Topophile / Topophobe HVS 5a
One outcome from the cove was a new route...
It's not listed in the Donegal guidebook or on the donegal climbing website database so it's mine to claim - unless anyone knows otherwise in which case please let me know as I'd love to share notes.
Haven't got a name for it yet: playing around "Topophobia topophilia" but I have some other ideas too.
It's a strange climb - looks quite easy from the front angle - then from the side you realise it's very overhanging. Then when you get on it you realise there's less holds, loose flakes and patchy gear.
Anyway I got up it but not without a world of pain when my foot hold crumbled and foot slipped way above any gear leaving a tendon wrenching move to somewhere vaguely safe and gearable...
I'm hesitantly grading it HVS 5a - but is possibly VS4a. It's quite tough though and with my injury it seemed pretty serious. I think seriousness alone makes it more daunting than a VS.
Here's my topo description:
Topophile / Topophobe 16m HVS 5a
The 3rd and overhanging corner seaward from the arch.
More strenuous than it looks.
Belay at low tide or from a hanging belay on middle slab (also avoids any potential rockfall)
Bridge and layback the corner.
Better gear nearer the top.
The large worrysome sounding fin is best avoided if possible.
Some friable rock on left wall.
Love Hate.
D Shipsides with Steve Batts (Echo Echo Dance) Sep 2011
I wrote this in my tent that night – it’s quite raw, narrowly focused and reductive – but saying that perhaps less is more? It’s just from when things got painful.
low
tide
high enough above gear
committing
reach
bridge bridge
search up right arm
toe hold crumble slip
left arm rumbling glitching tearing zzzzssszzzz
feels socket pulling out weight on
stop swing relax fuck
find feet brace
find right hand hold
find right hand hold found
shift weight
lengthen arm to bones
searing pain lightening
blue electric blue wow
keep grip make move
up pull even if it’s loose
good ok brace legs and back
relax pain out oooooow
compose compose
gear gear
need gear here
looks ok
nut loose 4 out if 10
friend in crack 5 out of 10
friend in crack 7 out of 10 maybe 8
safer
what about that pain? Hmmm
not nice
wait wait
move pelvis up
big right ledge
find left hand hold
pain use it pain use it hold
move up
right holds
shuffle over the top
safe
examine pain don’t
brutal nice route
bad pain
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