A week in Pembroke was the perfect venue for upping my post-op leading game into the VS / HVS zone. In a different situation, I might have felt the following Rockfax descriptions to be a bit condescending (bordering on patronising): Ocean Passage, Bosherston – “A grand and engaging little adventure” and Sea Groove, Mother Careys – “This fine little expedition“. In the circumstances, they summed up exactly what we were after – three star climbing in an ozone-fuelled seacliff ambiance, with enough challenge to maintain interest but without too much peril.

Wandering past The Leap looking in great nick – not on the itinerary this trip…

… we headed onwards to…

Bosherston Head

The South Face is a hidden world of adventure, hard to view until you are on it and home to the less-travelled gems of Preposterous Tales and Wavelength. Warm Waves, VS, is more amenable but similarly overlooked. Here’s Helen approaching the crux at the start of the second pitch…

… and on the upper ramp:

While over on our left, Tom and partner were doing Poltergeist, HVS

We added Ocean Passage, VS (or maybe HVS?) 5a into the day’s itinerary. A route of two halves, with a thin open groove followed by a leering steep offwidth corner.

“A grand and engaging little adventure”!

Mother Carey’s

… or “Scarey’s” depending on how you feel about it. The main crag was surprisingly quiet when we visited…

… but we were heading over to the White Tower.

As we approached I spotted someone climbing on the front face – shunting on closer inspection (or TRS as we seem to call it these days). Looked a bit steep on the White Heat area – They wouldn’t be in our way…

… we were headed for Sea Groove, VS 4c

Two contrasting pitches – the first – short, steep and burly; the second groovier, technical and occasionally fríable.

“… fine little expedition“

Saddle Head

If you’re looking for a high quality Pembroke VS you’d be hard pressed to beat Blue Sky for star value. It’s also quite sought after, as you need a bit of proficiency and precision to access a hanging high-tide start by abseil, or good timing and a speedy leader to make use of the wave-washed base. We went for the former.

Here’s Helen styling the first pitch:

By the time we’d finished the sea was pretty much at low tide so we nipped down to do what Rockfax described as Eaves Dripper Direct, HVS 5a, but later perusal of the CC guide suggested might be something more like Eaves Dripper / Sky Blue. Anyway, it takes the spicy thin groove immediately left of Blue Sky P1…

I’d envisaged doing the whole thing in a oner, but a rapidly advancing tide (and some “I told you so…” chiding from Helen) meant we took a belay after all.

Our pitch 2 followed the diagonal corner above the left hand cave belay, before moving right along a thin flake  to finish.

Time to head back to the campsite for some eclipse action…

… washed down with shooting stars for afters.

Stennis Head

With temperatures stubbornly clinging into the high 20s we continued to seek out shade where we could find it (not always easy in South Pembroke). A late, post-astronomical, start saw us catching the last of the rays on the East Face of Stennis Head. Kanda Bongo Man, HVS 5a, is worth seeking out.

… But is somewhat overshadowed by its neighbour Bludgeon – same grade but much stiffer, which has been badly short-changed with only a couple of stars. Stupendous!

A good day for seal watching…

… and lazing.

The Castle

For the final day of our “Little Adventures” trip, we headed to The Castle on a somewhat more broody day, with a bit of a fret threatening after early showers. The only pics I took were of a team on Lucky Strike

Helen led Abseil Groove, HS, and I did Davy Crocket, HVS 5a (and not a giveaway).

Worth a shout out for our campsite for the week – the simple and unassuming…

Which we had pretty much to ourselves at a time (mid August) when our usual abode, Simon’s Field, was absolutely mobbed.

Onwards to our next Little Adventure on Skeleton Ridge on the Isle of Wight, but not before a stopover at with Tash and Chris, including a paddle to the pub. Very civilised…