Saturday 13 September 2008

Trip Report: Lundy (Sept 2008)

TRIP REVIEW : LUNDY (SEPT 2008)

Katrina Spinney on the first pitch of Satans Slip (E1 5a)

The pilgrimage to Lundy was a journey I'd wanted to make for quite some time... However, rumours about the need to book years in advance and limited campsite spaces always made me think "it'll be too late - I'll go next year".

Year after year I kept thinking this until now - my first piece of advice...
"IGNORE THE 'FULLY BOOKED' MYTH"
One phone call to the Lundy Shore Office is all it takes!


Left: MS Oldenburg


Right: The North Lighthouse





We kicked straight off with the classic Devils Slide (HS) and Satans Slip (E1 5a). It was obvious that the weather forecast was against us so we had to make the most of the warm/ dry conditions; however, being first-timers we'd put our climbing gear in the hold and therefore had to wait hours in order to get all the necessaries together - this leads to my second piece of advice...
"TAKE ALL YOUR CLIMBING GEAR AS HAND LUGGAGE!"
I think we'd have managed Albion (VS 4c) if we'd done this...


The Devils Slide - one outrageous bit of rock

Despite the island being relentlessly pummelled by storms we managed a few of the classics - Double Diamond, Shamrock, Indy 500, Venus Flytrap - and a some esoteric gems - Stuka on the Beufort Buttress and Margin on the Headline Promontory stood out in particular.



Above: The gritstone-esq Margin (VS 4c)



Two views of the Flying Buttress:

Left: Katrina Spinney on Double Diamond (HVS 5a)


Right: Dan McManus on The Cuillinan (E5 6a)

However... the centre stage of Lundy isn't the crags - its the Marisco Tavern. The amount of time spent in the tavern is proportionately related to the amount of rainfall. In our case this meant a lot of scrabble, chess, and compulsive guidebook reading.

Anyhow, despite the unrelenting rain, wind, and high seas I found* Lundy was simply an incredible place to be. Three miles long, one mile wide, and stuck out in - what feels like - the middle of the ocean, there is a tremendous feeling of being somewhere special. I am undoubtedly booking a trip next year...

(*note: not all others found this...in fact some found rather the opposite...)


Above: Es Tressider and Sam Underhill trying to find a cure for cabin fever

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