A batch interesting new lines have been done up at Marchlyn over the last year – here’s a round up of the notable stuff.

Most significant is a pair of impressive highballs climbed last summer by Osian Parry. Mur Marchlyn (7B+!) tackles the immaculate high wall right of Hobbit Candy. The technical crux comes on the lower section, but a committing rockover up above provides an alarming psychological crux.

Electric Funeral (7A+!) takes a direct line up the equally impressive high wall to the right, connecting the obvious left hand layaways with some great moves.

Jack Pearce made an entertaining film documenting the first ascent of both of these highballs - see the link at the bottom to watch it.

Just across the way Aeron Thomas climbed a morpho right hand version of Tarian at 7A/B, depending on how tall you are. On the same wall Phil Targett completed Indiana Jones (7A), an intense right-to-left traverse along the low break, starting on the ledge right of Tarian and finishing standing on the block by Appalachian. Phil said it was: ”Reminiscent of the Yellow Wall Traverse at Craig yr Undeb, only harder.”

It’s worth noting that both the Leaning Wall project and the wall left of Benthivore remain unclimbed (see the pics on pages 37 and 41 of the NWB 3.1 guide).

Up at the top reservoir there has been some more first ascent action. Mark Dicken, the original developer of this area, managed to complete Split Lip (7A) a tough mantel on the left side of the Livesey’s Love Child block. Osian Parry then added a sds, bumping the grade up to 7B. This pulls on with a good left hand undercut crimp and a bad right hand pinch thing; a hard move gains the lip. Dan Thomas also added a 7A+ eliminate traverse, connecting the start of Split Lip stand into the Livesey’s Love Child exit, but staying below the lip.

And finally, Osian linked the Seamus low start into The Ramp - no change in grade.

Relevant links:
      Mur Marchlyn video