A good turn out braved the forecast and physical evidence and made to to Brimham last night. Peri, Donal,Clare, Luke and I arrived just as Crofty (Jim) was leaving after hosting an antipodean raiding party. Simon & Carmen arrived soon and we were later to find Guido and a few other YorkClimbers about.
Hobbling from the LAMM, Simon, Carmen and I were after a gentle session so Peri and Donal were led to Bilberry Grove [HS] (it's a groove with bilberries in it!) and Clare was to lead Luke up Castle Corner [D] while I hovered about talking through belay set-up. We headed off to Black Tower as S&C had finished and found Guido and crew bouldering some tough routes on Kangeroo Wall. Clare made a fine lead of NW Arete [VD] which is an ok route with ok gear, poor description and a very entertaining ab descent.
We then hobbled over to, and I led, a midgy Lancet Crack [VS] a short powerful well protected climb with a very interesting descent – by the end of which it was time to leave. We now met Gordon T and Dave D who had shunned all this new fangled stuff and gone to Cracked Buttress to find old friends.
In the car park we met S&C back from exploring various short esoterica [VDs] and Yorkies John Byne and Pete Crosby who had heard but not seen Peri …. speaking of which it was now 10.25 and the warden was locking up so we drove the car out and waited. Peri and Donal had managed Maloja [VS], Acme End [VS] and Cubic Corner [HS] since their start – pretty good evening.
Quick pint in New Inn and I fell asleep as a defence mechanism on the journey home.
We climbed:
NW Arete (VD) – poorly protected and hard for the grade. I'm convinced that the line Peri pointed us was really the descent route!
Peerless (S) – I'm sure I've done it before but had to do it cos it wasn't ticked in my logbook
And a few routes from the New Routes database at http://www.theleedswall.co.uk/ymc/newroutes.php3
Neon (Diff) – a tricky little number, but it seemed to amuse the jackdaws
Bower Route 1 (VDiff) – traditional chimney, very good
Bower Route 2 (VDiff) – another chimney, not so good
Heydey(HVD) – bold mossy finish, more like HS 4a, quite good though
I cant believe none of you really liked NW Arete, I thought it was a really nice route with some good moves for the grade. and the ab descent is fine, you just have to scramble down onto the ledge then wriggle over a little till you are directly under your anchor. Pah.
perhaps the jackdaws should have done NW arete
Pebbles that is my view from an on sight solo, your opinion from 2nding the route is obviously different – and possibly valid 🙂
I'm beginning to suspect I was just feeling euphoric from finding myself unexpectedly in day long sunshine after an abysmal weather forecast