Recently I spent a week in Pembroke followed by a few days
in North Wales. This was a pretty special time
where weather, partners and momentum all came together in perfect sync.
Day one,
"No red flag." A morning of cragging at Trevallen
was instantly scrapped in favour of the grander, often closed off, locations on
the range. Warming up on Just Another Day/Scorch the Earth felt fantastic; it almost seems there's
nowhere better to climb E5.
Certain lines burn a hole in your wishlist, often for many
years. You find excuses not to try them and further build up the pressure on
yourself, making the routes into more than they are. After Just Another Day I
realise that the time for procrastination had ceased, it was time to head into
Stennis. Half of what makes British trad specical can be found in the stories
that surround it. Tales of a "thousand yard stare" and heroic
belaying after a huge fall enhanced the reputation of Ghost Train no end in my
mind. The route itself is perfectly laid out, danger but not death, a glory
finish and some wobbly holds thrown in to cast doubt. This doubt varies from
day to day, sometimes commitment comes easily and some its nowhere to be found.
Thankfully on this occasion it was the former, which made for a perfect
experience; even allowing for a pause mid runout to laugh down to Neil.
Day two,
Today Trevallen wouldn't be trumped. I was keen to check out
the Sunlover wall, one of the most photogenic and well catalogued faces in
Pembroke. Whilst this wall is famous for its classic twin E5's Barbarella and
Yellow Pearls I was here on other business, with the bold wall climb of Orange
Robe Burning in my sights. After a nervy start above the boulders the route
went without a hitch. The top section is superb, ledge fever sets in at the
break as you know you could stay there for days. Eventually when committed to
it provides a great climax, with a tricky move to a finger bucket, ace.
Day three,
A return visit to Trevallen may have been unadventurous but
with limited time it seemed logical. What should have been an easy day quickly
became anything but as I made the somewhat appalling decision to try and warm
up on Barbarella. After fighting flash pump and scraping through the hard bit my
feet let me down and I slipped off some greasy fingerlocks. Hmmm. Oh well, at
least I know I'm warm now, next go no worries. But wait, round two is somehow
worse, shambolic climbing. After screwing my head back on and putting in
another good fight it finally succumbs, whilst the kit is better it feels more
of a proposition than ORB to me...
The day is finished by belaying Neil on what became
Choronzon. I'm pretty easily impressed by hard routes but this line really did
take the biscuit. On this day he fell off the last move of the crux, the season
was drawing to a close. Needless to say I was ecstatic when I got the text the
following weekend saying he'd done it.
Day four,
The plan is to head to Govans but the men with guns are role
playing again. Mother Careys seems a safe second bet. As per though there is a
hitch, a somehow unforeseen problem, the sea is crashing into the bottom of
Brazen Buttress. This forces a retreat to the non-tidal ledges of the White Tower
next door. White Heat, the classic E5 of the crag looks almost to good to be
true, a rising thin crack-line forging up the perfect white slab. By this stage
in the trip fatigue is setting in and after the palaver of Barbarella I do
wonder whether to bother. But it looks like its got loads of kit on it, what's
the worst that could happen.
10m up I place a perfect rock 6 and climb till its by my
feet, up to this stage the route has been unnervingly easy. The next bit looks
thin, cant see much more gear but the last one was a bolt. Commit a few metres
into the crux, the gear now getting further and further away. A crimp in the
face provides some respite, but its a poison chalice, taking me out of the
crack and leaving the gear out of sight. My right leg begins to shake, nothing
for the left foot, I use up precious reserves trying to peer into the crack, it
looks like a rock 2 slot, but my gear to eye coordination is not at its
freshest. Try the 2, wont go in, try the 1, pulls straight through. By now the
shaking is just comical. The climbing above looks hard, perhaps you should drop
off. No. The pump has become terminal as I rag my foot high onto a blind
foothold in the crack, stand up. Still no jugs, but wait, this looks more
promising, a break a couple of moves away. By now falling is an unappealing
prospect, as is continuing. The moves however turn out to be easier than those
lower down and the break is reached with a whoop. Anna rinses up it seconding,
waddage.
Day five,
Even before I ever visited the place I had a conception that
Govans was the easy option of Pembroke, worthwhile but not why you go there,
lacking in adventure and risk. This most likely comes from Rob describing it as
"just cragging." He has a point no doubt, the routes are more chalked
and polished than many of the other crags in Pembroke and there's always people
down there. However today I had used up all my adrenaline reserves DWSing at
Broadhaven Cove above seals and a rough sea, so an afternoon of cragging fitted
the bill nicely.
Starting up Get Some In I had high expectations, this was
one of the routes I'd heard of before I could tell you where Pembroke was on a
map. It wasn't a letdown per say and I'm sure climbing it in better conditions
would help its cause (Hotter than the face of the sun that day) but it didn't
fill me with glee in the way that other routes this week have. John Wayne on
the other hand. Cruising up that top crack as it eats your runners one after
the other was fantastic, perhaps having lower expectations for routes is the
way forward.
Thats enough for one entry, next five soon.
