Ever been to Cornwall and wanted to get away from the crowds? Well how about trying the small crag at Aire Point, just north of Sennen? Harvey and I did just that when we stayed at the Count House at Bosigran in June and had a very enjoyable few hours doing three of the routes on offer. We started with Aireline * (60', VS, 4c), the obvious V cleft on the seaward side of the non-tidal pinnacle, expecting a nice bridging problem all the way up. The cleft was not quite that accommodating, however, and the final exit provided a sting in the tail for the overconfident leader. Give it a try and see what you think.
Next we climbed the adjacent route, Biggles Flies Undone * (60', VS, 4c). This obvious right facing flake is a must and succumbs to a confident laybacking technique. Unfortunately Harvey was suffering from an inflamed forearm tendon, which made laybacking an awkward manoeuvre, but I am sure he will agree that this is a highly recommended route.
The last climb that we did here was Claudication (70', VS, 4c) that takes the dog-leg crack on the slab of Varicose Zawn. While it is not given any stars in the guide-book it does offer a different style of climbing to the other two routes and is another worthwhile pitch.
Like most of the coastal path in this part of Cornwall the scenery is stunning around Aire Point and we rounded off the day with a walk northwards towards Cape Cornwall. So, something to please everyone and not a soul in sight – what more could you ask?
Derek 18th July 200