UKC

Simon Hammond grew up in Bude and was drawn to the diverse and challenging climbing on the Culm Coast. In this film, made by his son Kieran, he pushes himself to climb his first E3: Diamond Smiles at Lower Sharpnose.

Lovely. Nice one gents. 

Great to see a polished production that effectively captures the experience of climbing that most of us have.

If ever a crag was made for drone photography, this is it. Great little film.

"Have I got an E4 in me?" - well Diamond Smiles used to be E4, so it's not a soft touch. Crooked Mile has also been downgraded to from E4 to E3. I suggest Break On Through, if they haven't downgraded that as well, although it's definitely a bit more sustained.

Love the crag,  agree a drone really brings out what's special about it!  I don't think there are many better E3s out there,  this along with Stargate at Mother Carey's rank as some of my favourites,  good effort! Fay next? 

One of the best E3's in the country

What would be nice on one of these films is just to hear the conversation between the leader and second as they climb the route instead of some meaningless background music. We have enough of this at the supermarket. Think of Brown & Whillans ascending Cemetery Gates. The banter made the film.

A good film otherwise, but oh for some more close-ups so we really get an idea of what the rock and holds are like. I must get back on the Culm, a totally unique experience.

So great to see a much loved local crag and a brilliant climb of this grade being given a quality film feel.  Loved it!  You got this old goat desperate to get to Sharpnose again soon!

Break on through would be a great next climb.  But more sustained but good gear.

Super video.

I've had diamond smiles on the radar for years but I'm always intimidated by that headwall when pumped half way up The Smile! Looks pumpy up there and got pretty pumped watching it!

Simon - you should have a look at Pressure Drop next just up the coast. 

Thanks Tom.

I keep looking at Break on Through, will have to have a go soon. Cheers.

Fair comments. I like the idea of recording the chat and the close ups. Ideas for next time.

Really enjoyed watching that gents.  I have looked up at that crag surfing and looked down on it walking the coast path.  Fantastic to see some one climbing it.

Super nice video Simon! Absolutely dying to get back down to Sharpnose later this year. Definitely get on Break On Through. Did both routes on a trip a few years ago and there's really not much between them! 

Yes, I found Break on Through doable, whereas I completely ran out of beans on Fay, which someone else suggested (and which used to be E5!).

How does pressure drop compare to these routes? To my shame I've never been to sharpnose as I always thought everything was to hard for me but I found pressure drop quite straight forward at the grade (and totally awesome, pulling through the ace finger locks at the top was the highlight of my climbing year!)

+1 for the really enjoyed sentiment from me. Right balance of chat and climbing and a beautiful location and route that the filming definitely does justice to the amazing nature of the crag.

I'd say for the next film when you do the E4 (yeah you will!), the person filming from on the crag could do with a tripod held sideways against the cliff (might be a bit of a faff to rig on an overhanging wall, granted) to avoid camera wobble and maybe change the focus mode as in some of the earlier shots from that angle the camera was focussing on crag in the foreground and the climber was out of focus. Focussing manually can help with this issue, you can even do artistic things like focussing at infinity and then slowly reducing the range till the climber comes into focus and then finally leaves focus again (though that is arguably slightly pretentious and overdone! )

Really enjoyed this film, thank you for sharing.

Hopefully will manage to persuade someone to go try some routes down there with me one day (my lot are all sport climbers only so might have to wait until my baby boy grows up 

Congrats on the climb as well as on a lovely video.

It was just what I needed to remind me of sea-cliff climbing in general, and Lower Sharpnose in particular. I've only been there once, but what a day! Lunakhod, The Smile, and then my first-ever E2 on-sight lead: Last Laugh. Beautiful climbing in a superb location.

Now I'd need a strong partner willing to hold me very tight ....

Loved this video. Made me so psyched to get back into trad climbing as soon as I’m able.