Cornwall: A Climber’s Adventure

We take Cornish and Cosy to the cliffs for a coastal excursion. Equipped with a blanket, backpacks, and lots of carabiners we make our way to the coast – ready for this climbing adventure.

Featured:
Locryn – mountainneer, climbing instructor and founder of Nomads.
Sophie – adventure enthusiast and amateur climber.

Our Expedition

We head to Trewavas Head, a place known for its historic mining buildings and beautiful rock formations. From the car park, it’s a relatively steady walk towards the head past the beautiful Rinsey Cove – a beach that was looking undeniably breathtaking in the sparkly evening light.

We meet Locyrn and Sophie at the head as they prepare for the climb. Locryn, a climbing enthusiast, tells us he hopes to conquer a route he has yet to tackle. One that will take him shimmying between rocks! Sophie, his climbing co-captain, is belaying.

Though we thought we had found our destination we weren’t quite ready to set up camp. We reached our endpoint through an overgrown thicketed path, barely wide enough for one person. Down and down rocky steps we went to meet the bottom of the rock formation Locryn planned to climb up.

The Challenge

It was a challenge from the get-go for us to not be insurmountably impressed by both their courage and determination. Before Locryn’s feet even left the ground they worked together to bolt Sophie in. As Sophie was not only belaying someone with a heavier body weight than her she was doing so on the edge of a cliffside so it was important to ensure she was attached to the cliff with ropes.

Locryn began his ascent. He sped up the first few feet with what appeared to us as ease. As a lead climber, he then proceeded to anchor himself in as he went. As this was a new and challenging climb the anchors were placed closely together in the most challenging spots to ensure Locryn’s safety if he was to fall.

Perched upon the cliffs we are surrounded by seabirds singing the evening in as the sun set and cast beautiful light across the ocean. As Locryn climbed we chatted. He told us of his past Trewavas climbing routes and the value of such as spot with vast climbing routes and opportunities for challenge. It is plain as day to us that climbing is not just a sport of physical endurance but one of mental resilience.

The Value of Teamwork

Of course, the resilience for oneself to complete such as challenging climb is not the only ingredient to success. As we watched on and conversed with the pair Sophie told us of the perhaps trials of being a partner to a climbing enthusiast. Though even if sea swims or dinners out were put on hold for climbing it was clear through their calm communication and teamwork that they loved their time out together on the cliffs.

The Secret to Wellbeing

Locryn climbed as we chatted and they both told us of their planned summer climbing adventure to France and the enjoyment of late summer local adventures. Locryn clearly came back again and again to the challenge. He told us of the strength he found within himself when we climbed. Not just a physical one but a mental power to overcome personal obstacles in life. He told us, that when he climbed, it was as if it were just you and rock. Just you and the landscape. Backdropped as we were by the immensity of the Cornish coastline and the ocean it was easy to understand where he was coming from.

Climbing, he told us, has the power to take you away from the outer pressures of life and place you directly in the present moment. Though complete escapism may not be the long-term cure to the tribulations of life it provides a respite and allows you to re-enter the world stronger than when you left.

A Cosy Conclusion

At Cornish and Cosy we place our heart and soul into adventure – however that may look for you. To Locryn and Sophie this was immense teamwork, progressive challenges and epic adventure. We felt grateful to be invited along, excited about the possibility of further trips and the potential for new personal challenges – maybe we can make climbers ourselves?

Wherever your adventures take you we hope you feel inspired to seek challenges in the wild. We packed up our backpack and blanket and talked on our drive home about what our future may hold. We would love to hear from you too, do you enjoy a climbing adventure? What is it about climbing that keeps you coming back to its challenges?