UKC

What with the new guide due out at some stage and a UKCer's great memories of Aramis, I was thinking the other day about some under-rated South Devon gems which many seem to miss for some reason...

So being the public-spirited soul that I am, I thought I'd start a list. Please feel free to add to it as appropriate.

Chudleigh
- The Slot - exquisite moves.
- Loot - what's not to like? A helmet is particularly useful for the initial groove.
- Oesophagus - one of the best crack lines in the South West. So much more je ne sais quoi than Sacre Couer.
- Seventh Veil Direct - a veritable strip tease of fun.
- Charlie Chaplin a Walks on Air - a classic of its ilk.
- Farewell to Arms - so good you can even get the first pro in from the boulders.
- Drip Dry - one of Chud's least polished lines.
- White Edge - sod the first pitch and Concerto; it's the stunning traverse and moves up on the second pitch which linger in the memory. There's even a cheeky bolt!

Black Crag
- 19th Nervous Breakdown - classic moves.

Ansteys Cove
- The Cope - slab climbing doesn't get much better than this.

Haytor
- Aramis - crack climbing you want to love.

Lowman
- Levitation Direct - a beautiful sequence perfect for the wall-bred tiger.
- Honeymoon Corner - lovely moves onto the ledge.

Saddle Tor
- E Bruto - a classic line.

Bench Tor
- Seniors Wall - puzzling fun.

Luckey Tor
- Bloodshot - gymnastic

Bantham Hand
Bantham Hand - strangely solid.

I've no doubt missed some favourites of others.

In reply to Cusco:
Dewerstone?
torbay trad?
berry head?
Exeter cathedral?
Dawlish xs?

Got to be scope to extend the list I think.
been a few too many years for my thoughts to be balanced or even true!

In reply to Cusco:

Assume you saw my post on sandbags so have got to ask what grade for Bloodshot? never met anyone else who has even attempted it.

as to this post how about

Sabre Tooth (HS 4a)
Swing Low (S)
Trembling Wall (VS 5a)
Bloodshot (E1 5b)
The Wake (E2 5b)
Groove and Slab (E1 5b)
Cod (HVS 4c)
Loot (E1 5b)
Date with the Devil (E1 5b)
Readymix (HVS 5a)
Morning Town Ride (6a S1)
Seventh Dread (E1 5b)
Lady of Shame (E2 5b)

These are all routes which are a bit less travelled and look very interesting, have done some, attempted some and desired the rest.

Chris

In reply to Cusco:

Can I offer an odd personal fave?

Vae Victus at Leather Tor.

In reply to Cusco:

Sacrosanct doesn't seem to get many ascents according to the logbooks and is excellent. The leap year finish at chudleigh is worth seeking out, and colossus at chudleigh north is a memorable experience!

In reply to Chris Ebbutt:

Ah, Bloodshot. Ignoring any concern of dislocating one's hip assists. The lay backing thereafter is a joy. It's that extra special grade of HVS 5b which always guarantees a good time (eg Levitation Direct). It's one that Zimpara of this parish should not miss out on before he skips to E1 and beyond.

The photo in the log books of Vae Victus at Leather Tor looks very appealing. I haven't been there for years. Must do so. With Dredstripe. Mid winter with a breeze when the friction is better.

I realise that I omitted one very important route from the yesterday's list.

Saddle Tor
- The Funnel - the perfect chimney with superb starting moves.

In reply to Cusco:

Hi Cusco.

Good shout on The Funnel.

I like Dartmoor esoterica, so:

The severes at The Nutcrackers
Tools You Can Trust at Greator Rocks (my friend's gear for protecting this recently was quite something to behold.
In Charge of Small Children at Great Staple Tor (fist grinding offwidth mantle top out)
Splendid Isolation at Fur Tor (would be all too easy to break a leg, here at the furthest point from a road in England)
Leaving Town at Leather Tor (scary, best trad slab on the moor now Vixen is off limits?)

In reply to Cusco:

Add Verdigris Cleft alongside your mention of E Bruto at Saddle Tor - hideous green

In reply to Cusco:

Good topic and some nice suggestions so far.

In researching the S Devon Limestone Guidebook (publishing date 2018) these are some of the under-sung routes I have come across. (Can't comment on the really hard stuff for obvious reasons).
Working west to east across S Devon we have...

MORWELL ROCKS
Cold Grief E1 - cleaned 2016 with access instructions on this website.
S HAMS
Whispering Doom VD - a little gem in the most scenic setting
Four strong Winds Sev - another scenic one
Beesands Exit: Torcross F6B - Beach bouldering on comfortable holds
INLAND LIMESTONE
Blight Delight E2 Yes there is trad at Torbryan!
Farewell to Arms E3 6a - 3 great pitches
Ground Control E1- Another good route over the Saturn Five roof
Combined Combat E2 - all the loveliness of both routes without the horror of the Combat start.
Western Traverse f4+/5 - A very pleasant way to warm up and get your feet working.
Most of Chudleigh North and all of Black Crag
TORBAY - BRIXHAM
Berry Red Wall HVS - A proper adventure climb
Lady of Shame E2 - the first of two spectacular roof climbs
Foaming at the Mouth E4
The Pinch Direct E4 - new and improved
The Hood E3 - Cleaned 2016 - an absolute classic.
Quaker E3- Cleaned 2016. Superb top pitch on clean rock with a well protected 6a crux.
Puppy Onsight DWS 6b - high crux on perfect rock makes it more memorable than its neighbours
Forrest Gump DWS 6b - ditto
Woe-is-uh-me-Bop DWS 6a+
Cloudburst DWS 4+ - the old VS makes a great DWS
Buggie Boogie Woogie DWS 6a+
Old Man's Ladder DWS 6a+ - If Tom is old...
Close to the Edge DWS 6a+ - my route but it really is that good.
Ripples of Power 6c - Devon's longest sport pitch
Sunset Boulevard E4/5 - cleaned 2016. One brave ascent since - not me of course!
Slappy Arete F5+ - Shoalstone. Fun venue.
TORBAY - TORQUAY
Readybrek E4
Space and Time E1
Hope's Nose Bouldering - quality smooth wave-washed shale
Crook Bruce E4 - Yes there is good trad at Anstey's
Mitre Direct E4 - A trad/sport hybrid which is largely ignored
Groove and Slab E1- The companion to Acheron seems to be getting ascents again.
Shooting Stars E3 - More sustained version of The Lumpy Universe
Southern Comfort E6 - Free the Spirit into Courvoisier. The best route on Sanctuary Wall?
Crepes Suzettes HVS
Pinnacle Traverse DWS 4+ -Such fun ascending the waterline slot (if you are thin...)
All of Exile Buttress - Sport in the 6's and low 7's
Iconoclast E2
Neophron E3
Fear of Ghosts E5
All that Fall E1

Southern Comfort on Sanctuary wall (Free the Spirit into Corvoisier); one of the best pitches of it's type (sporty trad) that I've ever done. 30 metres of overhanging jugs (mainly).

Soft Cell, one of the best DWS routes in the UK!

In reply to Cusco:

Oesophagus... a deservedly unpopular classic. The pump getting into the niche! Another hvs for Zimpara to have a go at. Peter Biven eh? I've stayed well clear of Biven's Crack at Gardoms... I just remember Oesophagus.

In reply to Cusco:

I remember think Call to Arms on Sanctuary Wall being pretty good - very steep but with big holds in a cool position.

Agree that Sanctuary Wall is often overlooked.

Also, Goddess of Gloom (HVS 5a) at Berry Head is a great climb, but Moonraker tends to grab all the attention.

In reply to Cusco:
Garth
Hot shot @ bench tor
Jehovakill at London Bridge
Killa gorilla in the Great Cave
Blinding Flash in telegraph hole
Pegs progress

In reply to Kevster:
What grade is Exeter Cathedral, presume it's a route somewhere, or will you get arrested, in which case you may as well try BASE jump it too, or wing suit down to land in the water Harbourside then sneak into the shower at the Quay for a clean up and pre climb warm up?

and what do you mean by Dawlish xs?

In reply to Cusco:
Thanks for this, Hope to be referring back to this post alot...
What would be a minimal rack to enable doing 50 -75 % these and the other recommendations, as i only have micro wires and pairs of old wild country rocks up to 7, plus an 8 and a 9.
What bits of gear should i look at purchasing next to be able to do more trad, or would the above list need a full rack?

In reply to Chris Ebbutt:

Seventh Dread is brilliant. And although I've not climbed Moonraker, it doesn't look as good from the abseil in.

In reply to JackM92:

Living locally goddess, moonraker , 7th dread, dreadnought. hood are all very high on my wish list,the E3 s are probably a bit ambitious but Goddess of Gloom in 2 pitches avoiding the first stance sounds like an amazing adventure. Hopefully 2017 it will come together.
Chris

In reply to richrox:
the old guide book had the cathedral with routes as an apes climb route. Sadly I never had the nuts to solo it. Nor the soberness required when I was stood at the bottom. Which I did many times, and not all drunken.

In reply to Kevster:

Never heard of "as apes climb" routes, nor on cathedrals b4,.... U mention not soloing.... Leading routes on the cathedral was allowed?
I think i might have misunderstood...

Drunken climbing.... I once got in quite a pickle high up the middle of a scaffold tower, when i became scared, i seemed to sober up, ... Then i was really scared!

In reply to richrox:

Apres. Rather than apes. My spelling. Climbing up the cathedral I don't expect was ever allowed, and I bet was rarely repeated.
anyway, this seems to be side tracking your thread.

In reply to Kevster:

Where to start!....I'll focus on Sports Routes (some of which, admittedly, are ones I have put up) and DWS.

Babbacombe, Quick Dip Pinnacle - Happy When It Rains (7b+) Fab new DWS traverse, but where does the HVS of Quick Dip go (or are we really that useless that this was it all along)?
Babbacombe, Anaconda Continuation (6b). High spring tide required.

Long Quarry Point - Mustard Custard (7c+) - Was 7c when Jon first did it but bits have fallen off, and we were probably wrong in the first place.
Long Quarry Point - Once A Swinger (7b) - May be 7a+. Bizarre.

Exile Buttress - Me And My Magnum (6c+) - A near perfect pitch and...and it has a tufa!
Exile Butress - Harlem Rude Boy (6b+) - Technical climbing up a Dovedalesque corner.

Anstey's Cove - Boy George (7c+) - Awesome slopey arete. Worth the extra five minutes walk.
Anstey's Cove - Omelette Wall (6b) - One of three new routes on the wall opposite Empire. A bit fragile in the lower section but technical delicacies await.

Black Head - Dolerite Sprint (6c+) - The only wall in Torbay that is not limestone?
Black Head - Bazuka (6b) - Surely harder than the given 6a+ grade but a lovely spot for a summer's morning.

London Bridge - Frolics (7a+) - Remember this being excellent, but it was a while ago that I didi it.
London Bridge - Luv-Groove Dance Party (7a+) - The least well trodden of the big lines at London Bridge is just as good as it's more well known neighbours.

Churston - See-Saw Sundays (7c) - Spanish style climbing up a steep wall with mainly big moves between good holds.
Churston - Krushmi Chheda (7c+) - Technical and perplexing.
Churston - Mackerel Stevens (7c) - Hard crimping and sustained difficulties in its upper half. Deserves to have more ascents.
Churston - Macca's Route (7a+) - The first route put up in the current new route spree.
Churston - Metalwasp (6c+) - Wonderful airy arete.
Churston - Supercalorific (6a+) - Tufas abound on this amazing wall climb.

Ash Hole - Dream River (7c) - 12m roof climb on tufas.
Ash Hole - Wayne (7b+) - 10m roof climb on threads. Both routes climbable in the rain but headtorch may be useful.

Berry Head Quarry - Good Boy Tufa Palace (6b+) - 38m of quality ledge shuffling.
Berry Head Quarry - Ripples of Power (6c) - 37m of slightly harder quality ledge shuffling.
Berry Head Quarry - MC Navigator (7a+) - Fantastic and soft. The perfect combination!
Berry Head Quarry - Wavewalker (7a) - Great until the loose last few metres.
Berry Head Quarry - Old Man's Ladder (6a+) - Adrenalin fix guaranteed.

Oz Wall - The Missing Link (7b) - Sharp but good.
Oz Wall - Cavewoman (6c) - One of the best.
Oz Wall - Taipan Ooh Taipan (7a+) - Pushy impending wall climbing.

Rainbow Bridge - The Cauldron (7a+) - Don't do Rainbow Bridge without doing this...the best bit!
Rainbow Bridge - Fartin' Rocker (7a+) - Ken reckons better and harder than Cod Tympani. Haven't done this one.
Rainbow Bridge - Soft Cell (7c+) - Obviously awesome.
Rainbow Bridge - Bronski Beat (7b) - Easy to invert on the dismount.

Old Redoubt - Killa Gorilla (7b) - Much more obvious than it looks from across the way...and much better too!

Not a bad place to live!

Wow - there are some fantastic lists within the spirit of the thread from Pete, Tom L and Chris E.

Tom R's listed some great sports and DWS (PS - must get down to your new creations at The Cove. One Way Street to the right was my second attempt at climbing - seemed a bit hard in trainers and Big Jim on the other side at the top end was my first attempt at climbing - ditto re. the trainers).

You've all wet my appetite for some of those routes. Time to get some proper trad fitness and stop messing around on auto-belays at The Quay.

The crag log book photo of Lady of Shame looks mental. (the crag log book also led me to Man Bites Dog - Luke looks strangely perturbed in that photo!).

Splendid Isolation at Fur Tor looks great. I haven't been there since Ten Tors 55 in 1993. It's one of my favourite and, like Lints Tor (another favourite), has a great chimney route to the top. It also where I nearly collapsed due to heat exhaustion on the return to Okey base camp on a solo 51 miler over a day and half on the two hottest days of summer in 1990 when 15 and carrying full kit, as you do. Ah, the stupidity of youth - and, thankfully, of my folks.

Ripple of Power looks interesting. Need a longer rope though...

Sacrosanct is too normal for this thread but it is a true, under-rated South Devon gem. The positions on P2 are amazing for the grade.