|
Dunmore Head. Pete Smith 17th June
2000AD
Bill LeClerc-Gigot and myself (Pete Smith)
set off for Culdaff on a heavy, overcast Saturday afternoon. The previous
day had been beautiful, with hours of hot sunshine; today threatened rain
from start to finish. Luckily the clouds never opened and we had a pleasant
few hours on the rock.
We started off with Bill leading Peapob; there were a half-dozen Belfast climbers at the crag and he was worried they would think him a nancy if started with anything below VS. He led it in fine style and got to the top looking nonchalant and crowing about how much he enjoys a nice lay-back. It seemed like a good time to bring him down a peg or two, so I elected to lead Beanbob. What suggested this idea to me, I don't know. I thrashed my way up with lots of grunts and puffing-and-blowing. At least when I got to the top, I was supposed to have the spectacle of Bill suffering as he followed me. It was not to be. The cheeky git appeared to enjoy it, and reached the top looking smug. I wouldn't have been more annoyed if he had laid-back the off-width which I had jammed and crammed and thrutched my way up. Bill then led Orange Blossom in routinely elegant style, before he started egging me on to do Shining Cossacks HVS 5a. I took the bait and stood at the foot of the route with my alimentary canal fizzing and bubbling like a porridge pot. Once I'd put in the first runner, I was committed. I pulled gracefully (!) over the lip and gained the slab. Apart from having to untie one rope and drop it; having to place a wire with a hoker; slipping on the crux and having to do it a second time; and dropping my bunch of wires when I had a 10 foot run-out; the route was led uneventfully. To my intense disappointment, Bill needed a bit of help from above! A great end to a great afternoon. |