Welcome to DCWEB

Email

Password

Register Forgot Password

Quick Nav Word 01 Ramblings 02 Disinfo 03 Links 04 Gallery 05 Vids 06

16/09/08

New Portland Guidebook...

Well, this news report has been long overdue, but in all honesty this has been a period of unparalleled inactivity! Big news this month though is the publication of the long-awaited Climbers Club guide to Portland, by Steve Taylor. A full review will follow soon, but initial viewing's suggest that Steve and fellow writers Ben Stokes and Jimbo Kimber have done Portland proud, with a user-friendly (a first for the CC!), readable and visually compelling guide.

The prize for the first person to put the new guide out of date goes to Bob Hickish, who completed 'Shape Shifter', F7c on Battleship Back Cliff . In the wake of the 'Cuttings clear-up' the Cuttings seems to be attracting more attention from the Portland mafia, who have added a number of short new routes in the Leer of Beethoven area, such as 'Bun Fight at the Portland Corral', F5, 'Pop for the Top', F6c, 'Happy Slabber', F4 and 'Limbo Dancer', F5. All routes courtesy of John Leonard, Mick Ward and Jon Howell. Around the corner Steve Taylor added to the number of short easy climbs with 'Tantrums and Tiaras', F4, 'Chicken boy', 'Baron's Revenge' and '100 Sunny Days',(all F3's). Inevitably these routes are going to be very popular! New-cliff-on-the-block, Sharbutts Quarry, begins to approach maturity with three new routes in the shape of 'Meatjam', F6a (Tom Beaumont), 'Sunseeker', F2, (John Leonard) and 'Sunny Side Up', F5, (Josh Leonard). Oddly this crag does not make it into the new CC guide.

The list of Portland first female ascents looked to have been supplemented by Meillee Rafe's ascent of 'Birthday Girl', but unfortunately the line climbed was deemed to be a little too close to that taken by the trad route 'Bag End'. Needless to say the sport version avoids the ugly chimney completely and gives a fine F5+. In a similar vein, Rob Kennard bolted a line in the Gorilla Tactics area of Winspit area, only to discover that it had been climbed by Steve Newman and Scott Titt as a trad route. Apologies have been accepted, and the first ascentionists have gracefully allowed the bolts to remain to give 'Birthday Treat', F5+. Scott has also added some contemporary lines at the same venue, with 'Warm Love', F6a (right of the 'Skin Room') and as as-yet un-named 6c at the entrance to the west quarry. Rob Kennard has added another 'in-filler' to the right of 'Chrissy'. 'Chick Power', F7b, is sure to be popular with the bouldering fraternity, with a boulder-problem crux(V7) and overhead protection! Rob also added a new 7b to the Promenade, aided and abetted by Rich White and Bernard Exley. 'Air of Detachment' is a quality aerial excursion over the roof of 'Crimes Against the Soul'.

Winspit has been the scene of several altercations over the last couple of months, with the owners of the West Quarry taking issue with large groups using the un-named easy climbs and large camping parties leaving rubbish. In order to ensure continued access to this crag please do not take instructed groups to this crag( individual climbers are still tolerated). Obviously the majority of the people who camp and de-foul this venue are unlikely to be climbers, but unfortunately we are likely to be collectively 'tarred-with-the same-brush'. For that reason it may be worth mentioning to anyone seen camping here that they are likely to be unceremoniously moved on!

Comment on this Item