News From 2001
( News Archive 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 )
West Cornwall sees flippin loads of new routes over last summer (22nd November)
Tuppence sees Fourth ascent (16th October)
Dartmoor Bouldering News (27th August - photos and more news added 5th October)
Spate of accidents in the south west (26th July)
Peg Failure causes Chudleigh Accident (31st May)
Funky Simon Young Solos Sign of the Vulcan Fr7b+, Portland (9th May)
Black Head Incident (25th April)
North Coast Action (24th April)
Rainbow Bridge Variable RestrictionAnd also check the New Routes pages for latest info!
West Cornwall sees flippin loads of new routes over last summer (22nd November) Details have been sent in, thanks to Rik Meek, of the development of 3 areas in the Carn Les Boel area of West Penwith. See javu West Cornwall new routes page for full descriptions.
Robin Sutton repeats Tuppence 8a+/8b 17th October Super strong Rob Sutton has made the fourth (probably) ascent of Ken Palmers Anstey's route! Nice one! The route, first climbed by Ken in 1990, took some time to receive a repeat until Nic Sellars popped down and made a swift ascent - a number of notable climbers still fail to redpoint this route!.
Dartmoor Bouldering News (27th August / 5th October 2001) Despite far from pefect conditions of late the Moor has seen a fair amount of action. At the small venue of Easdon Tor Mr Henderson has climbed what he reckons to be a contender for one of the best problems on the Moor. The line takes the obvious overhanging arete at the crag and features a top notch slap for a rounded fine-grained "ball" of granite - Easdon Arete 6c (V8 ish)
At the ever-popular Bonehill the right arete of the Rippled Wall has gained a lie-down/sit-down - Johnny Ball V6 6b/c ish??. Bonehill features on the Slackjaw Bouldering Video Stick It!
And last but certainly not least John Gaskins has added a low start to Saddle Tor's Foal's Chopper at a V9 ish grade. After only a few visits to the Moor John has discreetly ticked the majority of the hardest problems and added a number of his own.
Various teams have been visiting the previously undeveloped area of Tunhill Rocks (in the Top Tor Area). This has now become a very worthwhile venue, with a number of fine problems mostly between 4a and 6b. The lower grades are well catered for here and the area is relatively quiet.
Earlier in the year Ben Rowe and chums discovered and cleaned up the Raven's Tor area of Lustleigh Cleave - there are now plenty of fine problems on the boulders stretching between Raven's Tor and Hunters Tor!
Spate of accidents in South West (26th July 2001) Over the last few months, as crags have re-opened following Foot and Mouth restrictions there has been a high number of serious accidents on South West crags. These have included a number of fatalities. Whether this is a result more loose rock being present than normal or just climbers being extra keen but out of practice I don't know... either way please keep these factors in mind.
Rainbow Bridge - New Variable Restriction This superb traverse could now be open all year! Further details.
North Coast Action: (24th April 2001) The ever active Martin Crocker has repeated Ben Rowe's Northcott Mouth Route Midst of a Trauma. Martin wasn't convinced by the holding power of the knife-blade peg protecting the crux and thought it may be worth E6 for the onsight. This is the third ascent, Simon Young made the second. With Northcott being relatively unaffected by Foot and Mouth restrictions it is likely that I'll be reporting other repeats here!
(24th April) Also on the North Coast, Simon Young's route Giddy E7 6b (see Northcott section of new routes page) received a second ascent last week - "probably low in the grade, and may wall be easier if tall! The grade will also change depending on the beach - maybe E5 if it's sandy rather than rocky!!" As on the first ascent, the repeat followed top rope practice. Unlike the first ascent, however, the route was led - although the gear (Skyhooks and a pretty useless friend) is pretty useless as protection, it did bolster confidence!
Black Head Incident (25th April 2001) This fine venue has been the scene of a worrying incident! Basically what happened is local climber Mike Bradford had led some of the routes there and fancied a spot of top-roping on the harder lines.... belaying to a rope from a tree above Mike top-roped a route, then started lowering off. Unfortunately the belay was not quite in line with the route he was top roping and the belay rope slid across the top of the crag, dislodging a chunk of rock on it's way... this rock then landed on Mike's helmeted head and continued to the ground to cleanly slice a rope. Another lump of rock also landed splat on the bicep... swell swell swell went the bicep and off to Hospital went Mike for an overnight stay with internal bleeding. Take care out there....
Funky Simon Young Solos Sign of the Vulcan Fr 7b+. Portland (9th May 2001) Way honed Devon activist and Fontainebleau devotee has soloed Sign of the Vulcan Fr7b+, at The Cuttings. This follows numerous bolds ascents in the shire and a few grit hard things. The route is about 30 ft long, and although failure on the crux wouldn't be too bad it would not be the best of things to do!! The top section remains a bit tricky, but Funky Si's confidence saw him cruising up to top out on top of the crag via loose rock and earth (this top-out probably being the most dangerous part of the whole affair!). Nice one Funky Si!
Chudleigh Accident (31st May 2001) There has been a serious accident at Chudleigh. This occurred from the route Major Tom E3 6a when the ring peg on the crux failed resulting in a ground fall. The casualty was removed by air lift and was in a bad way, suffering from serious concussion and a broken hip. It would seem that the ring on the peg was the part that failed - please remember that pegs cannot be trusted, even good looking shiny ones (the one that broke "looked" quite good), stainless, etc. Other Chudleigh routes protected by pegs of the same type and vintage at include Black Death (easily back-up-able by wire above), Mortality Crisis (not quite so readily backed up but there is gear a small wire a bit beneath), Machete Wall, Slyboots McCall, South Face (good back up gear). Take care! Major Tom is now a hard E4 without the peg.
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