A strange day on Sunday. It was dry but the forecast threatened showers and i was stoked to go somewhere having been to Hawkcliffe the day before to shunt 'Visions In Tan'. Excellent, short lived but hard wall climbing. I hope i can get a proper top rope down it to see if that makes it feel any easier as it is quite overhanging.
Anyway, unfortunately i couldn't persuade anyone to go; but Huw and Rosie were up for returning to the rather friendly, chilled out crag that is Panorama. Myself and Huw had noticed that the left wall of the main block, was unclimbed and the capping roof looked entertaining. I half convinced myself the lower wall might be 6b unprotected highball slab climbing and that it was worth climbing just as it's there.
We arrived and i rapped down, cleaning the plethora of breaks and holes. There were a lot of holds on this wall actually. I then top roped the line clean, first go. Slabs are strange, you can clean lots of holds but when you're on climbing it you always end up using something you didn't expect to. I arrived at the break having probably climbed a 5c/6a move and utilising crimps i have missed on rap. Oh well. The roof above is however a different matter. A pocket and an edge are present and the climbing was very bouldery. I wasn't particularly bothered about this and felt the line, if there is a line, naturally sent you up the niche in the roof rather than going for the main overhang... I cleaned the top of the buttress of skrittly stuff and racked up for the lead.
Quick solo up the lower wall, to the break. It's nice moves on some pleasant crimps and the break takes a range of cams from 0.75 to size 5. I then moved right to the niche and up via a jug to a slopey top out which felt around 5c. All in all, a nice little bit of climbing but nothing to write homeabout; the roof direct would be a good laugh but i'm not going back for it. I felt the lower unprotected wall was probably worth around E4 6a and then the finish through the roof feels around E2/3 5c. However at the break you can just traverse off right all the way to the E4 arete and finish easily or if you're highball soloing just traverse off left - but then you don't top out.
I turned my attention to the E5, 'No News Is Good News' which climbs just to the left of the arete and right of the route we put up; which incidentally we called 'Dispatches'. The E5 starts at some pockets and moves right towards edges high on the wall, via a very thin sequence. I pulled on and tackled the uncleaned, skrittly climbing making a long move to the very thin hold. I pinged off and landed by Huw and Rosie, slightly frustrated but glad i had missed the rock we had managed to not pad out... Rosie and Huw needed to be back by 7.30 so i knew i only had one more go. Annoyed that the other route had taken so long, i carefully climbed back up to my previous high point and managed to keep myself on the wall on the minute holds, which i must admit surprised me... Two tiny crimps, feet on good smears, i reached right along the rippled edges and found an incut crimp. Toe in the pocket and a hold of the swing and i was boshing up the easier ground above. Pretty happy with this highball and if this is E5 6b reckon the 'fa' is probably correct at E4 6a.
Nice crag; if the first time we'd gone had been nicer weather we'd have probably finished the lot off in a day!
Anyway, unfortunately i couldn't persuade anyone to go; but Huw and Rosie were up for returning to the rather friendly, chilled out crag that is Panorama. Myself and Huw had noticed that the left wall of the main block, was unclimbed and the capping roof looked entertaining. I half convinced myself the lower wall might be 6b unprotected highball slab climbing and that it was worth climbing just as it's there.
We arrived and i rapped down, cleaning the plethora of breaks and holes. There were a lot of holds on this wall actually. I then top roped the line clean, first go. Slabs are strange, you can clean lots of holds but when you're on climbing it you always end up using something you didn't expect to. I arrived at the break having probably climbed a 5c/6a move and utilising crimps i have missed on rap. Oh well. The roof above is however a different matter. A pocket and an edge are present and the climbing was very bouldery. I wasn't particularly bothered about this and felt the line, if there is a line, naturally sent you up the niche in the roof rather than going for the main overhang... I cleaned the top of the buttress of skrittly stuff and racked up for the lead.
Quick solo up the lower wall, to the break. It's nice moves on some pleasant crimps and the break takes a range of cams from 0.75 to size 5. I then moved right to the niche and up via a jug to a slopey top out which felt around 5c. All in all, a nice little bit of climbing but nothing to write homeabout; the roof direct would be a good laugh but i'm not going back for it. I felt the lower unprotected wall was probably worth around E4 6a and then the finish through the roof feels around E2/3 5c. However at the break you can just traverse off right all the way to the E4 arete and finish easily or if you're highball soloing just traverse off left - but then you don't top out.
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| Panorama Crag - Dispatches follows the chalk before climbing the niche in the roof behind the branch. No New Is Good News, climbs the wall right via the greener coloured rock. The E4 to E1 climbs in the guide climb the wall around the corner. |
I turned my attention to the E5, 'No News Is Good News' which climbs just to the left of the arete and right of the route we put up; which incidentally we called 'Dispatches'. The E5 starts at some pockets and moves right towards edges high on the wall, via a very thin sequence. I pulled on and tackled the uncleaned, skrittly climbing making a long move to the very thin hold. I pinged off and landed by Huw and Rosie, slightly frustrated but glad i had missed the rock we had managed to not pad out... Rosie and Huw needed to be back by 7.30 so i knew i only had one more go. Annoyed that the other route had taken so long, i carefully climbed back up to my previous high point and managed to keep myself on the wall on the minute holds, which i must admit surprised me... Two tiny crimps, feet on good smears, i reached right along the rippled edges and found an incut crimp. Toe in the pocket and a hold of the swing and i was boshing up the easier ground above. Pretty happy with this highball and if this is E5 6b reckon the 'fa' is probably correct at E4 6a.
Nice crag; if the first time we'd gone had been nicer weather we'd have probably finished the lot off in a day!
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