UKC

Anyone got any recommendations? Have done e2s elsewhere and e1s on Lundy and in Cornwall, but never tried any e2s down on the granite before, so hoping for some recommendations...

Something without big traverses would be handy since the missus might fall off and whimpers if she swings about
I'm not much cop at jamming, my tastes lean more towards slabs and walls over cracks. Overlaps and overhangs I can sort of do but not as well.
Don't mind a bit bold but nothing death
Sandbags not required - soft or reasonable at the grade buti don't think I'm quite up for hard e2 or beyond right now...

Things i had been thinking of included things like desolation row, the cluster of routes just right of raven wall, beowolf looks cool, not sure what else... any comments on suitability or other recommendations?

Ta,

andy

In reply to AJM:

A word of caution vis-a-vis Raven wall. Patience (E2 in the guide) is nails, & given E3 i notice here on UKC.

Haven't done much in the way of E2 & certainly can't think of non-traversy options; Stone Boom & Bow Wall both having traverses in (though not much on the latter). I hear Beowulf is good

In reply to AJM:

Granite E2 nearly always requires jamming my friend. I suggest you learn the art on lower grades, then you will have a greater choice of some memorable classics awaiting you.

In reply to AJM:


Yeah, 'Desolation Row' is good sustained slabby granite. 'Stone Boom' is good but there is a short traverse on the first pitch

In reply to AJM:

Beowolf has got a bit of a nails section on it; if you're tall it helps. Andy, give Bow Wall a go; it's a beaut. Can't think why I didn't recall it on the 'best E2 in the country' thread. Oh I remember now; I failed on the crux, I tried it three ways then needed a rest. It eventually went the way I originally tried it....

In reply to AJM:

Cheers for the input guys. I had avoided bow wall because I have a friend who got spanked by it at a time when he was climbing well, but we will see I guess. As for the jamming - I think my main problem is I'm a wuss who doesn't like sticking my feet in cracks cos it hurts!

The move that's easier if you're tall on Beowulf - is 6 foot or so tall or short in this instance?

In reply to AJM: Carn Barra has a good selection of E2s. Single pitch but good situation, always quiet. I've been on Illustrated Man & Fourteen Fathoms (both pretty well protected E2) and Crack in the Sky which is a highly entertaining E1 in the main area but there's a few other E2s there as well.

In reply to AJM:

Grendel(sp?) near Kafoozalem at Bosigran sounds like it fits the bill... a nice little route - a little slab, then pull through a juggy roof.

Thin wall Special, Stoneboom and Desolation Row.... (I remember DR feeling a bit bold and intimidating)

also, I have to suggest Samson Arete at Sennen - it's a brilliant route! but has a reputation! Certainly top-end E2.

I've not done Green Cormorant Face - but that looks fantastic!

Simon

In reply to Different Steve:

The third (ie non-main) pitch of Bow Wall has quite a long traverse in it. I suppose you could always finish up Doorpost.

Illustrated Man and Fourteen Fathoms are right at the bottom of the grade and would be good choices. Desolation Row is very good; easy but runout. Beowulf is a bouldery route, a couple of hard and quite bold sections. Rock Dancer is given various grades and as I got rained off it about half-way up I can't really say which one's right, but that was nice enough; also a little bold. And if Grendel is the one I think it is then that's OK too. Green Cormorant Face is reasonable for the grade and doesn't have any jamming or traversing.

What grade is Imphal? That's quite nice, but probably involves the odd jam.

I'd avoid Samson Arete since I strongly suspect your young lady would fall off and swing sideways a bit; not that I know her but that seems to be the usual outcome of attempts to second this route.

I know you said granite, but Tuco the Terrible is a good route and fairly straight up.

The best E2 I've done in the area by miles is Xanadu, but it's quite high in the grade and the finishing crack definitely requires jamming. You also need to catch it when it's dry and outside the gorse season, which is quite a difficult combination.

Has anyone done Earthly Powers? Always looks tempting in the guide, but never got around to it.

jcm

In reply to Different Steve:

Sorry, that should have read the OP's young lady.

jcm

In reply to SV:

Thin Wall Special and Stoneboom both have traverses with jamming on them, which doesn't seem quite what the OP was after!

jcm

In reply to AJM:
Hi Andy, I haven't done it and it isn't granite, but Behemoth looks awesome. Perhaps if Ali couldn't second it you could ab back down and escape up Right Angle...you'd have to leave enough tide time though.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

also Thin wall special gets E1.

In reply to Dan_Carroll:

Could take the Chicken Run variant? I did this as an on-sight solo when I was barley 16, so can't be as bad as the guide suggest, no jams either. Plus, its straight up.

In reply to AJM: Hey mate last time I was in Cornwall I got spanked by both Bow Wall and something on Chair (Central pillar?). If you don't want sandbags don't go to Cornwall, either that or modify your guidebook before you go When are you off in that direction?

In reply to Si dH:

Behemoth is virtually all a traverse; the hard bit is often wet and quite scary to second, and you'd struggle to ab back down sideways under that roof. You'r right that it's awesome though.

I had some idea TWS had been upgraded, but maybe not. You could as Mark says do Chicken Run, but the main problem of jamming along and round the roof on pitch two remains. I suppose you could finish this one up Doorpost as well.

jcm

In reply to Stone Muppet:

Actually there is quite a good E2 on Chair Ladder which might be the one you mean, but like you I can't remember its name. Centrepiece?

Is Seahorse E2 yet? Judging by what's happening to Peak offwidths it soon will be. That's a great route.

jcm

In reply to Stone Muppet:

It was your experiences, or what tom told me of them, that put me off bow wall!

Going down tonight til Saturday night I think, assuming forecast still good.

Si, will call you later about it. Behemoth I think I'll save for a very competent partner day!

Cheers for the recommendations guys. Definite food for thought. Thin wall special as people have said is e1 - chicken run variation I didn't look at, isn't it pretty bold? A version of that first pitch that's a bit harder and hence e2 would be ideal - an excellent pitch!

In reply to AJM:

A mate of mine did Samson Arete at Sennen. A little bold and pretty technical in the early stages if you ask me, but for the grit enthusiast it should hold good value.

In reply to AJM:

Hi Andy - another vote for Desolation Row - did it last year and thought it was excellent. If I did it again, I'd pre-place a rope on the chossy/grassy slope at the top to pull out on though.

The chicken run variant on Thin Wall special is also great - with just enough good protection from small wires. Take plenty of RPs and small offsets.

In reply to AJM: Oh yeah, I seem to remember Paz backing off Samson Arete

In reply to AJM:

I was going to suggest Golva at Sennen - on limited experience of granite E2' - I did when it was E1 but see it's considered hard E2/E3 now. Maybe that's down to the decline in jammimg?

In reply to Bulls Crack:

Golva: solid E1

Beta alert!!!

On the first steep crack, look for a mega jug on the left wall. This will get you up and beyond the peg scared finger jams, and into the jam and undercling at the first overlap. The rest of the route is sweet.

In reply to M. Edwards:

Oddly enough the day I did it I left a cam underneath it which you kindly picked up and I retrieved later from Compass West!

In reply to Bulls Crack:

Ah-ha! A face to your name. Glad to be of service. Mind you, the amount of Friends I have retrieved from Cornish granite I could open a shop!

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
"I had some idea TWS had been upgraded,"
Thats what I thought also. Seconded it quite a while back.