Trevor Kettlewell

Screwed up the crux. I plead pump leftover from the itch next door...

Still working this, sorta got all the moves, particularly got a working sequence for the last one. I'd need to be fresh and to not waste a kilojoule of energy.

Felt fine today - first climb, no worries. Go figure.

Thanks to Doug for putting up the rope. Felt good today - I think using rock rings helps.

Starts with very little, then gets less as you go higher. Kinda sorta not really got through the moves with a lot of belay assist. Have to project it, find the tiny things you've got to trust to reach even tinier ones.

Just half a day - but very happy to miss that sketchy end traverse (and the pain of cleaning it). Worked the crux, trying and dismissing each of the tempting but red herring half footholds. The answer for me was the left hand intermediate, foot up, then throwing the left had again to the jug. Then back to the ground to get it all clean.

Got to the ledge without too much trouble, then got my feet sorted after a couple of falls & had a sequence for the crux. Back to the nearby ground to get the tick, but now it was dark, & the move to the ledge became my new crux. Finally solved, third time from the ground was the charm. Enjoying working/solving each of the routes on this wall - not obvious, but doable.

Left route

Finally got the left hand route (short, at least, so you can keep nipping back to the ground for another go). I need to get the counter-intuitive sequence exactly right.

Got lost in the dark - missing hands and feet.

Go figure. I'm normally such a top-rope woos, but felt totally fine leading today. The bolting is very friendly - you can always clip before you commit rather than after. So despite z-clipping at the start, and a slip at the crux, managed to hold on for, I think, my first 19 red point.

OK, now this grade and the stars make sense. Keep left, thinner holds, have to flag your left leg, skip more positive feeling hold on right to keep your body in the right position for your right foot, and much cooler moves.

Right hand route really must make this more like an 18, plus really friendly bolting takes fear away. But, hey, I got it, all well within an armspan of the bolts.

Tried a left hand variant on the crux for a change. Much thinner, odd angles, but you can be a hero on a top rope.

So glad we pushed through reservations to come out at night - it was perfect weather and great climbing. Headtorch = happy.

Straight up through the cave for a change.

Such a dramatic climb. I rate it one grade and two stars higher than Lesbian Bed Death.