Last Slip

A classic bold Avon testpiece, with a sizzling runout! There are two variations on P1, I'm not sure which one is the original, but the first is more in character with P2.

P1(a). Scramble up the short, easy ramp to the right of the starfish graffiti then solo up a vague rib on the left. Good, positive edges, but bold climbing. From the top, scramble leftwards to the bolted belay. This pitch is often soloed independently at E3 5b (5.10R), descending by a scramble on the right.

P1(b). Climb the polished corner crack to the left of the starfish. Protects well with nuts all the way, which is just as well as the polish makes it feel very insecure! This pitch is shared with Ffoeg's Folly, and is often climbed on its own at HVS 5a (5.8), descending by abseil from the bolt.

P2. Easy climbing up and right gains a bolt on a rib, bounding an undulating groove to the left. Clip this and make delicate moves rightwards onto the rib to the right of the groove, then proceed upwards over a small roof, before stepping back left into a bridged position in the groove. The crux is somewhere in this sequence, but the hard part is still to come!

Now continue up the undulating groove, leaving the bolt far behind. The climbing is never hard, but delicate and balancey, with nasty fall potential. Eventually an old piton (think rusty tin-foil) arrives, unhelpfully late. Good holds lead to the top of the groove. Step left, clipping another vintage peg, and follow easy ground to the top. Belay from a large pine tree back and to the right.

P1(a) starts up a short ramp to the right of the starfish graffiti. P1(b) starts up the corner crack to the left of the graffiti.

Not much on the main pitch: 1 bolt and 2 pitons. Pa(a) is completely unprotected,P1(b) is well protected with wires and small cams. There is a bolted belay at the top of P1.