In reply to Mick Ward:
Didn't understand the reference, so I googled it. Lovely bit of history, thanks.
“The general opinion was that no one had ever climbed [Beachy Head]. There was, however, a legend that it had once been done. I settled the point by walking up, smoking a pipe, with my dog - I had no woman available - in nine and a half minutes from the beach to the coastguard station.”
I've gone one better... I've taken my dog AND a woman up my slabs, at the same time! She and I used a single 27m half rope (don't ask) between us, she not being the most confident of climbers, whilst the dog scampered about on his own route, wondering why we were bothering with string and jingles.
Here he is after soloing some blocky grade 4 yesterday:
https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14361395_1790838357800824_6057...
In reply to walts4:
> Be aware, allegedly, lots of adders on the slabs enjoying the afternoon sun.
> A local guide had suggested that the local guide's bureau had stopped going up there because of that reason!!
Good to know, thanks for that. Can't blame them for it, it's a great place to sunbathe! The first time the dog ever saw adders was near the Chapeau slabs, a seething mass of them wrapped up together, the proverbial nest of vipers... the dog, after surverying the situation from about 3 metres away, decided to give them an even wider berth, and he's not been close to a snake since. He's a fairly clever chap, I think he knows who would come out on tops in that battle.