God's Own Granite

Although I've been to Lundy a few times now, it wasn't until our trip in 2014 that I began to appreciate how much of a paradise the island really is. Its staggering just how much adventure can be packed into a place that's only half a mile wide and 3 or 4 miles long! The overwhelming feeling of remoteness and isolation is also way beyond its true geographical location, perhaps compounded by the fact that signal is rubbish, there's no WiFi and no roads either. These factors combined with careful and sustainable management by the Landmark Trust for nearly 40 years means the islands rich cultural heritage really shines through, ensuring any any trip there feels a world apart.

The islands landscape is a character of two halves with the rugged and Atlantic storm battered west coast contrasting dramatically with the more sheltered lush and green eastern side. For climbers, it is this wild west coast of pristine golden granite extending for mile after mile, that will keep you coming back. 

The northern light on Lundy Island. With Cardiff and Bristol both less than 50 miles away, its hard to find somewhere so isolated so close to 'civilization' 

Our trip this time round was as part of a stag-do christian union convention hosted by the right and honorable Morgan contingent, with the communion comprising of swimmers, climbers and alcoholics alike. Although climbing was clearly not the main objective of a trip like this, me and Ed were asked to bring some rock stuff to run a group session on one of the more accessible cliffs. Lundy being Lundy however there aren't many (if any) cliffs that have a simple approach, easy climbing and are non-tidal so it was after much guidebook thumbing that we eventually settled on Picnic Bay Cliff at the northern end of Jenny's Cove. The group session actually turned out quite well, giving nearly 20 people an abseil and a climb, some of whom had never done an outside climbing before let alone an abseil (pretty good place to break your rock climbing virginity if you ask me!). Plans for more climbing with people in the group were drawn up, however most people were to preoccupied with suffering the consequences of regularly saving the queen to fulfill any such ambitions. This was especially the case for the communion leader himself, who after drinking his own body weight in Aldi champagne and Korev spent much of the trip avoiding sunlight where possible.  

All terrain christian communion leader. Good thing drink driving isn't a thing on Lundy... (E.T. collection)

Optimizing on a few early morning opportunities myself and Ed did manage to get some personal climbing in too. We had a bit of a warm up on the mainland in the days prior to the trip on the Culm coast. Renowned for its poor rock and looseness, we figured getting some mileage in there would be a great way of getting our heads back into the 'adventurous trad' mindset needed for Lundy. Having climbed there a little in the past we both had an idea of what venues would work given the weather and tides and in the end settled on Lower Sharpnose. For those that haven't been, Sharpnose is a truly unique crag comprising of a series of narrow 'fins' which jut vertically out from the cliff. The first route we did was the 'middle fin' and was called Lunakhod. At HVS 5a and reputedly one of the best routes on the coast it was an obvious choice, climbing a long and sustained corner crack for 40 m to the top of the narrow fin. The gear was great and the moves equally so, easy to see how its a classic! The next route climbed was on the prow of the upper fin and was a touch more on the esoteric side of things. Hatchet (HVS 4c) climbed a big wide crack before moving up into a squeeze chimney right at the top, what could be more enticing I hear you ask! Compared to the other routes at Sharpnose this route is relatively little traveled and doesn't appear as a fully listed climb in any of the regional select guide books. In the end it was a quality climb with very little loose rock, although not the same class  as Lunakhod, it was (arguably) just as entertaining. 

Ed following up the amazing corner crack of Lunakhod (HVS 5a)

The lesser-known line of Hatchet (HVS 4c) with the author in the squeeze chimney at the top. (E.T. collection)

The squeeze chimney of Hatchet. He loves it really...

One of the 'fins' at Lower Sharpnose

Our first session on Lundy was down at Battery Cliff, with a hope of ticking a stunning line we'd spotted on our previous trip when we climbed Diamond Solitaire (VS 4c). Double Diamond (HVS 5b) takes a direct line through the overhangs and pulls rightwards onto the DS slab before climbing directly to the top, independently of the corner. Unfortunately having pulled through the crux to find the slab and cracks greasy and wet, it was all to easy to make the traverse into the DS cracks which was the end of that endevour. We still finished up DS, which in itself is a classic and super enjoyable none the less.   

Checking out the line of Double Diamond (HVS 5b) below Battery Cliff. (E.T. collection)

Ed on the exposed traverse pitch of Diamond Solitaire (VS 4c)

The next few routes we did were thankfully more successful, the first being Shark (E1 5a) situated precariously on the soaring arete that overlooks the Devil's Slide. The rock is loose in places and a bit grassy, but that doesn't detract from the absorbing position you find yourself in, teetering up the narrow arete with the drop below biting at your heels. An esoteric classic that definitely deserves more stars and traffic. 

Our final day saw more of an extended outing, ticking The Indy 500! (E1 5b) and the mini sea stack of Integrity (HS 4b). The former, situated over in Landing Craft Bay was a superb finger crack and face climb which ascends a steep wall to the right of the sadly demised Formula One (HVS 5a). The moves were far from simple, but the gear just kept coming! Integrity was also a brilliant route and a great lead by Ed, packing in a huge variety of climbing considering its a single pitch sea stack. Once at the top we also did the honorable thing and cut-off the mountain of rotting tat around the abseil spike, replacing it with some new cordelette and a krab. 

The communion leader himself working his way up the Devil's Slide (HS 4b) with Nick (E.T. collection)

Teetering up the crux pitch of Shark (E1 5a). (E.T. collection)

An exposure explosion on Shark (E1 5a), note the celebratory Hooters vest! 

Ed moving through the crux with exposure biting at the heels

Ed following up The Indy 500! (E1 5b)

Needle Rock on Lundy. A mini sea stack that packs in a pile of adventure considering its size. Integrity (HS 4b) climbs the soaring left arete. 

Ed leading the final steep wall section of Integrity (HS 4b)

(E.T. collection)

The assortment of rotting krabs we removed from the top of Needle Rock

Sat aboard the ferry with Ed and the other boys watching the sun set behind the island through the rise and fall of the ocean, you really get a sense of just how magical Lundy is. Its hard not to be all sentimental about a trip there, I mean you make so many amazing memories in such a short space of time. For the brief moment aboard the island as a Lundy-ludite, you cant help but be totally immersed by the people and the place, living in that little bubble with no rush hour, no news updates, just blissful isolation. Once again its another ferry ride with my head in the clouds but my heart in my stomach, although at least I had something in my stomach as the aforementioned rise and fall of the boat was doing a great job at keeping many other people's empty! 

 

The sun sets on another amazing adventure (E.T. collection)