Neil Mawson checks in
11th May 2011
'I found myself back in Pembroke again only 3 weeks after returning home from there. I had such a good time last time I couldn't stay away and getting 2 weeks off work with no foreign trips planned I went straight back.
I met up with Hazel again in Bristol and drove over to Pembroke on Saturday. I had a good first day by flashing the run out Ghost Train E6 in Stennis Ford and Hazel had a couple of top ropes, to refresh the moves, on San Simeon E8 that she got close to last time we were there. On arriving I'd heard a rumour that on James recent very impressive trip to Pembroke he had done a new route in Huntsmans Leap. I worked out from the various lines of chalked holds it was the direct start to Dave Pickford's E8 from Dusk till Dawn. Dave's route starts up Terminal Twilight E7 then breaks out right onto the very impressive scooped red wall quite high up.
We planned to climb in the Leap on Sunday so I couldn't resist abseiling down this new line. After Hazel on sighted two E5's including the supposedly reachy Minotaur that she dispatched without any problems I decided to try James route on a top rope. This started up a bold E7 called Black Lagoon but moved left on to the red wall much lower than Dave's route. I managed to link all the climbing on my second try thinking the whole route to be about F7c+. I was very surprised how easy the climbing on the top bit was, the Dusk till Dawn bit, and didn't understand how this could get E8. It climbs Terminal Twilight but moves out right before it's English 6c crux at the top and the new bit of climbing is no more than E5 6b on it's own!! This can't add up to E8!! It has loads of gear on it too with even a Cam 4 placement. This means Dusk Till Dawn is probably an easier finish to Terminal Twilight and could even be E6! James new route pulls out left of Black Lagoon at the base of it's first runnel and adds a very good, sustained and run out crimpy 6c section above a bomber RP 3 placement passing an old tied off peg. I didn't get a chance to try it that day as the tide was in but was keen to give it a go at some point.
On Monday Hazel was keen to give San Simeon a go before she needed to leave for Bristol. After an unsuccessful top rope go and a bit of deliberating we abseiled it for her to have a lead go anyway. She totally cruised it and there was never any question that she was going to fall off, impressive. Unfortunately the tide came in quicker than we expected and I didn't get chance to have a lead attempt on James route again. I arranged to stay in Pembroke to climb with a friend Trevor Messiah who lives near by and on Wednesday got to lead James route. The lead went well and I topped out without any problems thinking it was easier but slightly more run out than San Simeon so E8 seemed fair. This is a stunning addition to the West wall of Huntsmans leap and later found out James has called it 'Do you know where your children are?'. What a terrible name especially along side all those great names on that wall!'
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