or maybe just too tired. Alan Walmsly and I headed over to the lakes Sat morning and went to Castle Rock where we both have routes on our wishlist. Castle Rock is steep and stays dry in light rain but we were surprised to find a few seepage lines.
I started up Thirlmere Eliminate (E1 4c,4c,5b) with some interesting moves of a flake, the first pitch is soon over. Al then headed across on the traverse to a dripping corner not wasting much energy placing gear, a cool headed lead up the bold hanging rib/arete just past the wet corner. Belayed to a peg and 3 nuts it was my turn at the sharp end. The route goes over / around an overhang using the right wall, which had a nice stream running down it in a few auxiliary holds, but most of the footholds were dry. An adequate rock 3 protects the moves – if I could commit to them – which I couldn't despite 3 goes. The crucial hand hold was sopping and the next was a thin layback – with wet fingers – no thanks. Al had a pop and we called it a day – abbing from a tree back to the ground.
We recused the day with an ascent of Overhanging Bastion (VS+ 4a,4b,5a) some 18 years since I'd previously led it! Top route with Al getting the wet pitch again – hmmm. The grade has yoyo'd between VS and HVS for years, the crux move i found easy for 5a but bold as brass – I'd give it HVS 4c overall and recommend doing it in 2 pitches to the Yew tree belay – one of my fav places.
The Pub at Seatoller was closed – what use is that!
Sunday saw us flog up to high Crag in Buttermere, a compact crag with a whole bag full of good mid range routes. We started off on the classic High Crag Buttress (HVS 5a,5a). Al led up to the 'eyes' clipping a stuck friend en route. Continuing up the 'nose' between them awkwardly (5a not 4c) to a great belay cove. I followed dreamily, spending about 15 mins not getting the friend out (it's shagged despite initial appearances). Quick (ahem) change over and off I went, boldly up the rib on the right to a solid thread, then quite delicately and wildly out on a traverse before pulling up into a groove so to the top. Abbed down, through a dead sheep with ropes lying in a puddle !
That took us ages, and combined with a late start and a total feeling of lethargy we decided to call it a day – The Philistine (E1 5b *** photo) will have to wait for some sunshine – a commodity severely lacking over the weekend – until we started out drive/sleep home.
So basically we both felt knackered and not quite up for it the whole w/e but still got a couple of excellent routes in top places, given the initial forecast pretty good all in all.
I'm not surprised there were a few seepage lines – there was torrential rain to the west of the Pennines on Friday night, probably an inch in about an hour!