OK, if you're too young to remember Marillion, then you probably think that Caley is just a bouldering playground. However, there are also enough proper (sorry, ‘trad’) routes to provide good entertainment for an evening.
The weather wasn’t quite warm enough to melt chalk on Tuesday evening, but unusually of late, thermals were not required.
Peri had lured us there, as she had wanted to do battle with ‘The Scoop’ (VS, 4c) – a notorious bold balance, well above gear. However, according to Jim, led by Peri with very little drama.
Gordon, Luke and myself confined our attentions to lesser stuff. First, ‘Pedestal Wall’ (S), a fine and varied favourite, finishing up an airy arête. Then Gordon led ‘Holly Tree Scoop’. Rather short, but actually worth doing for a Diff. Next, it was Luke’s turn to lead, with a choice between three equally unappealing V diff chimneys. He opted for ‘V Chimney’ and soon realised why both Gordon and myself had been so insistant that he lead! (To give him practice at placing gear and to build up his leading confidence, of course). After much huffing and bruising of knees, he was able to embrace the big tree belay and bring us up also.
To finish off the evening, we did ‘Zig-Zag’ (S). I tend to agree with Simon’s comments on Rockfax that it feels a bit stiff for a severe. However, the gear is so good, that I’d probably be accused of being soft if I suggested it were any harder.
The hardest bit of The Scoop is the section shared with Zig Zag!
some excellent routes at Caley, Will and I were just down the road at Chevin (bird ban on buttress) so climbed in the quarry where we did a brace of HVSs, One a 5b which was straightforward with no 5b moves but lots of 4c/5a, And one 5a with a pair of hard 5a/5b moves and bloody strenuous. Both worthwhile
jim lured me off caving for the first route, alittle number called cave and slab. looked quite friendly, but appearances can decieve, as jim reached the chockstone he burst into giggles, the apparently small roof was in fact very overhanging and a complete %^& to get out from under again. clambering up the finish (an undignified heather pulgs I nearly put my foot in bird eggs, either someone had been having a laugh with some hens eggs (though it isnt a popular route) or something very big is nesting there, so i suggest we leave this route alone for the immediate future. Either for conservation of the birds, or conservation of us – judging by the size of the eggs the parents must be whoppers, I wouldnt want to annoy them!
ps donal, i coulnt name a single thing by marillion (not too young, just never a metalhead), but you get my prize for best blog title ever
Well Donal you may be Clutching at Straws here, Arthur Dolphins childhood's end was spent here bouldering at Kayleigh they often held a Garden Party & got totally Fugazi.
As for the She Chameleon with the Misplaced Childhood(memory), the first route on the night was block chimney, then the scoop, then cave & slab then Jim backed of Noonday Ridge as it was slippy as a Fish.
we obviously spent the 80s listening to different music and doing different things. while donal and guido were getting fugazi at Kayleigh, I was having a Blue Monday down the Old Main Drag but had not yet got into Hanging on a Rope.
I have no idea what any of you is talking about…