UKH

Lower Sharpnose Access

Quick question about L Sharpnose. At low tide can you safely walk/scramble down to the base of the routes? Also can you climb  Lunakhod and finish up to the top of the Middle Fin without having to abseil? Hoping to go on Monday. Thanks. 

Yes, I think you can scramble down north of North Fin.

I don't know, maybe, but I'm not sure it would be pleasant.

I believe you can scramble down north of the north fun but wouldn't describe it as 'safely', but your risk appetite may vary. The path looked like it had partly disintegrated last time we were there. 

Lunakhod would be terrifying to exit at the top from.

You can definitely scramble down it’s fine.  Low tide isn’t very low though and doesn’t last that long.  Off top of lunakhod looks terrifying.

Thanks guys for the info. Not sure it sounds like the most relaxing climb to slot into a family holiday with occasional - climbing son! Might nip down to Bosigran instead.

Lunakhod IS terrifying to exit at the top from!  Did it 20 years ago and can't imagine it's got any better. I had to lie down in a darkened room for a couple of days afterwards.

I've 'walked' off the ridge from topping out on Lunakod, as the Littlejohn guide only slightly discouraged it (Oh, and we only had a single rope, and the tide was coming in). It would have been less harrowing to jump off the top and swim out. 

Does this mean that climbing out via the middle fin is the only (not terrifying) way to exit? 

Lunakhod is on the middle fin, isn't it - so it isn't a "not terrifying" way to exit?

If you said/meant North Fin (which you can walk along), then yeah I would have thought either you climb to the top of North Fin or you scramble up on the North side of North Fin (I've done this, and I don't recall anything exciting about it at all - it was just a scrambly path from memory).

I'd recommend the way we did it a few years ago. Take the N Fin approach and abseil down the line of Out of the Blue. Leave the ab rope in place rigged as a top rope. Cross to the base of Lunakhod - possible at most states of the tide I think. Climb and abseil Lunakhod. Then exit via a route on the North Fin, North Face (eg The Smile E1 5a) or use the ab rope to top-rope Out of the Blue E2 5b. (We did both). Out of the Blue should be eminently top-ropeable if you can lead Lunakhod (which was about our standard at the time).

Martin

Recommend what Martin said. It doesn't get in the way; I still had no trouble leading out of the blue with 2 strands of ab/toprope hanging nearby. Was glad of it when the weather went a bit grim and we repeated it on toprope to get out.

Edit: use a long enough rope, obviously!

Sorry yes — I meant north fin!

That makes sense — cheers (to Martin also)! Lunakhod is high on my ticklist…

Whoops! The Smile, Out of the Blue and the recommended abseil line are all on the South Face of the North Fin, not the North Face - my error above. It's the South Face of North Fin that's opposite Lunakhod which is on the North Face of Middle Fin - easy to cross boulders from one to the other at most tides. Confused? - it's all well described in the Rockfax West Country guide.

Martin

More info in the new CC guide...