Colin Goodey makes a comeback at Castle Inn Quarry
Colin Goodey making the first ascent of The Comeback Kid F4+, Castle Inn Quarry Photos: Si Panton
You can’t keep a good man down and as if to prove the point, veteran rock star, Colin Goodey has made a comeback at Castle Inn Quarry.
A few months ago Colin announced that, as a result of a chronic injury/arthritis problem in his hand, he would have to bow out of the new routing game. However, Colin’s desire to climb remained strong and he was determined to find a solution, as he explains:
“After climbing in France in September nursing a damaged hand (arthritis) I hit on a powerful anti-inflammatory pain killer which allowed me to use the hand without too much pain. I realised all was not lost and so, on my return home, I returned to an area I remembered from my youth – the result: two delightful easy routes on superb rock.”
The new routes were completed in glorious sunshine yesterday with Colin’s wife Sue. They can be found on the left side of Fair View Wall, an area that Colin first explored back in the late 50s.
The Comeback Kid F4+, which takes the delightful steep arete on the left side of the wall, was lead first by Colin. Sue made a quick repeat then took the lead on Easy Peesy F3+, the adjacent line to the left. Colin had originally climbed Easy Peesy as a trad V Diff way back in 1958!
Ian Lloyd-Jones and his son, Celt, enjoying the new routes on Magician's Wall
50m further to the left a short wall has also been developed, but this time by North Wales Limestone guide editor, Andy Boorman and Paul Ingram (a local magician no less!).
There are four routes: a thin looking F7a on the left and three easier (F5+ – F6a) lines to the right.
