Blavet climbs

Crag: Rive Droite, Gorges du Blavet
Routes: Pepin le Bref (f5c,f5c:led p.2)
Crag: Colle Rousse, Gorges du Blavet
Routes: 19 La Placette (f5c:sec)
Crag: La Capelle Aval, Gorges du Blavet
Routes: DRZ Sena Mrane Droite (f5c:led), DRZ Gauche (f4b:sec), Du Pof Des Baffes Un Pet (f5c+:led), Ascenseur Pour les Scatos (f6b+:sec), Les Pets de la Dame aux Cleps (f6b:sec)
The rain continued for most of the night, but it was drying as we set off for Blavet. The skies were slightly threatening as we descended to the crag, intent on a route in the gorge proper this year (after scratching the surface on the Face Sud and Petit Canyon last year). Pepin le Bref was the obvious choice as the first, and most amenable, route on the Rive Droite. I'd located the initial chimney pitch on a reccie last summer, and managed to find it again after a jungle-bashing scramble. Vic led the first pitch, and it was excellent - remarkably dry after the downpour. A steep chimney, with juggy holds, narrows to give some bridging over a bulge to easier ground. Above this, a superbly steep layback crack - in a splendid position - gives excellent climbing until a move left gains a belay ledge. I led the final pitch up a mossy slab via an awkward mantel move, to gain a long sentry-box feature. This was awkward and wet in places - with more bridging - until a steep move out left gains a big hold and pull up to easy ground and the top of the gorge. A great HVS climb: 'ambience grand canyon, tarif abordable'! I descended all the way back to the base, tiring, to get the sacks. We then had lunch above the canyon before walking in to Colle Rousse, a new venue (visible from miles around and often mistaken for the gorge itself - which is actually hidden from view). This was hard to find, not popular, and the routes were even harder to locate and identify. However, Vic eventually set out on 19 La Placette in light rain. This got heavier as I followed on, but the rock was so rough and perfect (after a friable first few metres) that it hardly mattered. The climb packed a lot in to a short space: a good crack led enjoyably to a pull on to the upper wall, with sharp little holds leading to the crux over a bulge at the top. The rain that had threatened all morning started in earnest as I began another 5c further right, so we abandoned the crag and scampered down to the car. After a drink, however, the sun came out, and I suggested stopping for a look at La Capelle Aval before heading for home. We were tiring, but this was a good decision. A four minute walk-in gains the crag, which was far better than I'd expected: an excellent venue. I started by leading the obvious, slightly precarious arete of DRZ on a subsidiary slab hidden behind the main faces: this was delicate with some excellent sharp pockets, but rendered slightly tricky by lichen and moss. A much easier line takes the wide crack in the slab further left, which I also did. I got my second wind at last, and went for Du Pof, which takes the obvious arete to the left of the main face - up to the wide crack which is visible from quite a long way off. This was a great pitch, unexpected, varied and surprising, and a real bonus after a weather-affected day. Steep moves up an awkward chimney gain the main slab, which then becomes wonderfully delicate as it makes its way up to the wide crack. Some thuggy jamming up the crack eventually allows another move out left to the arete itself before an easier slabby finish. Excellent stuff. We took the opportunity to second two more technical pitches further right, and both were excellent. Ascenseur was theoretically the hardest pitch of the trip at 6b+, but didn't seem too bad. Very steep and strenuous at first, then sustained but easier moves lead to a hard, almost blank slab. We should perhaps have taken this further left, but chalk lead diagonally right to the upper wall. Les Pets had another technical and strenuous start before more excellent face climbing. Finished off with a 4-5 mile run (the Castelli circuit) around the Esterel hills: fairly tired by the time we got to 'refuel'.