History
by Richard Pedley - September 2004
First Ascent List (click here)
It was not easy writing a history of Jersey rock climbing. Most of the events
happened sporadically, and are largely unrelated to each other, which means
you inevitably miss out something or someone. No one knows the whole story,
so I'll just try and piece the whole crazy mystery together.
1950 - 1969
Before the 60's there are no available records of anything happening at all, though presumably there must have been the odd Neanderthal scramble. But in the 60's it all began to happen, man, as the Jersey Rock Climbing Club became active, and organised climbing began. It wasn't exclusively devoted to rock climbing at this time, and taught canoeing and cave exploration, which led to the discovery of Neanderthal bones at Belle Houge. Bad belaying is suspected!
Among the first routes recorded were Rabbit's Head (VS), and Haycrafts Corner (VS), from Richard Haycraft, Rabbit's Flake (VS) from John Speller and A. Perchard (all on the Rabbits Head), and on the Pinnacle, Cave Route Direct (VS), put up by Richard Haycraft and Hugh Farrington. Jersey's only recorded artificial route also dates from this period, Peg Leg Start, now the first pitch of L'Oreilles, and is thought unique.
1970 - 1979
After 1969 interest in climbing dwindled, together the number of new routes, though there is a rumour that Rob Wright managed Pinnacle Face Direct (HVS), up the seaward face of The Pinnacle, sadly there are no records of this. That was it until the 1970's, when Tony McKenny and Peter Clarke recorded La Fete de Claire (HVS), Sunshine Ramp (VS), on the Nethe Falaise, and Slasher (VS), on Bumbley Buttress. Another significant event was the cataloguing of new routes by Tony McKenny which, though unpublished, it is the ancestor of the current guide.
There were brief outbreaks of enthusiasm after this, such as the pair of Londoners who arrived in 1977 and climbed on Le Vyi, Rick Grise and Steve Morgan climbed two terrific HVS routes Single-minded and Shout About. Locally, Colin Vibert teamed up with Mike Brown in 1979, opening up La Cotte, and climbing Gin and Tonic (S), on The Pilier Dangle.
1980 - 1989
Things remained quiet until 1983, when Bill Dark set foot on the Island. He asked around, but could find no active climbers, he discovered the crags at Grosnez and Portelet, and sent word of his find to Ian Smith in Sheffield, suggesting a visit. In 1984 a group duly arrived, giving the crags the attention they had needed for so long.
Several of the island's best routes were developed over the following week. Citizen's Edge (E1), Second Parabola (HVS), the un-missable Perihelion (HVS), more difficult routes included Tax Exile (E5), and Steel City (E4), widening the range of grades available. They went on to climb Brutal Retainer (E3), Hungover (E3), and The Wrinkled Stopper (HS), among many others.
Brown and Dark left the Island soon after, pausing only to do a few short routes at Portelet and Mourier Valley. Other activity in '84 is mainly attributable to visiting climbers. Ben and Marion Winteringham gave us the Unnamed (E3), while Martin Whitaker and Marion Birkett climbed Homesick Angel (HVS). Valentine/Cobley/Townend climbing on the same crag left the classic Richard's Field (HVS), despite the fact that none of them are named Richard, then moved on to do the daunting Ragged Edge (E5), on the Rabbits Head.
Then, deep in the '85 winter, a local team of Stuart Syvret and Phil Brown began climbing, later to be joined by Kevin Eloury. Not knowing much about what had happened before, they made steady progress on the crags until a chance meeting with Ian Smith, who gave them a copy of the McKenny route information. Visiting climber Sam Salmon arrived and made an invaluable contribution by leading routes previously considered suicidal by the locals, and left several great climbs, Rockscience (S), Caractacus (HVS), Optional Extra (VS) and Crowblack (VS).
Brown and Eloury, now having a more objective view of the state of affairs, started putting up routes like men possessed, a list of which includes April Fool (HVS), KP Nuts (VS), Three Pints of Lager... (HVS), The Crunge (HVS), Gang Bang Slab (E2), and Mr. Ploppy (E2). It was in 1986 that The Jersey Rock Climbing Club was reformed, and included Warren Hobbs, one of the original 50's climbers. Early members John Ryan and Tudor Pearn, left their mark with Ryan's For The Crack (HVS), The Zurich Axioms (HVS), and Pearn's Zugswang (VS). Yet another crag was opened up in 1987, with the inaugural ascent of Jabberwocky (E2).
Several routes were repeated during this year, mainly by visiting climbers. Pat Littlejohn and Hugh Clarke repeated 'Ragged Edge' then added some new lines, in terrible weather. La Cotte provided the pair with two outstanding HVS's The Good Life, and Paradise Postponed, shifting up several gears Littlejohn led Phantom Of The Opera (E7), Jersey's hardest lead.
Domonic Lee and Tim Freeman climbed 'Brutal Retainer' and 'Tax Exile', then, having warmed up, added five new lines, including Can of Worms (E6). Locally activity carried on, this time at Rouge Nez, producing In the Light (VS) and the memorable Open Heart Surgery (HVS), with visitor Brian Swales joining in and adding Jersey Girl (E2).
Regular visitors Ian Smith, Viv Smith and John Chapman with Gary and Hazel Gibson, Richard Haszko, Shaun Hutson and Nigel Prestidge, occasionally joined by Eloury and Brown, saw thirty-five new routes climbed in a week. Black Flamingo (E3), La Prisoner (E2) Here We Stand Accused (E2), The Heist (E2), and Easter Rising (HVS), the first route to tackle the impressive Central Buttress of the Nethe Falaise. Within a few days John Tyler, Mary Mckenzie and Bob Lancaster added the traverse Pince-Nez (VS). There is also an impressive list of routes in the higher grades Perry Coma (E6), Phantom at the Races (E5), Dreamtime (E4), and Little Lat of the Big Men (E4), the latter being a must for roof climbing masochists.
After this frantic spring the tourists went home, leaving
the natives to have some fun of their own. Phil Brown excelled himself on
The Bolder Boulder (6a), and Kevin Eloury, not to be outdone, managed to conquer
There's Arête in the Kitchen (E3), after much top-roping. Unfortunately,
neither of them could suppress their punning tendencies.
The other landmark of 1987 / 1988 was the eventual publication of Ian Smith's
excellent guide to Jersey, which made route information widely available for
the first time.
Then, in 1989, there was a move towards roof problems. It was suggested by Guernsey climber Alan Hill that the overhangs on the Central Buttress of the Nethe Falaise would be possible if pegged, prompting the wilful Eloury and Nic Michel to climb Invisible Sun (E1), without pegs. Next came the pegless And may God Have Mercy On Your Soul (E2), by the witless Paul Mahrer. Subsequent development of the crags has seen an absence of fixed protection, simply because there is no need for it.
Meanwhile, Stuart Syvret found Trespass Point, and after soloing the obvious lines, let the secret out. This led to Wilson's Laundarete (HVS), which established this small crag as a major south coast venue. Mahrer, also at work on the south coast, put up Route X (E4) and the accurately named Desperate (E6), at La Cotte after top-rope practice. Another south coast area, Portelet, had Banana Death (E3) by Eloury and Brown, one of the best routes on the lower crag.
John Cristie and Derek Miller popped over to put up a starred route, The Angry Scotsman (E3), in No Star Zawn, one of the better climbs in that area.
Local activity kept up the momentum throughout the year, with a new area Gloggy being recorded by Eloury, Wilson and Brown, and gave some good slab climbing in the lower grades. It emerges that some of these climbs had already been climbed by Nick Ransom, though he kept quiet about them.
Grosnez still has several quality lines which remain unclimbed,
a fact proven by Eloury and Michel, when The Hole (E2), finally succumbed
to a clean lead. At Rouge Nez the last great problem (until the next last
great problem) Wish You Were Here (E4), received a yo-yo ascent.
Kevin Eloury completed several supplements to Smith's guide, effectively doubling
then trebling the amount of recorded routes. Interestingly, this increase
is across the range of grades, proving that there is still a great deal of
unclimbed rock left.
Adrian Oram and John Wintergill made a second visit to the island, producing a couple of obvious routes overlooked by the locals, including Cri De Chevaux Blanc (HVS), on the usually soggy section of Guns Cliff. Their timing was perfect, as the summer sun had dried the wall for the first time in years.
Beauport saw a short burst of activity with Masters Thrutch (E1) and Fat and Furious (E3), and marked the end of any significant future development. Perhaps!.
Titt and Coe left Eyore (E1), and although tourists the name suggests a sly dig at the Guernsey group they beat to the route by a day.
1990 - 1999
The rate of activity continued through 1990. The huge roof on the Nethe Falaise
was finally completed by Paul Mahrer, but not before a hospital visit to check
the state of his head. The Roof The Whole Roof and Nothing But The Roof So
Help Me God (E5), remains unrepeated. At La Prison, Nick Michel excelled himself
with an ascent of Widowmaker (E3), which has excellent protection and rates
as one of the best climbs of that grade on the island. Free and Easy (E1),
at Portelet opened up another new area, previously thought impossible.
Back at Grosnez another new area was opened up below the Rabbits Head, and named The Rabbits Bottom, despite which, provides good short routes on a low tide. Slug Death (E1), marked Kevin Davey's first ascent efforts, whilst Della Duquemin and Philippa Smith led the more amenable Frilly Little Pink Things (S), an all female ascent and very rare for the island. Unfortunately, any blow scored for the feminist cause was effectively wiped out by the name.
John Codling paid a visit (and the exorbitant air fare) in September, leaving Racin' for the Plane (E4), at La Cotte, and the end of the year was marked by Eloury's Novelty Island (E2).
And so into 1991, with an easier way up 'Perry Coma' by Eloury and a newly inspired Phil Brown, which they named Hot Tuna (E4). Phil Brown left the island to 'travel' shortly afterwards, but left behind several short sharp problems and The Power of Lard (E2).
Martin Whitaker returned in May, putting up a few routes, Lorca (E1) at La Cotte stands out, and in the same month Simon Allen, on a long term visit, teamed up with Eloury and put up Remembrance (E2). They went on to climb the harder lines on Trespass Point, including the novel Adrenaline Rush (E4). Meanwhile, Dave Ardren and Paul Pritchard left four new lines including Love Wars (E3), at Mourier Valley, while out at La Cotte Mahrer put up his hardest lead, Upcet, which he gives an impressive (E7). Toward the end of 1991 a visiting team found a new baby crag, Mourier Valley Far West, and put up six short routes, and the year closed with Eloury's Asta La Vista Baby (E2).
The beginning of 1992 saw Air Head, by Eloury. Kevin Davey also managed an eliminate of 'Richard's Field', and named it Arsolo Man (HVS). The first new route by Chris Beck, Back Off Bitch (VS), shame about the names, there must be something in the water.
Portelet, and Beauport thought to be extinct in terms of new routes, proved to have several more climbs, Flatliners (E4), by Eloury, and The Black Labrador (VS) by Davey, to name a couple. Martin Crocker, on a short but intense visit, climbed three new lines including, the long standing problem XXXX (E6) on the Rabbits Head, he then moved over to Rouge Nez to shimmy up the implausible Hire Car Island, at (6b/c) one of the hardest moves around. Crocker also helped clear up a sensitive point, by climbing 'Can of Worms' without the peg runner, and 'Phantom of the Opera' without any fixed gear, passing several holes still present from Mahrer's retro-bolting of the two lines.
The first climbing wall was erected at Fort Regent Sports Centre in 1992, built by club members it provided the first dedicated training area for climbers.
The story is now taken up by Kevin Eloury and covers the period after 1992.
Climbing activity slowed during the nineties, but steady development of the major crags continued. 1994 saw the arrival of Hamish Morrison who left his mark by climbing the lines out of reach by the locals, Aggrovation (E4) being noticeable.
With the crags thought to be reaching saturation it was time to find new rock and Bruce Steedman with visiting climber Andy Palmer took up the challenge with the development of the rarely visited north coast crags. Sur L'Ile Agois, Personne N'Entend Ta Crie (E1) at Ille Agois speaks for itself! While the smaller outcrops on the south coast also received renewed attention.
After this concentrated effort the pace of development now also slowed, but the odd quality lines were still being discovered by local climbers, and surprisingly, in the more popular areas. Visiting climbers although still spotted out on the crags seemed content to climb the existing lines, perhaps due to the lack of up to date information.
2000 - 2005
2000 saw Club membership swell, and a new generation of climbers emerge. Most content to climb existing lines, perhaps without the necessity to climb new lines or nothing at all. The exception being Ian Smith (not to be confused with Ian J Smith an early pioneer and writer of the first published guide to the Island), and a small group of keen climbers who sort out the smaller and previously neglected and/or unrecorded rock.
To be continued...
