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Back to Basics* VD

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[Penguin leading 'Back To Basics' at Fairy Cave Quarry, 2 kb]35m. The groove in the right arête of the Conning Tower buttress. Very good value despite a rather loose finish.
R Connaly 1993

Photo: Penguin leading 'Back To Basics' at Fairy Cave Quarry © homing-penguin
View all 3 photos or Submit a new photo of this climb.

PUBLIC LOGBOOKS
This climb is in 123 logbooks, and on 1 wishlist.

BruceW - Lead O/S - 08/Jun/13 with Becca

Nice.
johnl - Lead O/S - 03/Jun/13 with Andy Dunford

jopayne1988 - 2nd β - 26/May/13

Hidden - Lead - 25/May/13

Hidden - 2nd - 25/May/13

Cheese Monkey - 2nd O/S - 17/May/13 with Mike

A crow or some such flapped out of the large crack, quite a surprise :-)
Mayaculpa - Lead - 17/May/13 with Ben

Neil Gay - Lead O/S - 04/May/13 with Judith, Ryan Murphy

Malpractise - Lead O/S - 23/Apr/13 with Richard Goodbody

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 23/Apr/13

robbiek - Lead - 17/Apr/13 with Caroline Web

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 15/Apr/13

A good climb, though some care needed with the leaning tower of Pisa blocks at the top!
petegunn - 2nd - 08/Apr/13 with Davina

Hidden - Lead O/S - 08/Apr/13

paulerussell - Lead O/S - 06/Apr/13 with Steve Grey

homing-penguin - 2nd β - 10/Mar/13

becoming-stranger - 2nd O/S - 03/Mar/13 with Beth Mc

HairyBean - Lead rpt - 03/Mar/13 with Natalie Burke

*girl - 2nd O/S - 03/Mar/13 with Rick Simper

homing-penguin - Lead O/S - 02/Mar/13 with David

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 02/Mar/13

BBEENN - Lead - 20/Feb/13

again
riddle - 2nd O/S - 05/Jan/13 with Phil Lilley

riddle - Lead O/S - 01/Jan/13 with Danny H

beth_may - Lead O/S - 2013 with Will Pope

becoming-stranger - 2nd - 2013 with Beth Mc

stoneback - Lead O/S - 11/Nov/12 with Dean

HairyBean - Lead O/S - 20/Oct/12

*girl - 2nd O/S - 20/Oct/12 with Rick Simper

Hidden - Lead O/S - 29/Sep/12

Hidden - Lead - 29/Sep/12

Nice route, really easy until the corner starting three quarters of the way which makes it VD. Watch out for the loose block just above the corner.
MartinN - Lead O/S - 09/Sep/12

Chris's first trad experience. Belayed just below the chossy top
lazzaw - Lead rpt - 09/Sep/12 with Jonathan Cook

arandall - Solo O/S - 23/Aug/12

The Pylon King - Solo - 12/Aug/12

jamiemcdonald - Lead O/S - 11/Aug/12 with Michelle Taylor

paulerussell - Lead O/S - 09/Aug/12 with Chris Poad

paul1234 - Lead - 20/Jul/12 with Saffers

Harri777 - Lead - 30/Jun/12 with Nik

Alor_lab - 2nd O/S - 30/Jun/12 with Harri

Hidden - Lead - 20/Jun/12

Martyn Trev - Lead O/S - 20/Jun/12 with Tamsin Dyke

Hidden - 2nd - 20/Jun/12

Mr-Cowdrey - Lead O/S - 09/Jun/12

Not much more than a hard scramble to start and finish, nice bridging climb in the middle. Agree lots of loose boulders that could do some serious damage. Although climb description gives 35m height, it's a long way to the belay anchor trees when you get to the top. My 50m ropes weren't enough and my partner had to scramble up the first section to give me a bit extra.
Limpet - Lead - 14/May/12

Hidden - Solo - 12/May/12

In approach shoes. Nice climb, though as per the rest of the quarry it is covered in piles of blocks ready to fall. Care required.
mullermn - 2nd O/S - 12/May/12 with Kylie Richards

Nice route, quite easy.
Kylie - Lead O/S - 12/May/12 with mullermn

lazzaw - Lead O/S - 15/Apr/12 with Jason Wilber, Jude

Hey Jude - TR O/S - 15/Apr/12 with lazzaw

Hidden - AltLd - 19/Mar/12

Hidden - Lead - 19/Mar/12

Steve J T - 2nd - 10/Mar/12

ali macphee - Lead - 08/Feb/12 with lukerathmell

J.Atkins - Lead O/S - 21/Jan/12

cbonner - Lead rpt - 26/Nov/11 with Brad Holmes

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 19/Nov/11

Hidden - Lead O/S - 19/Nov/11

cbonner - Solo rpt - 09/Oct/11

Hidden - 2nd - 11/Sep/11

Hidden - Lead - Sep/11

Downclimbed.
bpmclimb - Solo rpt - 22/Aug/11

big loose rocks on the top but not too dangerous if you are careful.
Pete Scott - Solo O/S - 13/Aug/11 with Jimbo

bradholmes - Lead rpt - 23/Jul/11 with Chris Bonner

cbonner - 2nd rpt - 23/Jul/11 with Brad Holmes

Hidden - Lead - 23/Jul/11

ollie080488 - 2nd O/S - 02/Jul/11 with Luke Moran

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 02/Jul/11

stpauliblade - Lead - 29/Jun/11

stuntsbyjon - 27/Jun/11

Hidden - Lead - 26/Jun/11

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 14/Jun/11

cbonner - Lead - 11/Jun/11 with Brad Holmes

bradholmes - 2nd - 11/Jun/11 with Chris Bonner

Messners Yeti - Lead O/S - 04/Jun/11 with Cate Muir

catemuir - 2nd - 04/Jun/11 with Pete Swan

The Pylon King - Solo O/S - 04/Jun/11

Looks great from the bottom. Nice grooved arete. Loose rook all over the place. Care is needed in finding and placing gear unless you want a 100Kg block coming down on your belayer. Big blocks moving and falling. Split the 50 climb in two with greg taking the top 10m otherwise you cannot see your second (and actually not a bad stance)Not one for a repeat unless you have a death wish.
kiwi boy - Lead O/S - 29/May/11 with Greg K

Hidden - 2nd - 24/May/11

Hidden - Lead - 24/May/11

Hidden - Lead - 21/May/11

carl_123 - 2nd rpt - 12/May/11

lukerathmell - Lead O/S - 12/May/11 with Carl Stubbs

carl_123 - Lead O/S - 05/May/11

Worth a star, despite the loose finish.
bpmclimb - Lead O/S - 01/Apr/11 with Clare

Andyh83 - Solo O/S - 29/Mar/11

7ames - Lead O/S - 16/Oct/10

cas smerdon - 2nd - 22/Sep/10 with Nicola Yalland

Hidden - Lead - 22/Sep/10

jenniferanncleaver - Lead - 12/Aug/10

Sam..Oliver - Lead - 11/Aug/10

stpauliblade - Lead - 08/Aug/10

Hidden - 2nd - 24/Jul/10

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 27/Jul/09

olliegray96 - 2nd - 20/Jul/09 with dad,reece & ryan

Hidden - Lead - 30/May/09

Dave Marshall - 2nd - 30/May/09 with Richard Keast

cas smerdon - Lead - 29/Apr/09 with mark joyce

cornish bird - 2nd O/S - 05/Apr/09 with gareth

Hidden - Lead - 05/Apr/09

Samuel1989 - 2nd - 05/Apr/09 with Tommy

Hidden - Lead O/S - 05/Apr/09

Hidden - Solo O/S - 27/Jul/08

Sam Pictor - 2nd O/S - 10/Jun/08 with Dad

sammy94 - 2nd - 07/Jun/08 with dad,reece and charlotte

Nice climb.Horrible at the top.
bazzag - Lead - 07/Jun/08 with reece, Charlotte,Sam,Ollie and Ryan

Hidden - 2nd O/S - 27/Apr/08

Hidden - Lead O/S - 2008

ian d f - Lead - 2008

Dan B - Lead O/S - 02/Jun/07 with Bev

easy peasey arrete, seconded by hazel and Lizzie
ebunick - Lead O/S - 18/Feb/07

Quite a good little route, Solid, apart from the top fifteen feet.
RichS-Bristol - 2007

Hidden - Lead - 2007

Horrible tottering pile of shite!
Zoomer - Lead - 29/Oct/06 with Julia Bloomer

Jules 210681 - 2nd - 29/Oct/06 with glenn bloomer

Hidden - Solo O/S - 06/Jul/06

bob3141 - 2nd O/S - 26/Apr/06 with Jon Martin

gaz.marshall - Lead O/S - 2006

endless winter - AltLd β - Aug/05 with BenP

Epic Ebdon - Lead O/S - 01/May/05 with Nick Lambert

dpmUK - Lead dog - 20/Mar/05 with Mike Dixon

James Moyle - 2nd - 10/Sep/04

Slater - Lead - 2004 with Percy

Users with this climb on their wishlist are:
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Voting
Total votes cast 46
hard HVD0 of 24
HVD0 of 24
easy HVD0 of 24
hard VD2 of 24
VD17 of 24
easy VD5 of 24
hard HD0 of 24
HD0 of 24
easy HD0 of 24
3 Stars0 of 22
2 Stars3 of 22
1 Star13 of 22
0 Stars4 of 22
Bag of .....2 of 22
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Style of ascent

Soloed10 of 123 (8.1%)
Lead68 of 123 (55.3%)
Followed40 of 123 (32.5%)
Toproped1 of 123 (0.8%)
Alt Leads2 of 123 (1.6%)
Unknown2 of 123 (1.6%)

'Climbed'52 of 123 (42.3%)
clean O/S59 of 123 (48.0%)
clean β3 of 123 (2.4%)
clean rpt8 of 123 (6.5%)
dogged1 of 123 (0.8%)