Steve learns to belay

Yesterday was Steve's first day climbing, he had come along to the Cornwall meet with Mary and a bunch of her friends for a "multi-activity" weekend, which as far as I could see involved extended breakfasts and a lot of sitting around. The E-Silly climbers (Rupert, Eddie, Egon and Alistair) had gone off to the great zawn to attempt a few hard things on wet slimy rock and to laugh at Rupert when he fell down a hole, leaving the rest of us mere mortals to consider the options of going to Sennen to climb or to Whitesands Beach to surf. Sarah and Laura took the surfing option, an option which become more popular throughout the day, whilst the rest of us took to the rocks.

We selected a nice looking easy climb for Steve's first outing. After leading it I sat at the top to watch him squeeze into Mary's climbing shoes and harness. Steve and Mary are not the same size in any way shape or form. The phrase "they are meant to be tight" floated up the crag. I think that two sizes too small is pushing it a bit but then Steve was a beginner so he wouldn't know. He completed the climb with the grace a finesse of a total novice and got away with a few scrapes and bruises. The climb was obviously much too easy for him. What we needed was something harder but with big holds and a classic line. As Mary and Angela followed up, each attempting a different variation of the route and being cheered on by the "multi-activity" contingent a plan formed, we'll do Double Overhang, big holds all the way up a little bit of balance in the middle and a thug at the end, a classic VS if ever there was one! He loved it! As his face emerged over the finial overhang it sported the grin of a man who had just enjoyed himself far too much. After this climbing introduction he decided to take the surfing option whilst Angela and I went to find Steve Humphries and Bruce to see if the rumours about Steve's pink nuts where true. Instead we found Martin and Dave who confirmed that Steve did indeed have pink nuts, and crabs, and they where dangling around his waist a bit further up the crag!

This morning Angela and I had gone to the multi-activity camp to see if Steve wanted to come out to play, we took the nervous laugh as a whole hearted endorsement of the enterprise and whisked him off to St. Loys Crag aided and abetted by Mary. As we started walking to the crag we sort of mentioned that it was a little walk from the car, about four miles along the coastal path, he didn't seem to object but then beginners never do! When we finally arrived there where only two others there and this a bank holiday Sunday. We eased ourselves into the climbing with Angela, Steve and I tackling an easy route on the edge of the crag sneakily avoiding the horror chimney at the top by taking a little diversion.

Right now I'm looking down on Steve who is having a little trouble on the next route. Angela had decided that Steve needed the full climbing experience i.e. being connected to both ropes and taking all the gear out. I had picked a nice looking VS with an obvious line and big handrail like holds. There was a tricky move in the middle that required a bit of effort to get over and then a typical granite blank face with a "thank God" hold at the top. If you had gone wrong at the top like me you would also have had the extra excitement of having to traverse through some very nasty and sharp gorse bushes. Steve have just got over the hard bit and taken the tape from the flake, the tape is now dangling around his knees as he contemplates the seemingly blank slab above.

"Steve you might want to put that tape over your shoulder"

"Right" he says putting the tape bra strap style over his shoulder rather that passing it over his head, Mary and Angela are sniggering below.

After a lot of effort and tight rope Steve makes it to the belay, scrabbles through the gorse bushes and sits down to remove the little spikes the gorse bushes have left.

"So how do we get off Pete?"

"Over there somewhere" I say waving in a general approximate sort of way not really knowing where to go. We set off to find the way off only to find after a little bit of bush whacking that there was another pitch.

"Steve, have you ever belayed?"

"No"

"Want to learn?"

"Have I a choice?"

"No"

After the briefest of belaying master classes Steve held the ropes with only a little anticipation. Luckily the climb out was easy and the only problem was disturbing the rambler at the top who had picked the top of this pitch to seek a little solitude.

"OK Steve, if you can just tie on I'll belay you up"

"Tie on?"

"Year use a fig 8 or a bowline"

"You what"

"Have you tied on before?"

"No"

"Right, make a loop and the bunny goes up the hole ….."

Angela and Mary just laughed.

Tonight I'm going to drink far too much and tomorrow I'm taking the Surfing option.

Pete.