Yesterday Rongy and I plumped for the Northern Blocks at Willyabrup. The option of routes here are less with more being that bit steeper and harder than at the main cliffs of Willyabrup so they don’t see as much traffic, by others or us. We’d decided on dropping into The Terrace, which mean abseiling in and climbing out. A narrow limestone gravel shelf providing a perfect ledge to wander along the base of the crag that sits quite high above the coastline. Despite the vertical separation this is a crag that is susceptible to salt spray and can fell greasy, but today it was not too bad at all:
We started the morning off gently. Wandering up a couple of warm up routes on the far left of the shelf. One of the routes is in the guide, being the crack line on the left wall in this image. We also climbed a vague line a bit further to the left, which continued up the shallow flakes that can be seen in the upper wall. I wasn’t sure about this line so Rongy started the day on it and it proved to be a worthy route. We didn’t pay that much heed to it being a new line so didn’t talk about names but we should write it up:
As we were doing the first two lines, we spied the above route. A good looking crack that obviously took plenty of gear and would probably be OK. Another line I wasn’t sure about but that didn’t stop Rongy leading it and making it look stylish. Unfortunately he found chalk on the route so it wasn’t our second FA of the day, plus as I typed this with the guide by my side it became clear it was first led over forty years ago. I then jumped on a route that has scared me a bit in the past, the wall to the right of the arête. While the holds felt big and solid on this occasion, at the grade it was still a solid and very fine route:
Considering we were at The Terrace and despite me talking this place up a bit, the first four lines of the morning were relatively sedate. So it was time to bump things up a bit. Kym you’ll be pleased to know that this started with another ascent of your fun line, which also happens to the be the longest on this crag. The start moves made Rongy think once or twice but once he got past them he blazed up the rest of the line. We did take a few moments at the bottom to check out the towering face with the capping headwall, a technical route of Shane’s and as with most of his routes one that commands respect. We left that line for another day:
There is a climb here that I’ve followed Kym up twice. On both occasions when I’ve seconded it I’ve really struggled to get up the route clean. However, after a relatively successful attempt at similar graded lines in Albany just last weekend I decided I should give it a go. The start moves are reachy and so whilst technical require a bit of momentum to get them, on both occasions I manage them but almost slipped. Then came the crux of a rooflet that is surmounted on thin holds, that lead to more forearm burning thin holds. So it goes on but the angle does easy for the final wall. I did some loud talking to myself at those desperate moments, which helped me manage to get up it clean:
Feeling very happy with myself and having lifted the bar Rongy decided to check out just how strong he was feeling, bumping it up three more grades. He started strong and was moving well. The first high bolt gives me the heebie-jeebies, due to the landing the possibility of slipping off the terrace onto the rocks below. But he climbed with confidence, clipping that one and working out how to get to the next one. Unfortunately from his stance he was a mere inch or so away from reaching it. He has not being climb as much as the old days and so his stamina was not what it used to be and his arms gave way:
After a bit of air time he sensibly decided to bail on that line and leave it for a day when he would hopefully be feeling stronger. Not wanting to take his lead I let him decide what was to happen next, we had no choice but to climb out. The obvious line was the one that I have climbed on every trip here. That said it doesn’t make this leaning flared corner crack any easier. The higher you get the more strenuous the stances are, right up until the glory jug can be snatched at the top. I followed Rongy up and was a little surprised at how much my arms were burning up on the upper section. As I snatched for the glory jug I was quietly grateful Rongy hadn’t preserved with the harder line:
We wouldn’t normally end a day on an odd number, I’m a bit OCD like that if you didn’t know. Today however we both left like we had bagged some good lines and were also suitably tired. I did have a little voice telling me to do one more line to even things up , but my arms were saying “end it on a glory run up your past nemesis”. Before walking out I did however look at the line I had in mind, also wanting to show Rongy the route as he hasn’t been on yet. As I looked at it something looked different with the top section, and sure enough the finishing blocks have all fallen away as shown by this now and then montage:
I’ll have to come back for that one to see how the rock fall has changed the line, and Rongy too now has unfinished business here…
Sandbagged 