If You Don’t Fall Off, You’re Not Trying Hard Enough

The prospect of five full days climbing on Lundy was exciting and intimidating in equal parts. Although Mike is happy to lead climbs that I can second, i.e. well below his grade, I knew he wouldn’t want to do this for the duration, not with all those pumpy, steep, extreme sea cliffs on offer. So I stepped onto the ferry at Ilfracombe with a prearranged agreement with Ruth that we would team up and take turns leading.

I’d led my first climb earlier in the year up in North Pembroke on easy-angled slabs with positive finger pockets and great friction. It was a happy and positive experience and quite a breakthrough for me as I’d been a content second for years. I’m not sure what prompted the move to lead but I knew the crag from a previous visit and was confident on the rock and just decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did because the experience of leading, of moving on your own steam and judgement, is quite simply exquisite.

Louise on lead, Lundy

I’d prepared for Lundy by trawling through the new guide book and marking every climb that was Severe or below with post-it notes. Ruth had done the same so we had a similar tick list. We were joined by Louise and Pete and together we descended, via an exhilarating abseil and scramble, to Coning Tower, a seaward facing slab on a small rock island near the dramatic Arch Zawn way up at the North of the island. Ruth took the first lead up German Bight (VDiff) and I then led Tyne(Diff) on the right arête of the slab, which felt very similar in style and grade. It was so good to be in such an amazing setting and to be leading up easy but pleasant rock with an abundance of seals swimming below. To finish the day we had to swing out onto a steep abseil to get down the tower and then Pete led a lovely pitch to get us back to our packs. It was a fantastic Lundy day out.

For our second leading excursion we headed to Beaufort Buttress which was much easier to get to, but still as dramatic with the sea lashing below us. Ruth went up Hurricane (HS) and made a fantastic job of it, taking her time on the mid section which isn’t so well protected. She was justifiably very chuffed with herself when I joined her at the belay. We returned to the base of the wall and I decided to give Force Eight (S) a go. To be honest it didn’t look like my kind of climb – a crack line with a small overhang – but I wanted to lead and there wasn’t anything else in my grade, so I climbed the first corner to the crack line and placed some gear. I felt good, the moves were interesting but not difficult and the crack made protection easy and plentiful. I grinned down at Ruth who looked as pleased as punch with my progress. On I went to where a second crack started and the climbing became steeper. I inched up and placed gear and soon reached the overhang. It took me a few minutes to work out the moves and got over it. Hurrah! But as the crack was now all but diminished I struggled to get a gear placement. Though there was little for my feet and nothing for my hands, I was in balance. But as I tried yet another nut, my feet started to slip and I knew I was going to fall. And I did fall, by about a metre and a half. But I lived to tell to tale. My gear held and my confidence held too, as I simply got back on the climb and finished it, without stopping to place the gear this time. I think Ruth was more shaken than me – at least I knew that the fall was coming. Also I clipped my knuckle and as she followed me up Ruth found the blood-stained rock a little disturbing. I was sorry to give Ruth a scare, but I was happy with the climb in the end, especially when Ruth reached the belay and said the words every leader wants to hear: ‘God, I was glad I wasn’t leading that!’

Copyright ©2011 Rockhoppers Mountaineering Club