The continuing run of cold clear weather has seen a welcome return to popularity of that most reliable of winter venues, Porth Ysgo.

Whilst checking out the recent addition Washed Up which traverses into the tricky wall problem Jones’ Eliminate from a crouching start at the base of Joystick, Steve Franklin and Jon Ratcliffe sussed out a direct sitting start. This pulls on directly below the positive edge on the easier right hand method for Jones’ Eliminate and makes a desperate slap for that hold before continuing more easily.

A few crossed wires about what had been done lead to Matt Lewis subsequently climbing another independant line just to the left (i.e. just right of the Joystick sitting start). This entailed pulling on with the left hand pinching the edge of the slopey ramp and right hand on a crozzly sloper. A hard snatch gains a positive edge, and then a rock up rightwards can be made into the starting holds of the stand up problem. The Lewis Start also goes at around V7/7a+.

If all that sounds a touch complicated, don't worry it is pretty obvious when you see the holds close up. All of the described lines are independant enough to be worth highlighting, and all feature great moves.

The Joystick sds V7/7a+ has also become a popular tick of late. It offers some superb powerful climbing, with a desperate initial slap, a blind and powerful lurch out left and some more powerful and graunchy moves to top out. It is possible to finish up left, or (better for tall folk) back right and up, swapping hands on the side pull/ear hold in the groove.

The true sitting start to Washed Up (i.e doing the initial hard slap on Joystick sds) remains unclimbed – something for the Porth Ysgo completist perhaps?

Relevant links:
      Washed Up news item