The first camping meet of 2004 (apart from the hardy souls at the Peaks meet) took place at the Polmanter campsite near St Ives. Despite warnings of “Bank Holiday traffic chaos” from the AA and other such disinterested groups the roads were surprisingly amenable so most people arrived quite chipper and relaxed.

As is traditional the next morning started up with a huge round-robin of gossipping and faffing where everyone was asked how their journey had been, who they came down with and where they were planning to climb. Eventually, as an exercise in reverse entropy, out of this disorder came order and the majority of the meet shuffled off to crags in neatly arranged teams.

Nick, Clare, Karen and Neville (new boy but you’ll know him if you go to the Westway) went to the ever popular Bosigran in order to give Karen her first taste of climbing. Nick’s first taste of climbing was being lowered down to a ledge at sea level while retrieving his guidebook that he had inadvertently thrown there while walking down to the Black Slab area. Nick and Neville then climbed Belle VS, Ding VS and Ochre Slab Route 1 VS. Having not seen any MMC members all day they then moved back up to the main cliff where they encountered various members of the MMC perched on ledges like the flying ducks on Hilda Ogden’s wall. There they climbed Doorway with the 5a start (HVS).

Robin Mitton had eased himself back into climbing with a few V diffs while AG ticked off Doorpost and Venusberg. He had considered changing the route on Venusberg and going up the 5a pitch of Anvil Chorus but decided against it as he was quite cold waiting at belay ledges for parties ahead to finish. In a similar fashion Matt, Hilary, Loui, Tara and Jiri knocked off a few easy classics. Simon, as he quickly grew tired of telling people, had been knocked off his bike early and so was not climbing as a result of the ensuing shoulder injury. Instead her retired to the Tinners Arms in Zennor where he spent a pleasant afternoon getting outside of a few pints of bitter. He was later joined by Nick, Matt, Hilary and Neville who indulged in a sharpener before going back to the campsite to cook.

Lucy, Jim, Chuck and Wendy went to Sennen where Lucy climbed with Jim who led Corner Climb (VD) Corner Crack (S). Wendy and Chuck did a few severes. It should always be noted the Lemoni the dog also had fun being lowered down the rockface on a rope.  

Most folk then made use of the campsite bar rather than going off-piste to one of the local hostelries.

The weather took a definite turn for the worse on Saturday but not so bad as to prevent climbing. Nick, Mark, Steve and Ivone went to Trewavas on the flawed assumption that small obscure cliffs would not be busy. There they climbed Flanker (HVS), Avalanche (VS), Carrivick (VS), Colomen (VS), Mascara (VS) and Joy (S). Steve also toproped William’s Chimney (HVS).

Matt Fenelow took a team over to Sennen. They took the took the interesting approach which scared a few of their number but didn’t phase a mother and two kids they met going in the other direction. Matt kindly stopped to dangle her little cherubs off a 12 foot drop for her to catch. Kids. No fear.

They did a few nice climbs – the strenuous Norge Corner (HS?) and couple of others. At that point a Czech climber was abruptly shrugged of Demolition (E6 6a) and, as Czech’s do, bounced. Then the whole palaver of ambulances, cliff rescue, police, WI, Tufty Club etc swung into action which kyboshed most people’s climbing for the day. Except that is said Czeck’s partner who was roped and racked to lead as the helicopter puttered into the distance. Luckily the victim escaped with relatively minor injuries and was spotted hobbling around at Bosigran on Monday.

AG did an HS (forgot the name) and Double Overhang before tackling an E7 at the cafe that took the better part of two hours. Then he and Marie-Aline went for a run once they came back to the campsite (witnessed by Russell Beech). Marie-Aline started off with all the zealous pace of a runner who hasn't done their weekly mileage and soon had AG struggling to keep up. By the end of she was still fit and perky whereas AG looked like he had just achieved a personal best in a consumptive’s marathon. Now in the past this would have sent him straight to the bar for a quintuple scotch while clutching feverishly for his gaspers, but somehow he was instilled with some pious virtue and gave away his fags!

Robin and Neville ticked off the ever worthy Demo route and two more routes before the “incident”.

Jim, Lucy, Wendy and Chuck went to Bosigran Jim led Doorway (S) but there is no detail of what Chuck and Wendy got up to.  

That evening a contigent went to the pub to eat but a healthy number braved the chilly spring evening to have a scottle-braai (South African Wok to you and me) in the campsite.

Easter Sunday was heralded in familiar fashion by the gentle tap of raindrops on tents. Emerging mole-like from their nylon shelters several folk decided that it wasn’t worth trying to climb. However Nick, Steve, Ivone and Neville decided that it was worth trying to get to Kendijack to climb. This proved to a thoroughly worthwhile outing and Nick led In The Gallery (HVS 5a) and Steve led the superb Saxon (HVS 4c) ***. They also knocked off Gneiss Gnome (HS) which gave Ivone and Neville a first taste of the Crozzly Cornish Killas.

Phil, Catherine, AG, Rob and Marie-Aline went for a bumble between Bosigran and Zennor. AG then came back to the campsite and went for a run (previous day's lesson definitely not learnt!).

Robin finished eating fish and chips on St Ives harbour on his tod. He managed to bump into several nameless MMC members always walking the other way around the lanes near Gunard's head, the tales varried but mostly seemed to relate to the pub being shut! Thankfully they couldn't get too lost on the coast road....

Matt also went strolling. He had a personal quest for a pasty, which was achieved in St Ives. They then walked a few miles along the coast and back with Simon, Hilary, Lou, Rob and Norea before returning to the campsite for a BBQ

On Monday the weather improved once more and fresh from the relaxations of the previous day the climbing reasserted itself. AG and Marie-Aline went climbing at Zennor. Shane and Julie turned up an hour later. AG led a VS that I had scoped out on binoculars the previous day on the walk (saw a guy struggle on it for half an hour before backing off) and an HVS before heading back.

Mark climbed with Ivonne at   Chairladder.  They did  a couple of multipitch VSs  including Seal Slab and then had  fish and  chips in St Ives  with Steve, Neville, Ivonne, Helen and   Jessica,  before the  others headed home.  

Nick and Robin went to Bosigran where they knocked off Nameless (VS) and the suberb Little Brown Jug (VS) ***. This was after it was found that Robin had left his rope in the car on the assumtion that Nick had brought two! He also didn’t bring a nut key which necessitated borrowing one from another climber that was eventually reunited with its owner after many days and Robin’s diligent research of all the climbing clubs in East Anglia. Meanwhile Karen, Sarah, Clare and Vicky had gone from a walk around the Zennor area. Vicky complained of being hot and upon investigation was found to be wearing thermal longjohns! She was eventually prised out of these to her immense relief.

A few folk stayed on for the Tuesday but only managed one route.

I’m sure that there was plenty more done and said than mentioned here as it was a very well attended and enjoyable meet.

NK