A lazy day in Upper Cave…
It was supposed to be a trip to Glen Clova with Barney but Duncan and Dom wanted a later start and somewhere closer. So in the name of petrol economy we agreed upon Upper Cave. Only then did I get a text from Emma telling they’d be heading to Clova, that venue seems to be eluding me just now.
There was the compulsory pie stop in Dunkeld then onto the crag, the weather was a bit dull but dry and warm, almost sweaty conditions. It was about midday and we had the crag to ourselves for a short time before a guy with wife and dog in-tow arrived. After a leisurely lunch and chat we finally considered actually climbing something. I’ve had my sights on Coffin Corner for a while now, but wanted to warm up first. So followed Barney up Corpse. It seemed relatively straight forward until the ledge where a backwards crawl leads to swinging onto holds just positive enough for such a manuvere, then moving over a bulge to finish. Barney had hesitated here and I did as well but it wasn’t so desperate and the moves felt good. I was a little bit dis-heartened when Barney commented that he’d wondered whether make it up there after all. I have been looking for an e2 project…
In the meantime Duncan had headed up Coffin Corner, treating us to a running commentary
despite my protests. I felt my nervousness increasing... We had another break during which time a group of young Croatians arrived to boulder, and then I couldn’t put it off anymore. On Thursday evening I’d been at Limekilns with my new CSE colleagues. I led a couple of routes there but found leading DT’s, a few routes along from Red Ensign, really messed with my head, and thus my confidence. Having Barney belay me on this only added to that (him being the one who belayed me when I decked). So in approaching Coffin Corner, a route pretty much at my current trad limit and in view of my distinct lack of climbing of late, I found myself particularly apprehensive. A break from climbing not only affects my physical fitness but probably more importantly my ‘trad head’, much reassurance from myself and others was necessary – I persuaded Duncan and Dom to tell me it was easy-as really.
The beginning of the climb offers an easy-going introduction to the base of the main corner.
Here, a thread helped soothe me slightly, that and the great pro potential of the rest of the corner crack. I moved up, placing nuts as I went and finding foot holds sparse. I reached the crux of the climb in an awkward position, jamming myself into the corner and feeling unnerved. This was the point I was really aware of my recent lack of trad and I wasn’t enjoying it. I placed a couple of cams and opted for escaping the corner out right, finding sufficient footholds for this where previously there weren’t any on that side. A few tentative moves and then a jug and much relief, now I could enjoy it! I moved easily over the overhanging bulge to the belay platform to set belay. We walked back down past Dom who’d just reached the top of Hos, it had been an experience for him though not one he particularly recommended. Duncan was just getting under way when we reached the base. For a HVS it looked really tricky, a very bouldery start with minimal gear.
Barney’s next choice was Majorie Razorblade which I was keen on so that I could lead the 2nd
pitch and then say I’d led E3…Barney assured me that wouldn’t hold. But after a few attempts on the crack he backed off calling it a day, the drive just wasn’t there. I could then have had a go on Squirm but was still feeling a bit uneasy following the excitement of Coffin Corner (I’m not sure why the 2nd pitch of Majorie Razorblade seemed more doable then that of Squirm??!) so instead we had yet more food, practiced 1-handed bowlines and I learnt a new way to coil the rope. So yeah, that was the day we led one climb each. Afterwards I did feel a bit guilty at not trying Squirm but I guess that’s for another trip, and then maybe Corpse…I certainly need some new additions to my wish-list.
It was supposed to be a trip to Glen Clova with Barney but Duncan and Dom wanted a later start and somewhere closer. So in the name of petrol economy we agreed upon Upper Cave. Only then did I get a text from Emma telling they’d be heading to Clova, that venue seems to be eluding me just now.There was the compulsory pie stop in Dunkeld then onto the crag, the weather was a bit dull but dry and warm, almost sweaty conditions. It was about midday and we had the crag to ourselves for a short time before a guy with wife and dog in-tow arrived. After a leisurely lunch and chat we finally considered actually climbing something. I’ve had my sights on Coffin Corner for a while now, but wanted to warm up first. So followed Barney up Corpse. It seemed relatively straight forward until the ledge where a backwards crawl leads to swinging onto holds just positive enough for such a manuvere, then moving over a bulge to finish. Barney had hesitated here and I did as well but it wasn’t so desperate and the moves felt good. I was a little bit dis-heartened when Barney commented that he’d wondered whether make it up there after all. I have been looking for an e2 project…
In the meantime Duncan had headed up Coffin Corner, treating us to a running commentary
despite my protests. I felt my nervousness increasing... We had another break during which time a group of young Croatians arrived to boulder, and then I couldn’t put it off anymore. On Thursday evening I’d been at Limekilns with my new CSE colleagues. I led a couple of routes there but found leading DT’s, a few routes along from Red Ensign, really messed with my head, and thus my confidence. Having Barney belay me on this only added to that (him being the one who belayed me when I decked). So in approaching Coffin Corner, a route pretty much at my current trad limit and in view of my distinct lack of climbing of late, I found myself particularly apprehensive. A break from climbing not only affects my physical fitness but probably more importantly my ‘trad head’, much reassurance from myself and others was necessary – I persuaded Duncan and Dom to tell me it was easy-as really.The beginning of the climb offers an easy-going introduction to the base of the main corner.
Here, a thread helped soothe me slightly, that and the great pro potential of the rest of the corner crack. I moved up, placing nuts as I went and finding foot holds sparse. I reached the crux of the climb in an awkward position, jamming myself into the corner and feeling unnerved. This was the point I was really aware of my recent lack of trad and I wasn’t enjoying it. I placed a couple of cams and opted for escaping the corner out right, finding sufficient footholds for this where previously there weren’t any on that side. A few tentative moves and then a jug and much relief, now I could enjoy it! I moved easily over the overhanging bulge to the belay platform to set belay. We walked back down past Dom who’d just reached the top of Hos, it had been an experience for him though not one he particularly recommended. Duncan was just getting under way when we reached the base. For a HVS it looked really tricky, a very bouldery start with minimal gear.Barney’s next choice was Majorie Razorblade which I was keen on so that I could lead the 2nd
pitch and then say I’d led E3…Barney assured me that wouldn’t hold. But after a few attempts on the crack he backed off calling it a day, the drive just wasn’t there. I could then have had a go on Squirm but was still feeling a bit uneasy following the excitement of Coffin Corner (I’m not sure why the 2nd pitch of Majorie Razorblade seemed more doable then that of Squirm??!) so instead we had yet more food, practiced 1-handed bowlines and I learnt a new way to coil the rope. So yeah, that was the day we led one climb each. Afterwards I did feel a bit guilty at not trying Squirm but I guess that’s for another trip, and then maybe Corpse…I certainly need some new additions to my wish-list.
