Day Trip to Swanage, May 2004

For some of those not venturing further afield over the Late May Bank Holiday (still thought of as Whitsun by some) a day in Dorset was planned.

As usual this started on the Monday with avid attention being paid to the long range weather forecasts. Things were not looking good; torrential rain for the coming weekend! However as the week progressed the outlook improved, and by Friday night the forecast for Saturday sounded almost encouraging, so bright and early next morning the party set off.

Things went reasonably well as far as Bexhill when the car which already had a hole in the exhaust began to misfire, but sounding like an asthmatic tractor we carried on. Heading west, the sky got darker until, at the breakfast stop it started to rain. This was optimistically dismissed as a passing shower, and by the time we arrived in Swanage it was dry again.

Up the steep climb from the promenade to Durlston car park we roared and stuttered, trying not to attract too much attention to ourselves. Gathering the kit together the group was soon striding down to Sub. Wall to see what condition the rock was in. Things didn't look too bad, a bit damp on the lower ledge, but climbable.

Several routes were ascended in reasonable style until an attempt on Spread Eagle (5a, just) found your correspondent struggling to pull up on a couple of holds which are quite polished at the best of times and covered in chalk used by previous parties. This was now wet and felt like Three-in-One, so rather than chance it I have to admit to backing off.

Two of our party, John and Matt had not tried lead climbing, and both were "keen" to have a go. John lead High Street in good style and Matt started up Double Chockstone. Now this is in the book as V.diff, high in the grade, but still a reasonable route. This did not however take into account the weather, and after a start on good holds, looking up from the belay I could see moisture in the air. This was obviously not helping Matt on the upper section of the climb. The friction was disappearing and making things rather more difficult than they should have been. However with a cool head and some advice from Robin, who was on an equally greasy route nearby, Matt made it to the top, A brilliant effort for a first lead.

A couple more routes were tackled, and then the journey home. One hundred and fifty miles of three-cylinder motoring, with a stop for tea and a bun, saw us back in Hastings. A good day but next time we could do without the damp.

Dick

Ps. the car is now better.

Pembroke, May 2004

The first Club trip to Pembroke, since I was a member (no comments, please, about hemp ropes or tricouni nails) was a great success and I’m sure that this will become a more regular destination for the future.

We camped at a site just north of the delightful town of Tenby and in easy reach of the infamous Mother Careys (Scarys) Kitchen sea cliffs.The coastline around here is very rugged & very beautiful with lots of big sea cliffs and, mostly, abseil access. None of us had climbed here before, so we approached with some caution with the exception of Kev “cave man” Beswick. Kev had been wanting to come here for several years (indeed, it was he who suggested the trip), ever since he had heard of a climb called “Inner Space” (HVS allegedly) and Bob Dawson had recommended that Kev should lead this. At this latter bit of information those of us who had been around a few years winced, but not our Kev. Like a man possessed – like a man on a mission (mission impossible?)- he was away early Saturday morning with an ever obliging/trusting Dick Gasson in tow.

By the time Kim & I arrived at the cliffs & abseiled in, Kev & Dick were buried deep in the bowels of a very large sea cave on a route that can best be described as a giant version of Avernus at Swanage. The only evidence of their being there were various whoops, cries & curses echoing from the belly of the cliff. Kim & I decided to enjoy ourselves on something more traditional & in the sunshine; a compelling 120 foot Severe crackline, called with great originality “The Cracks”. This proved well worth the effort with good moves on a steep line for the grade and worth all it’s 2 stars in the guidebook. We emerged on to the top to find no sign of our 2 buddies and decided to wait.

After nearly another hour, the belly of the cliff spewed out first Dick followed by a “white as a sheet” Kev, who looked like he had experienced several trips to the after life & back. He swore that the route was the Mother of Scariest leads (this from he famed for upside down falls at Gogarth).

Several hours later back at the campsite, Kev was still a shade of white which Dulux would have been proud of, but gradually revived as our campsite barbeque got into full swing. Several others arrived and the next day was spent walking around the impressive Huntsmans Leap and climbing at the friendlier but fun cliffs at Saddle Head. The evening was spent in the village pub.

The last day saw everyone splitting up for various sight-seeing & walking destinations, before heading off home. Thank you to Kev for suggesting the trip and to everyone involved in the organisation. And, of course, to the weather for being so kind.

For the ornithologists amongst you, several of us were entertained in the evenings by sightings of 2 splendid liver birds & a robin, indulging in feeding rituals. Kev befriended the robin on Saturday (unusually the robin was at home on steep sea cliffs), whilst the liver birds flew off to Tenby to gather nesting material.

Nick