Lord oh Lord!

Pleased with my day at Lord's wearing specs after being told off by the optician

As planned I visited Lord's seat today with the intention of a visit to Earl seat on my way back to look at Jams to the slaughter. I took 2 pads with me and before I'd even got onto the moor I was getting pretty tired. I knew i had to take 2 mats as I had a plan to solo Jam's to the slaughter and knew it was a route and not a problem so i would need everything to help my psyche in getting up this.

The view of Lord's seat as approaching from Simon's

Passing Simon's seat it was another 5 minutes over the moor until i found the place - the first thing that was obvious was that the topo wasn't very helpful until you knew where you were. Thankfully i brought the new bouldering guide up with me which allowed me to find my way around to Pocket Wall area. I got 6*'s in about as many minutes, I wasn't sure Solitaire the 3* HVS was as good as made out to be but they were all nice. I then went around and did Mantel fantastic which was brilliant if in some respects not as hard as i had anticipated, great grit. a few other bots and bobs and as it was threatening rain I decided to try and get on the final 3* route hereabouts Pure Gold which i had spied and been suitably intimidated by earlier. I decided to film it - my first 'attempt' i jumped off because i was starting it wrong but then I suddenly found myself high up and slotting jams in. Superb! 

 

Pure Gold an intimidating E1 solo but not too bad when you're on it. Do you think it looks a bit rude?

 

A mistimed photo - attempting Pump friction an E2 that has a 6a crux stepping onto the slab. i wimped out and did the VS alternative getting on the slab from the right.

I did a number of other excellent problems around here. the best being stepping out a bold E1 that i found myself committed on without a pad but managed to get it together and finish it easily. One of the best routes has to be a 1* MVS called Lay away which was absolutely brilliant - if it had been anywhere else it would be 3*'s and VS. Brilliant! It was getting on a bit and i felt a bit tired, there was so much to play at here i knew i would return so decided to save some routes at the crag and head over to Earl Seat for my show-down with "Jam's". I had spent the day psyching myself up for this and when I realised how much hard work the walk into the crag was I was determined to send it.

First impressions from afar were GULP! what am i thinking at the same time as realising what a great looking crag it was. I got myself ready - i had decided to employ dubious solo tactics as it was quite high - i had 2 pads but i also put a harness on and took a few cams that I could slot in and rest if i had a nightmare right at the top. Hardly manning up i know.

I went up and found i was laybacking quite a long way up - the advantage of soloing i guess - and got to a good hold. From here i had to commit to a rock over right but it felt a bit insecure, whilst reversing i fell off. Next go i decided to man up but the mat blew away and this was the beginning of the end. I couldn't commit to the move and get into the exit crack because I was constantly looking down I had no faith that the mats would stay put and knew i couldn't reverse from the next move, I tried various combinations of mat stacking/weighing down but nothing would convince me that it would stay put without intervention. I'm pretty annoyed because i was really psyched for this - i know it would have been scary at the top - i think a spotter or preferably a rope will make this much more achievable but I have to find volunteers to come up here. I am even thinking of some sort of self belay thing using cams midway and a gri gri/shunt death arrangement but what i did learn was that it is a really nice crag with plenty of lines not in the guide - I'll make sure i look on the database before going next time.

Getting back to the main track was much easier and shorter so I am less depressed about the prospect of walking back up there again.

Jam's to the slaughter takes the crack on the arete - i got my hands about 2/3 up it on the chalky hold where the 2nd crack goes off left. Here's where i fell and where I didn't commit beyond - up to this point it was easy (5a?) laybacking and the point i was at was not strenuous so it's do-able the angle kicks back shortly after this point.

Pure gold on sight.. eventually ;o)