UKH

Thinking of doing Diocese (VS 5a) tomorrow but wondering if it needs sun to burn off the morning grease on the first two pitches? Low tide is at 10:45am, which means I’d want to start on it around midday at the latest, probably. 

The route looks absolutely amazing and I think this might be my last best chance at favorable tide/swell/weather conditions while in Cornwall! But if it’s going to be horrible I can always go to Bosigran instead...

I did it last January or something and the sun was on the route by midday, but maybe not deep in the corner. If you get there and its still wet there's a great ledge 7m up on the first pitch (so basically non-tidal) to belay on and wait for the sun to come round

It's a superb route, enjoy. (But that first pitch could prove tricky if it's greasy.)

When we did it a few years ago, we went down for 9.30-10.00 before the sun got on it and the first pitch was unpleasantly (extremely) greasy. The moves up the slab from the big ledge on P1 felt precarious and bold and it was a relief to reach the jam crack chimney to reach the cave. 

If I do it again (which is unlikely because for me it felt disjointed and was as much a let down as Doorpost after years of leaving them for the perfect day), I would definitely wait until the sun has gone round and burned off the morning's grease. But don't let me put you off. Horses for courses and all that.

P2 is great with a classic photo opportunity but is easier than 5a if you head up to and jam under the roof, with lots of gear. For me personally, P1 felt harder.

I imagine the cave pitch will have running water on it in places after the weather we've had recently, but this doesn't matter too much. The climbing is steady and the gear is amazing. 

Well, I can report that the first pitch was indeed still damp at around 11:30am, which made the slabby section pretty heady. But once I got into the crack the jams were solid enough, and the traverse pitch felt easy by comparison as the footholds were surprisingly positive. I rate the experience “character building,” three stars. 

Well done!

Doorpost a let down?! The top pitch is quite easy compared to the rest but otherwise quite sustained IICRC and great line . Doorway on the other hand is a bit bitty. I agree the diocese traverse is relatively easy and safe.