Ascensões em North East por Scott Godwin

Really good. Some tricky bridging on the first pitch, and some really annoying shrubbery in the crack on the second. Amazing weather on this trip. Absolutely still, clear skies, and mild temperatures. I don't think I've ever experienced such silence on the Ben.

The first of the Trinity for me. Great adventure. Somehow felt much bigger than the 4 pitches that it is. An excellent route for connoisseurs of thrutch. Bloody hard work for those like us who are not well schooled in the art of the wide stuff. We brought two #4 and two #5 camalots, and used them a lot. Pulled on the gear a couple of times to get through some wet slimy sections. Started climbing around lunchtime after walking up but all the slow shuffling and some shenanigans with belays in the wrong spots ate up a lot of time. Got to enjoy an awesome light show while I was sitting at the belay at the top of the third pitch. There was a bit of smoke in the air over the central plateau and the distant peaks showing through the haze in the late afternoon light were amazing. When the sun dropped a bit lower the Fingal valley gradually filled with cloud and the shadow of the mountain was cast against it. We topped out just on dark, just in time to see an incredible orange full moon rising through the smoke haze above a sea of cloud. Wandered around the scree in the moonlight for a while before eventually finding the bivi spot at Tranquil tarn. Very happy to have scored dead calm, clear, warm conditions in late March.

First 'real' trad pitch post surgery. Ankle felt pretty good on the walk in and out. No problem with the climbing. Great looking crag. The approach is pretty long for a day trip. I'll be back to stay for a couple of days next time. Note. Bring a spare 3m tape or cord for a rap anchor.

Got a bit pumped on the flash attempt and jumped off just above 2nd bolt. Sussed it out after but no time to try again before the rain started.

Blackwood rocks answer to Watchtower crack?

Really nice

A couple of laps on top rope first to scrub the moss off.

Had top roped a couple of weeks previously. Seems more like 22 if you start underneath the first bolt.

First proper jamming test post surgery. Ankle felt stiff but ok.

Zillionth lap, but still classic. Got a bit pumped.

Another unsend? Slipped off down low. Fell onto a good rp. The rest felt much harder than I remembered.

Got scared of the dirty top out. Clipped a draw on our fixed rap line that was hanging conveniently close.

Good climbing up an indistinct line. Started up Solaris but I think we ended up on Giant Vibrator in the top half. Interesting featured rock. Far less chossy than it looks, but still quite a few dodgy loose blocks to tiptoe around.

Hard. Fell off at the second bolt, and the third. Running out of daylight so I used a devious brass nut to aid through to last bolt.

Soft tick, but nice climbing.

Holy moly. No idea what to do in the middle section. Danny was a magician.

Repeat lap. Felt pretty good.

Tried to go ground up but got completely shut down by the high step/rock over move at the crux. Aided through and had a few goes on top rope, but still couldn't manage it. Doable by reaching out left into Roxanne, but that seems like cheating.

Hard to walk past this without doing a lap.

Played around on top rope. Nails hard foot swap/body tension thing.

1st pitch to ledge so we could get a rope on the unprotectable offwidth next door.

Offwidth practice with John. Twice on lead and once on top rope to unstick the rope.

I thought this was pretty good. It certainly wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea....

Really good. Tough at the bottom.

Fell off pretty promptly at first bolt. Couldn't figure it out and pulled through to last bolt. Seems pretty tricky.

One fall at the second bolt. Worked out it pretty quickly after. Really cool thin, balancy face climbing.

Definitely not 22 as the old guide suggests, but 19 seems a bit stingy. 20 seems fair. Probably harder if you have fat fingers.

First go on lead. Gets 24 on thesarvo, but having done it now 23 seems reasonable. Pretty solid though.

So hard. The moves seem fairly obvious, but I couldn't do them.

Clean TR solo

Screwed myself by stopping to place gear mid crux. Cool little route.

Really good. Worth coming back for.

A couple of late afternoon TR solo laps.

Repeat lap. Classic.

Had a play on top rope. Did the crux moves but the shoulder wasn't happy about that gaston. Seems very contrived to keep going straight up to the last bolt rather than traverse across the horizontal break to Death Row.

Repeat. Always good.

Repeat. Nice to do the second pitch again too.

TR solo. Think I've worked it out but the bottom crux move still feels desperate.