[ksjs]

i climbed this on saturday but found the crux hard (taking a few attempts and some working out before i got a successful sequence) and was wondering whether i climbed this badly/missed something or is it actually quite difficult to onsight. im interested to hear what anyone thought of the route but in particular would like views from:

1 - those who reasonably regularly onsight 7b/+
2 - those who reasonably regularly onsight 7c/+ or harder

also, is the belay not to the left rather than the right (Face Race belay) as suggested by North Wales Rock? i used the Face Race belay and thought it would have been more logical (and certainly easier to collect gear) to use the belay on the left (i think the one Libertango goes to)?

thanks

[bondosan]

1 - those who reasonably regularly onsight 7b/+
2 - those who reasonably regularly onsight 7c/+ or harder

So anyone that reasonably regularly onsights 7b and above then?

[richieb]

Deffo remember finishing at the face race belay and that feeling logical.
I do know a flake/hold dropped of the crux section sometime back in the nineties and it became much harder to onsight as a result.
if that helps......

[ksjs]

to bondosan: not that simple, want to understand if it feels different to those capable of onsighting above the grade compared to those onsighting at the grade.

to RICHIEB: that makes sense as i found the crux tenuous / difficult to work out and it looks like theres a lighter bit of rock where something may have been. i thought harder than 7b?

[Doylo]

i flashed it, felt like standard 7b. If this is 7b+ then Rompsville is 7c and bad boy 7c+ Etc.. Has its own belay.

[bondosan]

Got ya

[ksjs]

Doylo, good work - i must try harder! still think hard to onsight for 7b (consensus seems to be that a hold has come off, not sure when though).

any recommendations for 7b/+ on upper / lower tier?

whats Bad Boy like?

[Bonjoy]

Bad Bad Boy is awesome, in the countries top five 7Cs if you ask me. But no give away. The crux is at the end and is quite technical from what I remember, lots of crossovers.

[ksjs]

cool, will have a go at Bad Boy.

also, anyone any views on which of the 8a routes is most redpointable? im really keen to find an 8a project (would be my first 8a) there for the summer - i understand Mussel Beach is low in the grade and, from the ground, it looks like it might be realistic (power / stamina routes tend to suit me). am not nescessarily looking for low in the grade though, would prefer a benchmark route with good moves and nice line.

[Serpico]

Mussel Beach is probably easier than Bad Boys for the short. Statement is the classic down there, but I think it's a bit more conditions dependent than the others  (can feel greasy).
One of the reasons LPT isn't more popular is the tides, getting on a project every 2 weeks isn't ideal.

[ksjs]

the tides make it less than ideal but im not aware of other stuff that i can get to reasonably easily (live in Chester) with 8a so it may be LPT or nowt.

think i might qualify as short (5'9") so Mussel Beach could be a reasonable choice. i saw someone on Over the Moon Direct and the positions looked superb / very inspiring...

[Andy F]

Why not head to Dinbren, there's a few 8a's to go at there

Mussel beach is bottom end 8a IMHO, very bouldery short crux over the roof. Beware the resin bolt over the roof was turning two years ago, so a daisy chain to the old bolt above is a good idea.

[ksjs]

good thinking! the area is beautiful and much closer - was at World's End yesterday and it was gorgeous in the evening sun. any recommendations?

[Andy F]

I can recommend Clywd Limestone 

[SA Chris]

One of the reasons LPT isn't more popular is the tides, getting on a project every 2 weeks isn't ideal.

Sounds like a VERY wierd tide table. My local boulder project needs dead low tide, cold weather, strong souherly breeze and sun from the SSE to be dry enough. And not raining. Progress has been slow.

[Doylo]

i saw someone on Over the Moon Direct and the positions looked superb / very inspiring...

There's a big chance that was me (especially if he was falling off). It is a great route, really good and sadly neglected. Easy start, sustained sequence into a bomber rest then a 6b crimpy finish. I put a new belay in it cos the old one was knackered. Bad boy is of course fantastic and almost certainly 7c+ for shorties, hard 7c for everyone else. I still don't buy that its harder than Mussel though. LPT rules!

[Andy F]

I tried BBB a couple of years ago and found the last move the living end. But I'm a short ass. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I also thought that move on BBB was way harder than anything on MB, but what do I know as I haven't finished either of them...

[whispering nic]

whats Bad Boy like?

Any other 7c+