[GCW]

To continue Fiend's series...

Last week I was pissed off with work, recovering from 2 weeks in bed with flu and feeling shite.  I just wanted to get away.  So I went to Thorn.

No excuses- It was my first visit, despite the fact it's 5 minutes up the road from my Gran's.  I admit it- I should have ben before.
Walking up I misread the guide and ended up walking through ankle deep bog- wet feet.  I didn't care.  The boulders looked great.  I went along and did loads of easy classics:  Burnt Heather, Neil's Thorny Arete etc etc.  Lovely.  I didn't even bother with anything of 7a or above- a chillout day.

Anyway, I had such a cool time there and came back chilled.  Just thought I'd share that with the UKB peeps.  There's also a shit video (the music fitted how I felt, so I make no apologies):



Thorn Crag is ace!!

[Andy B]

I quite enjoyed that video, and the music. Just got in from a similarly chilled evening at Apparent North. Is there much scrittle at Thorn crag?

[GCW]

Scrittle?
None of that.
PS I've just noticed I've mistyped the title as Thron- if any kind mods can fix it I'd be grateful.  Sorry.

[dave]

done

[GCW]

Thanks Dave.
Another thing I forgot to mention was some boulders near the approach track, close to a hut.  Looked like a couple of good lines through a roof- anything done here, or are appearances deceptive?

[Greg C]

Thanks Dave.
Another thing I forgot to mention was some boulders near the approach track, close to a hut.  Looked like a couple of good lines through a roof- anything done here, or are appearances deceptive?

The line through the roof is Pit Fight Font7b, nothing to shout about but involves an interesting blind slap. The lip coming in from the right is Pit Stop Font4+/5 and really good.

[GCW]

Thanks Greg, I may well look at that next time I go.  Some of the landings are a bit duff there if you're alone.

[Nibile]

is the music in the battle sequences in "platoon"?

[GCW]

Yes, Nibs.  Although it's really Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings.  Beautifully summed up how I felt when I arrived.  Soon chilled out though!

[Nibile]

Although it's really Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings. 

ive been raised by tv...
 

[SA Chris]

is the music in the battle sequences in "platoon"?

Should have used the music from the opening section of Saving Private Ryan. Now that has some hard landings.

[coolboy]

Didn't take you for a classical man GC, looks like a class venue though  , a must to visit 

[GCW]

Definitely Mr. C- superb place to boulder and very much worth the 25 minute walk.

[Andy F]

Definitely Mr. C- superb place to boulder and very much worth the 25 minute walk.

25 minutes if you've the Himalayan hiking ability of Messner. Think 45 minutes for normal people, add more if it's windy. 'Tis a great place to boulder though, lovely rock with some quality problems. Mothership is worth the yomp on it's own.

[Jim]

Thorn crag is dynamite, tis indeed a 40 min walk in but well worth it.
Mothership is excellent as are most of the problems.
Need to go back and tick bad moon rising and would love to try return of the fly

[GCW]

Yeah, Return of the Fly looked ace.  I went back yesterday and had a wander about the areas on the right (crag and the stuff around it).  A lot of these problems were sandy so didn't do much.  Bad Moon looks good too.

Questions:
The Man From DelMonte- do you use the right arete to start until you get into the break then undercut?
Fire Wall- I assume you smear or disappear and keep slapping with the left to get the good sloper?  I was trying a rockover on the small pocket/dink for the left foot out left.
Pit Stop- Is this tough for Font 5, cos it was my first problem and it felt quite hard.  Or maybe I did it wrong.
Pit Fight- is the undercut down and left of the crimp out?  I started on the crimp, left to undercut, right to lip, right again to break.  Felt soft for 7b so I assume it's wrong?  Also, can you use the block to start and use it as a foot lock?
Little Karma- do you finish on the finishing hold of And For my Next Trick, or rockover left on the slopes above and right of the sidepull?

Sorry boys, but if it takes you 40 minutes to walk up there you're carrying too much 

No excuses- It was my first visit, despite the fact it's 5 minutes up the road from my Gran's.

Said Gran died 2 hours after my session there last night, continuing the poignant theme of this venue.

[Greg C]

The Man From DelMonte- do you use the right arete to start until you get into the break then undercut?

Cant remember, seemed pretty obvious - sit start in a pit as I recall.

Fire Wall- I assume you smear or disappear and keep slapping with the left to get the good sloper?  I was trying a rockover on the small pocket/dink for the left foot out left.

The only eliminated holds are those in, and connected to, the crack/groove.

Pit Stop- Is this tough for Font 5, cos it was my first problem and it felt quite hard.  Or maybe I did it wrong.

Seemed alright to me.

Pit Fight- is the undercut down and left of the crimp out?  I started on the crimp, left to undercut, right to lip, right again to break.  Felt soft for 7b so I assume it's wrong? 

Maybe it's easy I did it on the way home one day and the slap to the break seemed blind and hard? I don't remember using an undercut, maybe I missed a hold?

Little Karma- do you finish on the finishing hold of And For my Next Trick, or rockover left on the slopes above and right of the sidepull?

Yes, no, what?

[GCW]

Thanks. 

Easy Karma I thought you went up the Apex as you say.  Some "local" did it by a rock up and left straight from the sidepull

TMFDelMonte-  Yes, Pit start.  I'll have another look next time I'm there.

Pit Fight-  Yes, there's a good unercut just down and left of the crimp, makes it easier.  I assume the foot block is out?

[GCW]

Been again.  Unfinished business.  I failed on a prob last week , 3 hours before my Gran died.  This was sent today, in her memory.  Syrupy I know, sorry.


So you don't have to watch it all (especially for Greg C beta master):

1.  Easy Karma-  2:20  This is what I was shown and is similar to Karma, albeit 10 grades easier.  Greg seemed to suggest it should stay on the right side of the arete, which felt a lot more awkward.   

2.  Pit Stop- 1:40  Felt awkward for Font 5, but maybe the gangly legs got in the way.  Kinda thought it should keep goin gleft, but this was harder.

3.  Fire Wall-  2:35  I was going up with my left hand from here, aiming for a distant sloper- quality problem.

4.  Red Rose Addict-  5:50  Class Gurn

Check it out if you dare:

[GCW]

Nibs, if you can name the band and tune I'll give you a wad.  As far as I know it hasn't been used in a movie 

[coolboy]

what was wall before next trick? something ard?

[Jim]

firewall v8 I think

[GCW]

Yeah, Fire Wall.  Not the conditions to use that left hand sloper.  Nice problem though.

[andy_e]

Just been up there with GCW and the venue is ace! Had a fantastic day's climbing (even though it was frigging cold) and did some lovely problems. 

[rginns]

Think I'll be checking it out from the video, looks great!

We opted for Rivelin today... bloody freezin!