Overview - As with the previous week, it was a gorgeously sunny day to go and play around without a rope on the bouldery routes of Birchen. The SPA group there (mostly Mile End folks!) was amused when I started doing my usual warm-up of soloing a few VSs, then moved on to the harder problem of Hornblower. Broadside (E2 6a) needs a few more spotters to try in ernst.
Solo - Two moves on good slopers and bad feet to start, then good feet and bad hands. The grading of this as HS is ridiculous as it is just two moves! V0+ / V1 would be far more appropriate, though it would take a while to regrade everything in the Peak...
Solo - Single 5a move - the first. Nice high rockover, and a bit of gentle footwork on the upper slab.
Solo - Much more interestly throughout than the last route. No real crux (well perhaps the use of the left upper flake) but it feels a bit tenuous the whole way to the top.
Solo - I'd love to know the original line. Either I'm doing it via an eliminate of the crease out right, or I'm taking a line between the two E1s (more likely). Use the crack to lay off right, reach for the ridge straight up, get your feet high, and by using a pocket just under the lip to the right, reach into the top break. Feels like a few stiff 6a moves. The upper section is, as usual, easy by comparison, but that stills leaves a few 4c moves up high to deal with.