The Ghost is very good and easy for E3. It's intimidating but not really any harder than Bow Wall or Xanadu. If Xanadu is dry (a fairly unusual event) get on this immediately. It is very good indeed, defines the upper limit of the E2 grade at Bosigran, but you may well question the "5b" ness of the top offwidth. Phantom I recall as requiring significant crack skills (and wide-ish gear) on the top crack. I thought Kafoozalem was not too bad but I was climbing well at the time and lucked out on finding the right way to do the overhang straight off. Gymnastic but well protected if I recall correctly. Grande Plage at Carn Barra is very good and used to be fair for E3 6a but apparently the starting boulder has shifted and it all a bit tricky there now.
All this is avoiding the issue however. The finest E3/4 in Cornwall, and a long way beyond, is America at Carn Gowla. It probably fails the friendly and accessible criteria if I'm completely honest but a memorable and life-enhancing experience is yours if you accept its challenge. You are in luck as low tide is early to mid afternoon in the middle of next week. This is ideal since it allows you to do the sea-level traverse (the only way to approach) and sets you up to be on the psychological crux pitch 2. in the late afternoon by which time the slab will have had a chance to dry properly and may even have some sun on it. The weather forecast and surf forecast are currently good (for climbers). Pitch ratings are approximately E3 5b, E3 5b, E3 5c, an E4 experience overall. More thoughts here.
I have done Il Duce. Not done America, but have looked from above and discussed with people who have done it. Of those three, I am absolutely confident in saying that D/L is by far the closest to being a conventional low-drama rock climb, rather than badass adventure. Suggest raising it further up your list!
To me, if a foreign climber had just a couple of days in Britain and had transport, I would suggest doing D/L then driving to wales and doing Left Wall, then bugger off back to Heathrow. It's a world classic.
I remember Raven Wall at Bosigran being one of my favourites and quite hard for the grade.
Quote from: T_B on June 18, 2013, 08:42:51 pmI remember Raven Wall at Bosigran being one of my favourites and quite hard for the grade. I really enjoyed it too. A great line, and some funky 3D moves. Plus an Extreme Rock tick? (one of my few!) Patience, just next door, is very good too.
Carn Barra is a good spot for getting a lot done. Golden Brown, next to Grande Plage, is very good too. At a touch harder Dog Town (I think?) was also worthwhile.
America is awesome. First pitch is steady but run out, second pitch needs commitment and is wild!Il Duce often seeps at the bottom and I know it's seen off some very talented boys.
I've always wondered about Dream Liberator - just how 'exciting' is that jump at the start? It's hard to tell from the pics that I've seen. I wonder if it has seen any 'refusals' (or indeed, if anybody would ever admit to such a cowardly act!)
the TV ascent of Dream/Liberator with Livesey.
Quote from: duncan on June 19, 2013, 12:46:05 pmthe TV ascent of Dream/Liberator with Livesey. I'll be watching that this evening. Sorry to be , but why did people stop using medium sized nuts on cord? Surely 5mm spectra just as strong as wire and lighter, esp. when one considers the potential saving of a quickdraw? There was nothing as confidence inspiring as a nice solid MOAC or Rock 8 on a bit of rope. When I stopped climbing in the mid 90s that's what everybody was still using, then when I started again a few years ago it was everythng on wire and you suddenly had to carry dozens of quickdraws for everything. I don't get it.
America is definitely on The List. But I've got very few climbing partners who would be up for that sort of jollity, who could swing leads on it and who I'd want to do it with
Anyone got info on the original approach? I take it P3 is better for gear?
I am aware of a certain degree of hypocrisy about this stance since we evaded the Tyrolean. I’m guessing many people abseil to the start as Tom describes and I'm sure they still think it's a great route.