Two years in the planning, three nights in the bar, four days on the rock and five teams on the Devil’s Slide… all the makings of the best trip of the year…
Day 1 – All teams met up at Ilfracombe harbour to drink coffee and admire the statue… (no, I didn’t get it either). All aboard the M.S. Oldenberg for a bacon sandwich and two hours of ‘gazing at the horizon’.
“Did you enjoy the boat trip?”…
“I was getting sick of it…”
Arrival and a steep walk up, tents up and a quick sort out of kit before a sharp departure for the Knights Templar crags. A couple of members cleverly left their kit in the hold luggage and were seen waiting patiently for it in the bar… but did try to find us later. A couple of ascents on these crags and then a re-group in the bar.
Day 2 – Most teams headed over to the ‘Slide’, where most members took one look and bottled it (on the basis that it might rain). Half an hour later saw ascents of Albion, Satan’s Slip and the Devil’s Slide. Other teams spent a couple of hours admitting it wasn’t raining and was, in fact sunny, looking for a crag that blatantly didn’t exist and then went to Battery Buttress. Ascents followed. The nice bloke in the pub let those who wanted, sleep on the mezzanine level and even drew us a picture so we could turn the lights out… Harder than it sounds (turning them out).
Day 3 – A bit wet… some drinking of tea (thanks to those in the Square Cottage), and lots of walking… Some climbing. Arrival of the 14th member of the group and dinner at Square Cottage with the coordinated cooking of several tonnes of rice… Mezzanine level sleepers moved to the Museum for additional excitement and a bird called Jim… Campsite almost abandoned…
Day 4 – Less wet and got better quickly… All teams headed to the Slide. Teams 1 to 4 made a coordinated ascent of Devil’s Slide (10 members making the ascent on this day), (Danish) Team 5 climbed Albion. Expedition photographers on hand to capture the events after coordinated walking of 3/4 of the island… Further climbing for the adventurous, further drinking for everyone else… Dinner at Square cottage, mass spaghetti production evident – outsourcing again required. Late night in the pub and Smokey Dave beat everyone at darts… Campsite abandoned and mass occupation of the Museum (and all eyes turned to witness the moving bird called Jim…).
Day 5 – Visit to the lighthouse, a repeat of an earlier visit to Battery Buttress and one member agreed to ‘fall on his knee’ during the ascent of some rubble so that Dr Thomas could demonstrate washing out the wound in the pub garden. This was generally accepted to be a real high point of the week. All in all a successful morning! A slow descent to the M.S Oldenberg, a quick swim (wash?) for some and a much smoother crossing back to the mainland.
Notable Events and Contributions – too many to mention, but… (and you know who you are) – some fine leads, some bold leads, some exceptional leads, a lot of solid climbing, some exceptional belaying, a lot of care, attention and passing on of skills, some very good darts playing, lots of generosity in the bar, some really good cooking and hosting of dinner, a disproportionate outsourced cooking of staples, the subsequent carrying of hot bowls of said staples across wide distances akin to the opening credits of ‘Kung fu’ in the 1970s, a complete walking ordnance survey of the whole island (twice), some great abseiling, some even better photography, the best ‘alternative’ use of a penknife and a water bottle ever seen, the impressive ascent of a lighthouse (from the outside), a lot of good banter… You Guys are Great!
A special mention to Che who had to bail because of injury… Your ‘Homies’ are already planning a return trip… For those others who had to cancel… second chances don’t come often!
Thanks to all those who attended and those who helped with the organisation, planning and logistics… Enjoy the pictures,
Jim
