 and 2002 I spent quite a lot of time out there, as my main climbing partner at the time got the job of Island bobby. Much fun was had, and with so few established routes, you could pretty much new route all day. We eventually recorded this info in the black folder mentioned in the article. This was when Mat was busy and at a loose end, I photo'd all the rocks on St Mary's, and printed a double copy, one for the island, one for me.

As its a bit wet at the moment, and I certainly am longing for spring, I thought I'd do a few giveaway's and posts involving the remarkable rocks of St Mary's.

Today's Giveaway; This is the inlet side of Peninnis head. The massive overhang is the unclimbed Monks Cowl. This is a fairly well known LGP that, due to the access to the Island remains just that.There's also the fact that if you fall off, you'd be choppered back to the mainland, and all your stuff would be stuck out on the island....




























However, this months giveaway refers to the top left rocks that look like the dragon from Neverending story. I attempted to climb this and protected it by lassoing the nose with a rope, anchoring it down either side with Cam's and tensioning the rope with a alpine butterfly on the ledge as a runner. I got this Idea from a photo of Ben Bransby in some mag, doing the same thing. Thus preserving my onsight ethic I boasted at the time. I made it direct to the ledge, clipped the butterfly and pushed on up the right arete to try to gain the offwidth runnel above. Unfortunately, due to my ground up approach, I hadn't scrubbed the scrattle off the rock (these weird shapes are due to salt water and wind erosion of the granite) The feeling of bearhugging marbles above a boingy runner on a sloping ledge was not pleasant, and I retreated back to the nose. From here I climbed up a bit of the diff chimney to the right, placed gear, and traversed back into the offwidth runnel to finish.
A bodge basically.
So anyone visiting and climbing on the Island is very welcome to put things right. I suggest an abb and scrub first though.

Enjoy

Holiday time!

Yep finally took a break from work, and this meant getting away as well for a bit of me time. Wolf was captured and a full day at Porth Ysgo was had. Having temporarily mislaid my bouldering guide (not having required it lately I guess....) we used Wolf's, however, this meant that this blog may lack some detail. We missed the blue sky and scrambled down barely thawed turf below a cloud laden sky. Fortunately we must of just missed the sun, because the black boulders had retained just enough warmth to offset the hot aches. Fun was the intention, and after warming up around the ysgo flange, we moved onto the higginson scar, both topping out with minimum fuss, wolf with an albertross technique and myself with happy feet. Next boulder over, the beaches hardest V2 and V3 got fearfully and desporately attacked and some victory was obtained. Next Fast cars. Now i know the beach shifts, but I distinctly remember being able to start without being on tip toe. No matter, It was dispatched with minimum terror. Lacking more motivation and demanding cake, we retired to driftwood collection, sausages cooked on a fencing wire grill, walking back in the dark to retire to a pub....
I am now recharged and back into daddy mode, having looked after Ethan and Dylan solo while Sam and Logan visit her Dad. But watch this space, I'm in my happy place and even planning a rematch with the Beast!