Si Panton and Adam Hocking have kicked off developments at the intriguing Badger Cave, a previously untouched (unless you know different) bouldering venue above the Marine Drive, about 50 metres beyond Hamburger Buttress.

Panton discovered the hidden cave only 10 days ago, during a rainy day walkabout, and came back with Adam to work out the most obvious lines. Firstly Panton climbed the classic central line (from a sds on the low pillar), exiting leftwards along the diagonal break to reach the rounded finishing break. Brockwatch rates about V5, and gives superb, steep moves. Hockstack then added a brutal sds (Hockbrock) on the left pulling up into the finish of Brockwatch at V6.

Attention then turned to the central direct finish to Brockwatch. This took a couple of sessions to work out, and two sequences emerged: a short man’s (from Hockstack) and a tall man’s (from Panton), both breaking up via a fat pinch to take a 3 finger sloper, but deviating thereafter. On its own, the stand up is probably V6, but wet holds on the lower section precluded any redpoint success on the full link…until today when Hockstack did the deed. This was a fine effort, in spite of the relatively modest grade, as the lower holds were sopping. In drier conditions Brock Direct would rate V7.

Both this and the main line are future classics (even if I do say so myself), but more potential exists for connections from the right wall of the cave and on the stepped roof up to the left.

(NB. It subsequently emerged that Orme regular, Tony Shelmerdine had previously climbed Brockwatch and a further V4 sds between Hockbrock and Brockwatch a few years back.)

Relevant links:
      www.goes.org.uk