Seven members and one guest stayed at the Count House, the Climbers’ Club’s hut at Bosigran, Cornwall, for five nights from Sunday 21st May for this joint SMC/JMCS (London Section) meet. Three came down from Scotland, while the JMCS members convened from as far afield as Shropshire, the Lake District, and London, so the “London” moniker is perhaps something of a misnomer!
From Scotland, and despite more than a combined century of mountaineering experience, David Myatt and Jim Hotchkis managed to come down without what turned out to be the most important bit of kit..a sun hat. The weather was fantastic and the views of the sea cliffs, framed between the azure sea and swathes of wild flowers, was simply stunning. David and Jim sampled the delights of Sennen, Bosigran and Chair Ladder, where the scramble down the Zawn Rinny approach to Bulging Wall felt much more serious than the climb back up Rake’s Progress (VD).
The “London” contingent concentrated on Bosigran, although Alex Ellis and Marcus Harvey, who only had four days to spare, did also have a day at Sennen and blasted up as much as they could at Bosigran, fitting in Anvil Chorus (VS), Venusberg (VS), Thin Wall Special (E1), Little Brown Jug (VS), Paragon (HVS) and Ochre Slab (S). They were joined by John Firmin, Steve Senior and Chris Comerie for a mass JMCS assault on Commando Ridge, the 800ft VD opposite the Bosigran main face.
Despite the modest number of SMC attendees, the meet was a great success and we hope to run a follow-up fixture in the future, perhaps at Glanafon, the JMCS’s hut in Snowdonia.
The photo, by John Firmin, shows Chris Comerie and Steve Senior on the crux pitch, of Anvil Chorus.