[Jim]

got a wedding to go to near penzance in june, may get a couple of hours or maybe half a day bouldering while down there.
Seeing as I've never done any climbing down there, what are the essential ticks/crags to visit/best spot to sample a couple of hours of cornwalls best bouldering etc...?
Cheers

[cofe]

i went to carn brea once ken. it was rough, but good. it's not near penzance though.

[Zods Beard]

Helston is 20 mins from Redruth Jim, Carn Brea is just above the village itself. Might be a bit ming in the heat, the rock is very rough. More on this thread.

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,14035.0.html

[SA Chris]

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4354.msg57727.html#msg57727

A link to links which I am sure you had a look at already, but just in case you didnt.

You looking for that area specifically, or can you break the journey with a few hours on the moors?

[Andy W]

got a wedding to go to near penzance in june, may get a couple of hours or maybe half a day bouldering while down there.
Seeing as I've never done any climbing down there, what are the essential ticks/crags to visit/best spot to sample a couple of hours of cornwalls best bouldering etc...?
Cheers

Clodgy would be good and close, Godrevy if it's a dry spell and tides are good. Zennor Moor would be a good alternative to the Granite of Carn Brea, ie it's closer. Plenty of info here   http://blocspenwith.co.uk/  also Gwenver is close to PZ.

[deacon]

 Theres some nice bouldering at Clodgy just outside St Ives which is pretty good. Theres a downloadable guidebook on the javu website. Also Godrevy is very good although is tidal and is on a popular beach so you'll have lots of non-climbers giving you crap about bringing your camp-bed with you.  Carn Brea is only about 20-30 minutes from Penzance and is fantastic although trying to get info on problems can be a nightmare unless you bump into a local up there. Tbh if I was only going to climb for one day I'd head to Clodgy but your really gonna miss out on some great trad by going bouldering.

[tomtom]

Also this Jim...
http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,751.msg191679.html#msg191679

I think I went to Clodgy for a few hours one day (after dispatching Mrs TT shopping/coffee drinking somewhere) and had a good stretch (not a mega session but enjoyable) somewhat hampered by not having a mat... I'll probably back there in the summer as we have some friends who live 4 miles west of Penzance...

[slackline]

EDIT: Ignore me, I didn't read the last paragraph to its end when posting, only got as far as "crag"/"cornwalls best" and on re-reading saw the "boulder" caveat, sorry for sullying the thread with irreverent shit again.

Highly recommend Chair Ladder for routes (tidal though).  Didn't do masses but the routes I did do, Diocese and Terrie's Tooth (and possibly one other I can't remember) were brilliant.

Couple pics of Diocese..

Pitch 1


Pitch 2

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I was virtually benighted sat in that cave, finished the top pitch in virtual darkness with no headtorch, could retreat as the tide had come in. happy days, top quality route.

[Andy B]

I only did that route in order to nab some booty in the form of a hex and quickdraw, but managed to drop half my wires into the incoming tide. I lowered my better half into thigh deep water, between waves, to retrieve them though.

On a bouldering tip, of the venues mentioned, I think Godrevy is by far the best, Gwynver looks good on paper but was very disappointing, and I prefer Zennor Hill to Carn Brea.

[Jim]

cheers Andy, thats the sort of answer i'm looking for

[SA Chris]

I only did that route in order to nab some booty in the form of a hex and quickdraw, but managed to drop half my wires into the incoming tide. I lowered my better half into thigh deep water, between waves, to retrieve them though.

As an aside, why do people seem to be good at dropping gear at Chairladder? Mate of mine dropped a couple of my wires on Diocese, and I spotted where they landed in a rockpool. Once we had finished the route I scrambled down the descent and had to take a shoe off and roll trousers up to get wires from bottom of rockpool with my toes. Then decided to solo terriers tooth to get out again (with a wet leg), did the first pitch with the Stegosaurus back holds, then realised I didn't have a clue where it goes next so tried a couple of things, then reversed the pitch and had to wade back to the scramble descent because the tide had come in

[Bonjoy]

I'm also off to Cornwall soon (family hol). We're staying in Port Isaac near Padstow. Will only manage to get bouldering once or twice, which would be the best venues in the local area for me to go to?

[cofe]

Port Isaac is nice word. Watch out for Doc 'muthafuckin' Martin while you're down there:

[ben]

Jim - I'd go to Clodgy if in PZ and/or Zennor hill if you fancy some granite. For the 1st time visitor Clodgy is good cos of Barney's great online guide, meaning you can actually find problems and get some climbing done..  plus it has some great stuff from V5-V7. Although if the missus is along and it's sunny then Godrevy would probably score more brownie points, being on the beach..

I'm also off to Cornwall soon (family hol). We're staying in Port Isaac near Padstow. Will only manage to get bouldering once or twice, which would be the best venues in the local area for me to go to?

From there your best bet is probably the Culm, around Bude, see javu.  There's some good stuff on the moors inland from there, Rough Tor for example, but nothing documented so you'll be wandering around searching..  or if you can speak to someone in the know, you could get an invite to that new venue up arthurian way

[Bonjoy]

Cheers Ben. Who'd be in the know? What/where is Arthurian Way?

[ben]

Cheers Ben. Who'd be in the know? What/where is Arthurian Way?

Sorry wasn't purposefully sounding cryptic, I'm just not in the know..
See 'super bloc' section in the javu news below >>
http://www.javu.co.uk/Climbing/News/NewsArchive/NC_Bouldering.shtml
I think Granticus should be along shortly to explain, I think he knows more than me (which isn't difficult). Altohugh judging by the waves this morning he might not be!

[SA Chris]

Clodgy is also great, because the name sounds like Cludge.

[granticus]

I think Granticus should be along shortly to explain, I think he knows more than me (which isn't difficult). Altohugh judging by the waves this morning he might not be!

As it happens... I've just returned from a 3 day trip to Cornwall for the specific purposes of bouldering!

This time we hit Gwynver which I though was pretty good contrary to Andy B's post, Godrevy and Clodgy/Man's Head (St Ives).  All are very different venues despite all being coastal.  Exploring beyond the documented problems at Gwynver definitely pays dividends too! 

As for the Arthurian legend that is the 'Superbloc' area which is near Tintagel somewhere...  I got the long awaited invite at the start of the week but couldn't go coz I was on 'wife duty'.  So still none the wiser but apparently TOM NEWBERRY is doing a topo and DAVE WESTLAKE has been there.  So would one of you just tell the punters where it bluddy is (it's probably slimey, covered in barnacles, limpets and such anyway).

[TonyS]

Jim, just seen the post.

The best bet for upto half a days bouldering would be to head over the Clodgy Point (not any of the other areas in this guide. Just this one specific).

The reason I am being so specific is that although a 20 min walking from the car, it offers some of the best quality problems in the area with lots to go at in all grades with the groove being one of the best V8/9's I have ever been on anywhere (but it is rather high ball).  The Australia boulder is fab as is the stuff in the pitt area, and the central platform.

To name you some problems to go at:

Blood Lust V6
Blood lust orig V8
Barrel of Laughs V7/8

all at CP

Anything at all on the aus boulder. All class stuff.

The groove V8 high ball
 a new line (that I did) starts as for the sitter on ‘the groove’ catches the arete and then moves left up the centre of the boulder. This is ‘Groovey’ V7/font 7a. p.s no feet on the back chos wall. start feet in roof.

both at the climax wall. oh and the V3 wall to the left of the groove is great.


Hope this helps you have a great half day.

Cheers
Tony

[clm]

 granticus. Were you one of 3 pads walking towards gwynver on friday morning? I was just getting into the sea rather too close to high tide. If so i followed your chalk this morning.
Went to gwynver and carn brea in last week. Both have good rock and both have good problems but both limited. One visiters id say unless local.

[granticus]

granticus. Were you one of 3 pads walking towards gwynver on friday morning? I was just getting into the sea rather too close to high tide. If so i followed your chalk this morning.
Went to gwynver and carn brea in last week. Both have good rock and both have good problems but both limited. One visiters id say unless local.

Aye!  That was me!  We had a lovely chilled day after getting beasted at Clodgy the day before.  I was impressed by Gwynver, liked the atmosphere there and the rock quality is good.  We walked beyond documented problems that ze Germans did and found some good stuff.  Spent the day cruising some easier stuff and just getting on what looked interesting.  Definitely will go back again if I'm in the area.  Surf looked a bit small Friday, nice and clean but small all the same.

Bonjoy from Port Isaac, I would head north to the Culm... Hartland Quay or Northcott are the better venues.  Bodmin granite is, in contrast to Gwynver, fierce as you like.  Don't plan to climb the day after if you choose to go up there.

[SA Chris]

You got any pics of Gwynver?

Heard a lot about the place, but never actually seen any.

[granticus]

Here's a few...

[SA Chris]

Cheers, looks ace