Climbers Club/Pinnacle Club Joint Meet

The meet was as busy as ever this year – with an average of around 35 attendees with peaks on the first weekend as we hosted a Rucksack club expedition team, and on the Wednesday of the barbecue. The cast list (see below) included regular devotees and new innocents to the slaughter of mixing and matching their way through the week.

We had mainly good weather and favourable tides (the meet is always in a week with afternoon low tides to allow for leisurely mornings and sun on the emerging rock) and people were out from the first Saturday to the last (Trewawas before the mist settled in). On the Saturday evening the RC led expedition descended to sea level for midnight and completed the assault on Commando Ridge in efficient style by 2am. There was no full moon as hoped for, but also no rain and the 10 ascendants – 6 RC members and 4 from the meet – were all very pleased with themselves. After 3 days of activity there was a general relief at the unequivocal rain on Tuesday, particularly as there was a good forecast for the rest of the week. That day was spent in WiFi friendly Sainsburys and in the hut on chores, and was eased by scone production, bara brith a la Peri and a quiz in the evening.

Noteworthy outings were Alice Thompson on Interspace at Carn Les Boels with Nevil Hewitt, Thin Wall Special and Beowulf at Bosigran by Alison Cairns and Alice, 3 efforts at Martello Slab with 2 successful parties (Graham Townsend and Roger Withers got entangled in the recommended route across the fields/jungle at the top of the crag, gave up and then took an inadvertent long route back to the car, whereas the other two parties ignored the guide book instructions and were successful). There were 2 known wettings – one by me as I slipped on a wet foothold at the bottom of Helluva Slab, and the other by Adele who misjudged a wave while attempting to sandbag me into wading again; I got across dry at to a last snatched climb at Pen Olver.

We had a game running through the week of amassing reward points through climbing, swapping partners, and behaviours (sharing cars, visiting local tearooms to boost the economy, chores!). 17 people put in an entry form and so I know that between us we visited at least 21 crags and climbed at least 92 different climbs. Some routes only got 1 ascent whereas the old favourites of Doorpost and Ochre Slab were well frequented. Demo Route had zero ascents recorded! Winners were Alice Thompson, Paul Scott, Nikki Hawkins and Nevil Hewitt. Winning tactics were going to crags that no-one else went to and climbing climbs no-one else got up. Alice had the edge here with a monopoly on the E3s, but Terry Fletcher and I got maximum points for Fox Promontory and 2 climbs, as did Paul Scott and Debbie Marsh for a clean up on the 6 routes on Wicca Pillar. I shall consider refinements to the rules for next year, including a request that going to pubs should be included as it supports the local economy. . . . ..

The weather on the final Saturday was overcast and there was a general exodus with appropriate amounts of cleaning done and the fridges left mainly empty. The meet had been great fun; the refurbishments on the Count House of kitchen and soundproofing were much appreciated, the loan of Iain Peter’s barbecue enhanced the Wednesday communal event and eventually scone production exceeded consumption. Thanks to all the people who came along, participated enthusiastically; the fridge and scone kitty had a £17 surplus, which Cathy popped in an RNLI box.

Val Hennelly

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Attendees:
Val Hennelly (CC/PC); David Jones (CC); Demetri Wetzel (CC Prosp); Peri Stracchino (CC); Alison Cairns (CC/PC); Andy Cairns (CC); Roy Thomas (CC); Jenny Gee (PC); Paul Scott (CC); Sabine Kretschmer (PC prosp); Hazel Jones (PC); Terry Fletcher (CC); Mette Christensen (CC); Hazel Lewis (PC); Adele Long (CC ); Andrew Kitchen (CC); Joan Stewart (PC); Noelle Godfrey (PC); Jessie Leong (PC prosp); Nevil Hewitt (CC); Cathy Woodhead (CC/PC); Dave Medcalf (CC); John Evans (CC); Nikki Hawkins (CC/PC); Debbie Marsh (PC prosp); Dave Wynne-Jones (CC); Sue Logan (PC); Alice Thompson (CC); Harry Salisbury (CC); Andrew Wielochowski (CC); Cath Sullivan (CC/PC); Sarah Nield (PC prosp); Ionut Procop (CC Prosp); Sally Slade (PC prosp); Richard Parking (VH guest); Pete and Louise Robertson (CC); Tim and Helen Whitaker (CC); Roger Withers (CC); Graham Townsend (CC); Rob Seymour (CC/RC); James Mann (CC/RC); Oli Warren (RC) plus other Rucksackers; Dave Viggers (CC); Moira Viggers (CC); Iain Peters (CC); John and Jan Atherton (CC) for the barbecue.