UKC

I’ve been climbing at Guillemot Ledge today.

The block at the top of Oceanid is in a very dangerous state. We tried to trundle it but it is held in at the back by a lip of rock. Only about 1 cm of the block is preventing it from rocking over the edge. We have made it even looser by trying to remove it.

It is possible to climb Tudor Rose and Facedancing without too much danger as long as care is taken to keep the ropes running away from the block when climbing past it. The routes that use the first pitch of Oceanid (Warlord etc.) are unaffected. The second pitch of Oceanid is currently a really bad idea. Even though it may be possible to climb round the block, ropes are bound to run past it.

The block sticks out very obviously and can be seen from the base of the routes. It’s probably best not to belay under it.

Next time I’m down at Swanage I’ll try to get it with a crowbar – unless anyone thinks that’s a really bad idea. There will be some other loose stuff to come down from around it but the corner basically looked sound and the other routes that use that finish should still be fine. I also think Oceanid will be fine but haven’t done it so I’m not certain which holds are crucial.

If anyone has comments, post them here.

In reply to matt perks:

Do it, please!

In reply to matt perks:

I agree with Ben - get trundling...

In reply to matt perks: I'm surprised there is st ill obvious loose stuff there - in 2002? we pulled a load of it off when my pulled on one of the blocks and took a very scary 30' fall along with the fridge sized block!

Great route, but not one I'm in a hurry to go and climb again any time soon.

M

In reply to matt perks: Don't pull too hard with that crowbar the whole lot might come down.
I don't remember oceanid being particularly loose when I climbed it many moons ago, I thought a bit of loose rock was all part of the swanage experience.

In reply to matt perks:

Trundle it

In reply to matt perks:

Trundle it then put it in Right eliminate

In reply to Yorkspud:

That's a point. Is anyone likely to try to reinsert this block? Will you be leaving a small car in a local climbing shop so that anyone wanting to climb it can borrow it for pro?

In reply to Mark Lloyd: i think theres's a subtle difference between 'a bit of loose rock' and a fridge sized death block poised above the line of the route - that wobbled when i did the route a couple of years ago.. trundle it..

In reply to matt perks:

When you trundle it, catch the fall on film!

In reply to matt perks:

Oh yes - take care please. Make sure you're tied off to a stake or something.

In reply to steve taylor:

yes we wouldn't want it to be a snuff trundle...

In reply to Ben Stokes at Work:

Maybe there will be some really nice ammonites inside it?

In reply to matt perks: I'm slightly concerned by your comment that you havent done the route. I climbed Oceanoid last year and it was fairly straight forward to climb around the block. My memory isn't brilliant but I'm sure you could be unsettling a whole load more rock, the leaning top section of that butrees is all detached. I seem to remember my second hammering the loose block and me, sat on the belay, feeling what seemed like most of the crag vibrating. exercise extreme caution or you may get into something you'll regret!

In reply to Mark Lloyd:

Routes at Swanage change. If you watch the swell from a winter storm hitting the cliffs, it is pretty obvious why.

In reply to Stefan Lloyd:

Agreed, last year on a windy Novembers day I saw waves hitting the cliff 1/3 of a way up bouler ruckle and the spray easily clearing the top. Shortly afterwards we decided to evacuate from Subluminal!

In reply to Stefan Lloyd:

with the current storms, who knows it my go of it's own accord.