MaDMAn | E8 Trad climb at Wimberry Rocks

First ascent.

https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115414379915448

Second ascent?

Also added a direct finish.

Thanks chaps! In answer to some of the questions; to best of my knowledge this was the second ascent of MaDMAn, although you never know, it has been nearly twenty years since the FA! From the position Dave is in that picture his original line bridges out into Trident, the neighbouring HVS, and finishes up this. This manoeuvre is still tricky! On the day the very green sidewalls of Trident were pretty gopping too. I found that if instead you did another move up to stand higher (eeek!) on the "ledge" then you could reach round enough to get a bomber rock 12 in the base of the wedged block trident feature after which the HVS is named (although not enough to actually reach any holds / an HVS position!), then just carry straight on up the upper arête from the same spot. Its a balancey position and feels pretty spooky / falloffable to place but it is definitely en route and seemed like a good idea as the route was wet when we arrived and the upper section relies on quite a few pebble footholds and recently de-mossed handholds. Top section probably E6 6b on its own and you could actually do it as a separate route starting up Trident I suppose? Its really excellent climbing. As TB says once you get that gear in the top feels very enjoyable so I doubt it changes the original grade. I see it as an extension to MaDMAn rather than a new route, obviously if Dave Pegg had bothered to take a rope and harness he would have cruised up it I'm sure. [2]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8oFJXVsyvU

[2] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg442692.html#msg442692