[Fultonius]

Due to a horrific forecast we've sacked off going out to Pabbay this week (were due to be going out tomorrow). Instead, we're aiming for Devon/Cornwall and South Wales, maybe stopping off in North Wales on the way back to Scotland.

Where are the must visit places this time of year (so nowhere birdy). Also, where's good to camp?  We're currently aiming for Lower Sharpnose tomorrow and take it from there!

We're well set-up for big abseils and adventure - VS to E4. Bring it! 

[Will Hunt]

We went to Land's End last summer and stayed in a cottage we got cheap in Penzance (a good job too as it pissed it down most of the time we were there). We needed to camp for one night before getting the keys to the place and could find absolutely nowhere. Must have looked around 5 different campsites, all with no vacancies. One night we spent in a very secluded car park somewhere and the other in a camping field next to the big supermarket in Penzance. If you do end up down there then that place in Penzance is probably your best bet but it isn't particularly nice.

If you're going to South Wales and Pembroke then probably the Vicar's Field in Bosherston is best? Cheap as frig (£3 per tent per night) but VERY basic facilities (no nothing. One of the fields is £3 per person per night and has a toilet, cold shower and tap. However the pub is nearby and you can't really argue with being that close to such a plethora of awesome crags. http://www.ukclimbing.com/listings/info.php?id=87&t=stay

Don't know what grades you're intending to climb but if VS-E1 isn't too easy for you then Chair Ladder in Cornwall. Diocese was spectacular, Terrier's Tooth was charming and the others looked amazing. Didn't get to climb any more than those two, a late start due to a torrential rain induced drinking session the night and day before. We had more hangovers than overhangs that trip!

EDIT: Just saw you were psyched for VS-E4. Chair Ladder good for that. Big abseils and adventures, maybe not! Definitely not on the scale of Pabbay. It would make for a nice relaxed day out though. In fact all the sea cliffing round that way had a pretty laid back feel to it. Top out and cream tea innit?

[Paul B]

I think the Pembroke campsite 'slightly' further away from the pub (still not far as its only in St. Petrox) is really good. Its still darn cheap and includes toilets and decent showers.

[remus]

Pembroke might be a bit of a ball ache mid week as i theyre closed for firing a lot of the time:

Range East

This area is an Army firing range, although they do not use exploding ammunition. Access is permitted whenever firing is not taking place, which is normally on Weekends, Bank Holidays, and in the evenings (after 4.30). The night firing normally occurs on alternate Mon/Wed and Tues/Thurs nights. The Range is sometimes open during the week, but it is best to check before travelling. Phone the 24 hour help line on (01646) 662367.

Cornwall is likely to be a good bet though, will get any sun going and plenty of good sea cliffs to go at.

[duncan]

Your proposed itinerary looks to include a lot of driving.  I'd choose one of N. Wales, Pembroke or SW England, there is more than enough to do in a week in any of those places.

There are some good N.Cornwall and Devon recommendations in this thread including my first ever ukb post (sniff).  Dyer's Lookout has had some more hard routes added since then!  For some reason Earth Rim Roamer (E4) didn't make it into the Rockfax SW climbs, a classic and a strange omission.

Good campsite (and intermittent cream teas) for N. Devon at Stoke Barton .

Further south, Carn Gowla for Mercury (E2) and, if the team is up for an adventure, America (E4).  Crystal Voyager (E1) is a good route in the same area.  Try to do the traverse in to Mercury (The Mercury connection - 5a) rather than the abseil as it makes it feel like a bigger route.  America is the one, still eluding me after 30 years!

There is lots to do on west Penwith granite, but for some reason the area has never grabbed me as much as the north coast.  I'll let others recommend.  Unfortunately the best of S. Devon trad. (ie the great cave at Berry Head) is bird-banned.

Pembroke suggestions here


Climber's club website for tide times.  Low tide is late afternoon/early evening this coming week in Devon and Pembroke, not ideal.  This usually means the opposite at Gogarth.

[Tom de Gay]

Another vote for America at Carn Gowla - one of the best routes I've ever done. The line is outrageous, the climbing's steady though rather sparsely protected, to say the least. It would have been even better if we'd done a bit of pre-planning to access the route via the tidal sea level traverse rather than abseil. Have a great week.

[slackline]

Don't know what grades you're intending to climb but if VS-E1 isn't too easy for you then Chair Ladder in Cornwall. Diocese was spectacular,

Great route, comfy belay and great view for whoever leads the first pitch....


Diocese (*** VS 5a) by slack---line, on Flickr

Bosigran is down that way too, as is Sennen, both great granite crags.

[tomtom]

Some of the Bouldering North of Sennen is good too.. and if the weather craps out, Surf School at Sennen etc..

[Oldmanmatt]

I grew up there and have to second the recommendations of the others for Chair, Bossi etc. However, there is an Esoteric little (?) crag in North Cornwall called Pentire. On that crag (Pillow lava), is a fantastic route (E1 or E2, memory fails). The route is "Eroica". It's also the cliff they threw the body of "M' Lady" from in thee 80's/90's version of "The Three Musketeers". Well worth a diversion if it's dry. Some classic E4-E6 on the wall to the right too.

[Johnny Brown]

Eroica is considered E4 nowadays... agree though, amazing crag.

[Oldmanmatt]

E4!! Glad no one told me that when I was 16.....
Bits must have fallen off...

[Oldmanmatt]

I know I did once or twice...

[Johnny Brown]

Demise of a 'crucial' peg I think, at the start of the second pitch. First two pitches now better run together as a result.

[grimer]

No, I think you're best to belay at the base of the 5b groove of the second pitch having done the crux.

I personally thought it was only E4 if you were expecting an E2 6a. If you were expecting E4 you'd probably find it E3.

[Ged]

I think Earth Rim Roamer was omitted because it has fallen down.

Loads to do down there.  Get the new West Country Rockfax.  Pressure drop at Speaksmill is a little gem, and a lovely spot.  Pentire is amazing.  So is bosigran.  I could go on.

[Fiend]

Horseshoe Quarry b2b Cilan Head.

[duncan]

I think Earth Rim Roamer was omitted because it has fallen down.

How recent is this? The original ERR fell down but I thought ERR II was still hanging in there.  Wind whistled through the crack from the other side of the fin, so it was always going to be a very temporary statement. 

Pressure Drop is a good straight-forward E3.

Another suggestion at the adventurous end of the scale: King's Arete at Tintagel. E4 5c, bold 25' start then Yellow Wall (Gogarth) E3, or you can traverse in avoiding the first section "The Republican Start" which allows you to sample the delights of High Cliff at an overall E3. Vagabond on the same cliff gets E4 but I've not done it and it looks full value.  Perhaps Neil F can comment, it's been on my list for a while, perhaps this summer finally?

[SA Chris]

Ali, you should have purloined my SW Guidbook collection before you set off. I would save SW Wales for another time after bird restrictions have been removed to make the most of it. It's a long way. Head SW and do a loop of the coast starting from Hartland and heading south. Contact me any time if you want any time on mobile if you are lost for info.

[Chad123]

Well you could always check my logbook and do all the same routes as per usual!  :-)  Great place down there, lots to do, my dad lives in N Devon so we go down there a lot.  Must visits are Bosigran and Chair Ladder if you like granite, Lower Sharpnose if you like juggy wall climbing with good gear and soft grades.  Eroica lives up to the hype above, I thought E4 as the 6a move is quite far above good gear (lots of crap RPs though!), though you can work it out by going up and down and it's only one move.  Baggy point is great if you like sunny slabs (I don't), Heart of the Sun is a memorable adventure, though top pitch is very loose so chuck an ab rope down it just in case. Pressure Drop and More than a Match are also quite fun.  For something totally different go south to Berry Head and do Rainbow Bridge and Magical Mystery Tour.  (Dreadnought also pretty wild but probably in bird ban at the moment.)   More classic granite on Lundy if you can get there but it's likely to be fully booked....have fun - here's a mini tick list for you, 3 of each:-

VS Wrecker's Slab, Kinkyboots, Doorpost
HVS Matchless, Moonraker, Lunakhod
E1 Astral Stroll, Bishop's Rib, Thin Wall Special
E2 Out of the Blue, Heart of the Sun, Bow Wall or Beowolf,
E3 Diamond Smiles, Pressure Drop, Dreadnought
E4 Fay, Eroica, Kafoozalem

[Chad123]

PS Don't underestimate just how far it is from Devon/Cornwall to Pembroke - bloody miles, ditto the slow road up to north wales from there - as said pick one place and go there, plenty in all three places to keep you going for weeks.......Pembroke has bird and firing free places like Mother scareys which are great in that grade bracket....

[remus]

Black Church is another good one to add to the North devon itinerary, for Sacre Couer if nothing else.

[Pebblespanker]

Should have read the posts above as both below already reccomended DOH!

Crimptyphon is a great (and soft) E2 at Compass Point near Bude, be wary of other routes hereabouts like Caravanserai as some of the terrain is 'character building' though not terminal

For off the beaten track adventure try Wreckers Slab at an interesting 3 star classic 'VS', big abseil in then two pitches of lovely moves with interesting gear and unique rock 

the caveat: 'if I remember rightly' applies to both the above as 25 years plus have elapsed since I did either of the above

Also Hot Sweet and Sticky at Baggy as it takes in the Kinky Boots start which is great fun especially if a swell is running then serves up a nice E2 slab as a reward

[Fultonius]

I've just realised that I never got the opportunity to check this thread again before heading South!

Thanks for all the suggesitons - we managed to get on quite a few of them!

We went to Lower Sharpnose - ace crag!  Would go back for some of the harder stuff. Diamond Smiles was right up my street 

Didn't make it to Chairladder, Bosigran or Pentire - next time! Some of the guys went to Carn Gowla.

Well you could always check my logbook and do all the same routes as per usual!

VS Wrecker's Slab, Kinkyboots, Doorpost  Friends did it
HVS Matchless, Moonraker, Lunakhod Ace!
E1 Astral Stroll, Bishop's Rib, Thin Wall Special
E2 Out of the Blue Ace!, Heart of the Sun, Bow Wall or Beowolf,
E3 Diamond SmilesAce!, Pressure Drop, Dreadnought
E4 Fay, Eroica, Kafoozalem

I'm still stalking you...

Wanted to do Sacre Ceour at Blackchurch but ran out of time!

Also went to Haytor and  Daddyhole at Torquay (due to the weather). All in it was a top trip and a great rescue for a week when Scotland was getting battered by 100mph+ winds and rain! 

[SA Chris]

Good ticks! I remember doing Lunahkod with a woefully small gritstone rack with about 8 quickdraws, no big gear and no extenders and running out of extenders just before that little overlap / roof near the top and having the most horrific ropedrag ever. Good times.

[galpinos]

Good ticks! I remember doing Lunahkod with a woefully small gritstone rack with about 8 quickdraws, no big gear and no extenders and running out of extenders just before that little overlap / roof near the top and having the most horrific ropedrag ever. Good times.

Type 2 fun.