Insomnia - Duntelchaig, 70 foot wall

A line that has been playing on my mind for nearly two weeks now was there again yesterday, I have been desperately keen to get on and try to lead it. I have always climbed better outside than I can on indoor plastic and having climbed 7b inside the day before gave me confidence that I could lead this line at 70 foot wall without a fall. I had top roped some of the top moves 2 weeks previously and found them hard but do-able. I have been on at Lorraine for days to come and hold ropes for me as soon as we get a dry spell, woke up and it was wet yet again so we headed to the wall for a few hours instead. Came home completely exhausted and sat and watched out the window for a few hours as I didn’t have energy for anything else; the sky got lighter and lighter and the ground gradually dried up. A few frantic phone calls later and Dad was on his way home after work and willing to come up with me to see if it was dry.

By the time we made it to the bottom of the route the sky was dark and threatening snow/rain at any point. I ran to the top after getting ready as fast as possible so I could abseil down and see if the holds were dry and usable. Used my jumper to dry off the last little bit of moisture and chalked them in the hope they would stay dry by the time I reached them. I wanted to try the crux once more before I lead it but knew I didn’t have enough energy to do that and then lead it so I bit the bullet and went for it.


The route takes the line of Anne Boleyn’s crack E1 5c to the ledge where gear can be arranged, from this point Anne Boleyn’s carries on up Swastika, (severe) for 8m to the top of the crag. Insomnia takes the arête directly above Anne Boleyn’s Crack, thin, awkward, barn door moves above gear gains the arête and work up this (possible ground fall?) to a decent hold where a dubious cam protects you for a further 3m or 4m to the top. I did not load the cam to see if it would hold, all four teeth were in a pocket just deep enough to cover the four legs but it is slightly flared so may not hold under a shock load.

I have given it E3 5c as up until the ledge the technical grade is 5c and the moves above continue at this level without let up until easier ground at the top is reached. As the moves are sustained at this level along with ground fall potential and the dubious gear I feel it warrants E3. If there wasnt risk of hitting the floor and the cam high up was "safe" then this would be different.As always all of these things are speculative so give it a go and see what you think. There is no record of this route I have trawled far and wide yet should you have done this F.A. then my apologies. I will report it to SMC so it can be included in the revisions and next guide book this also confirms its originality.

By the time I had toped out and started to abseil down to strip it the heavens opened and within minutes the whole thing was wet again I had got it just in time. I now have no skin left so need a few days off to recover, hopefully the weather will improve in the next few weeks so the trad season can begin and we can get on and try some harder routes without the rubbish of damp patches and seeping cracks! Roll on summer! Jamie