According to Paul Pritchard, the slate is best when it's showery, and today I'd probably have to agree. It was a dreary, damp and misty start to the day, with thick low clouds. After a sociable tea drinking morning, the slates had started to dry at The Cottage; an indication that it was time to climb. Despite the remaining grey skies, our instincts were correct and the slate was in prime climbing condition.
It's now our third day in a row re-climbing some slate classics. For me, there's a real buzz about climbing a route with a real 'line'. Especially trad routes like the one we started out on - Bella Lugosi is Dead, E1 (5b). Routes like this are some of the best of their grade in the quarry and have history for me, as I remember them being a big deal when I first started climbing there. Even the fact that it involves a bit of effort to walk there adds to the adventure feel.
It felt very refreshing to do a route where you decide when and where to place protection, having climbed a lot of bolted routes recently. But better than that was the way that the moves really flowed together, making for such an enjoyable feeling as I climbed. The route follows the central crack in the photo below.
Next to it, an old scary 'slate trad' route has been retro bolted to give a good 6a+. There are some pretty thin moves and the first bolt is clip-able only once you're quite high on the face. The top 'Horsin' Around' finish also involves an exciting/brave step around the corner!
Rainbow Slab Area:
- Bella Lugosi is Dead - E1 (5b)**
- Horses Latitude (6a+)* - with the Horsin' Around finish (6a+)*
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