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Rainbow Bridge*** 7a+

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Rainbow Bridge Diluted >>
[Spot the climbers, 3 kb]280m. This route is an absolute MUST for any aspiring deep water soloist! It's very hard to describe the route blow-by-blow, as with Magical Mystery Tour. You would probably forget it all anyway, but here's some guidelines which should work with the photo to provide some illuminating information. I've taken the liberty of naming some of the obvious features - hopefully the terminology will stick. Rather than use the original pitches, which are very blurred whilst soloing (even to those who have done it dozens of times) I've set it into sections, using natural features. This should be better for the soloist, who's not going to be looking for any belay points. Although some of the features are only evident whilst on the route, the Cod Tympani Buttress is very obvious from the viewing ledges above the Crux Pitch. In the Bird Ban season, please refer to the variable access agreement (page 99), which now kindly allows us to enjoy all Rainbow Bridge except the start and the Terminal Zawn finish. © ROCKFAX
DWS S1. Congratulations to all those who did the exhausting trad version at E4/5 6a (VIII+) with ropes and stuff! Now it is de riguer to solo a lower line at F7a+. Three stars seems insufficient for such a superb undertaking. For those seeking the ultimate incarnation of the route read the description for Wizard of Oz which utilises a rope bridge to link the two halves (article here http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=3218). If you don't climb 7a+ check out the description for Rainbow Bridge Diluted at F6a+.
Andy Macfarlane & Deryck Ball Oct 1973 (8pts) superseding Springett and Biven's "Bathos" (1968). Darbyshire and Littlejohn extended the route in 1974 eliminating all but one aid point. Waddy (1989) added pitch 6 solo and N White soloed the whole route Sep/1991

Ticklists: Littlejohn South West Climbs, West Country Climbs, Hard water, Summer 2013 Ticklist..

Photo: Spot the climbers © Brian H
View all 12 photos or Submit a new photo of this climb.

PUBLIC LOGBOOKS
This climb is in 105 logbooks, and on 20 wishlists.

Ellis Butler-Barker - Solo O/S - 16/Sep/12 with Tom, Al, Adam

burto - Solo O/S - 13/Sep/12 with jerome

Hidden - Solo rpt - 09/Sep/12

Via the 8-ball downclimb, and a jump in the sea at the end
Tim M - Solo - 09/Sep/12 with Frank

Fell off going into the grove where barrel traverse starts, stupid foot slip
brices - Solo dnf - 01/Sep/12 with Jamie, Jack, Gav

great beta from the guys from london
Laurence Everitt - Solo β - 26/Aug/12

followed Jacob. Mind blowing adventure, complete with Pirate rope and crystal cave.
Jay Mowat - Solo β - 26/Aug/12

Maybe a tad ambitious to try and link in Barrel Traverse having forgotten all the beta.
quiffhanger - Solo dnf - 26/Aug/12 with Peter Hill

jacobjacob - Solo rpt - 26/Aug/12

Fell off crux, swum round and did a bit more then fell in again
theotherpetehill - Solo dnf - 25/Aug/12 with Ross McKerchar

Climb sleep climb version reckon the rest got me through crux pitch
Alex More - Solo β - 20/Aug/12

Sophie Nunn - Solo dnf - 05/Aug/12

Cassidy - Solo O/S - 03/Aug/12 with Scottish Raiding Party

north country boy - Solo β - 03/Aug/12 with Team Ecosse, Tim Hill, Will Atkinson, Rob Napier, Tom Mills

Hidden - Solo dnf - 27/Jul/12

Hidden - 2012

Did the first 6 pitches as a trad route with Dave Turnbull 10/12/88. Multiple DWS attempts; Diluted 6a+ Sue Hazel 27/7/08. Part two finishing early before Terminal Zawn with Ken 3/7/2009. Tried the 7a+ crux 4/9/11 with Ken and fell in off first sloper. Today I fell in again at the crux but did part 2 (inc The Wave) all the way in to Terminal Zawn - just swimming the narrow zawn where the original gets dangerous.
Kafoozalem - Solo dnf - 02/Oct/11 with Brian Hannon

to the crux, which toby decided it was too hot for. reversed to the cave.
Jonathan Emett - Solo dnf - 02/Oct/11 with toby

Hidden - Solo β - 02/Oct/11

Got past the crux, then didnt climb out and got past the big sloper into the jugs,then fell just past it, such a good route :D
TCCB - Solo dnf - 02/Oct/11

Got to the downclimb on some small edges and pumped out. It was hard getting out of the water with the waves. Glad for the buoyancy provided by the dry bag.
francois - Solo dnf - 25/Sep/11

Greased off the last move of the crux wall (end of the first half)
cornishben - Solo dnf - 25/Sep/11 with Max Dutson

Cailean Harker - Solo O/S - 23/Sep/11

Fell off a few metres before the crux. Stupendous (but difficult)
petecallaghan - Solo dnf - 18/Sep/11 with Chris Ebbutt

Further than yesterday, but did not get to crux slopers, one day. Tired arms from blue grotto approach
chris ebbutt - Solo dnf - 18/Sep/11 with Pete

off at downward move halfway across orange crux wall
chris ebbutt - Solo dnf - 17/Sep/11 with Stuart

Greased off soaking wet holds after the pink block
noelj - Solo dnf - 03/Sep/11 with Mal

A solo solo. A fantastic adventure - got a soaking under the pink block when a big wave came in. Finished up the slab at the end due to a choppy sea in the final zawn. Took in the awsome wave variation pitch. Amazing outing.
GPN - Solo O/S - 02/Sep/11

Oddjob - Solo β - 29/Aug/11 with Adam B

Hidden - Solo rpt - 29/Aug/11

Hidden - Solo dnf - 29/Aug/11

dan gibson - Solo rpt - 29/Aug/11 with michael porter

Bern - Solo RP - 27/Aug/11

Hidden - Solo O/S - 27/Aug/11

Hidden - Solo dnf - 24/Aug/11

Hidden - Solo - 21/Aug/11

off the crux
AlexD - Solo dnf - 21/Aug/11 with Felix

Raining a fair bit. I hope that is why the crux holds felt so slick!
jacobjlloyd - Solo dnf - 20/Aug/11

Fell off the last hard move of the crux pitch, then swam to the end.
lukehodson - Solo dnf - 13/Aug/11 with Dave Bone, Mel

Nexonen - Solo dnf - 13/Aug/11 with Phil, Felix

Never fails to impress, as good as the first time. Still can't get through the crux though, and you only ever get one shot at it, then it's down into the wet. Must get some beta on this for the next attempt.
msoldn - Solo dnf - 12/Aug/11 with Rory

dannyboy83 - Solo O/S - 06/Aug/11

feilx - Solo rpt - 06/Aug/11

dmoir - Solo O/S - 06/Aug/11

Got past the 7a+ crux, and the 7a sequence into the cauldron then fell in because I am weak.
I_hang_dog - Solo dnf - 06/Aug/11

With cauldron pitch, brilliant addition!
tuftynick - Solo rpt - 05/Aug/11

Hidden - Solo - 03/Aug/11

amazing route. got through the crux sequence first time thanks to beta from a guy looking eerily like mikey robertson. slipped off on the second section due to greasy rock.
thomb - Solo - 02/Aug/11 with Andrew

Still my favourite route
robbie Warke - Solo rpt - Aug/11

Must change my crux sequence...
Bern - Solo dnf - 31/Jul/11

feilx - Solo rpt - 30/Jul/11

Bern - Solo dnf - 30/Jul/11

Ashley Hold - Solo - Oct/10 with Nick Donahue

camped on Dartmoor then got up super early and had the traverse done by 10am, one of the best routes I have ever done.
jacobjacob - Solo O/S - 15/Sep/10

Hidden - Solo dnf - 15/Sep/10

Toby Dunn - Solo - 12/Sep/10

Quite a big swell - won't forget some of the more energetic caves and alcoves in a hurry; got a thorough soaking on more than one occasion! Climbed the cave pitch, 'The Cauldron', after the crux pitch. Shattered by the end!
alaan - Solo O/S - 02/Sep/10

Hidden - Solo - Sep/10

feilx - Solo rpt - 30/Aug/10

Hidden - Solo dnf - 30/Aug/10

Ceridwen - Solo dnf - 30/Aug/10 with Andy Mosienko

Hidden - Solo rpt - 30/Aug/10

dan gibson - Solo - 30/Aug/10 with michael porter

La Mont - 29/Aug/10

Went as far as the pink block, but due to tiredness didn't continue.
Rob Laird - Solo dnf - 29/Aug/10

Brilliant. As part of the full cave traverse finishing on the rope bridge and up cod tympani.
andi turner - Solo O/S - 28/Aug/10 with Simon Wilson

Got through the crux alright, then strayed onto the Barrel Traverse. Oops. Absolutely stunning
irish paul - Solo dnf - 28/Aug/10

Peak 6c!!!
marky65 - Solo - 19/Aug/10 with Rob

Hidden - Solo β - 15/Aug/10

Only the 6a+ section to the crystal cave and back, good warm up for magical mystery tour (1km ish of climbing!)
Chad123 - Solo rpt - 13/Aug/10 with Emily

A long way off. Maybe next year.
Will Cat - Solo dnf - 13/Aug/10

DWS - absolutely fantastic...but a 'little!' fruity at the top...eek!!
Wendy - Lead O/S - 08/Aug/10 with Tom Ball

Hidden - Lead O/S - 08/Aug/10

Hidden - Solo dnf - 07/Aug/10

Almost got past the crux, one move from a rest, found the rest hard too - very, very pumped. Next time! great climbing though all the way along....
Chad123 - Solo dnf - 05/Aug/10

tuftynick - Solo rpt - 03/Aug/10 with nick warren

Ceridwen - Solo dnf - 01/Aug/10 with felix, Matt, Sophie Nunn, Heather, Andy

with the new 7a link up pitch through the cave - absolutly awesome.
feilx - Solo rpt - 01/Aug/10

Sophie Nunn - Solo dnf - 01/Aug/10

got to the crux and attempted the crux cus nobody else was man enough to go first... fell off couple moves before end
adam cooper*super* - Solo dnf - Aug/10 with mike waller, sam farnsworth, jack folland

MH123 - Solo dnf - Aug/10 with Mike Waller, Adam Cooper, Jack Folland, Sam Farnsworth

John Mcshea - Solo O/S - Jul/10 with tom rainbow

didnt take chalk bag and after seeing dom fall off on a route error that saw him straying into 7c! sort of made a half assed attempt at crux!
Duncan Campbell - UKC - Solo dnf - 06/Sep/09 with Dom Jeff

Hidden - Solo O/S - 05/Sep/09

dan gibson - Solo RP - 05/Sep/09 with michael porter

Hidden - Solo O/S - 25/Aug/09

Greg Pittam - Solo dnf - 08/Aug/09

tuftynick - Solo rpt - Aug/09 with nick warren

Climbed out after crux pitch - amazing!
alaan - Solo O/S - 23/Aug/08 with Aly

Bern - Solo dnf - 02/Aug/08

alpinebisou - 2008

Done in two parts with a shake out and a sleep inbetween
feilx - Solo - 04/Aug/07

bigie bob - Solo O/S - 04/Aug/07

_m.cox_ - Solo O/S - Aug/07

Fell off on pitch 10/11, woops
feilx - Solo dnf - 12/Aug/06

Bern - Solo dnf - Aug/06

We all fell off the crux pitch - a bit greasy
shark - Solo dnf - 23/Jul/06 with Ian Dring + Mark stevenson

Hidden - Solo dnf - 23/Jul/06

Did Pitch 1 - 7 including the crux pitch - got a bit high for me after that being 20 years older and more sensible than when I first O/S soloed it although then the crux pitch was on aid.
shark - Solo rpt - 01/Oct/05

Hidden - Solo - Aug/03

Hidden - Solo RP - 2002

climbed out at crux and back down just after.
frank ramsay - Solo - 1989

Pitches 7 onwards
shark - Solo O/S - 11/Sep/86

Pitch 1-7
shark - Solo - 04/Sep/86

Ended up in the drink and retreating on third pitch
shark - 2nd dnf - 13/Apr/84 with Kelvin

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Voting
Total votes cast 32
hard 7b0 of 14
7b0 of 14
easy 7b2 of 14
hard 7a+0 of 14
7a+5 of 14
easy 7a+2 of 14
hard 7a5 of 14
7a0 of 14
easy 7a0 of 14
3 Stars17 of 18
2 Stars0 of 18
1 Star1 of 18
0 Stars0 of 18
Bag of .....0 of 18
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Style of ascent

Soloed99 of 105 (94.3%)
Lead2 of 105 (1.9%)
Followed1 of 105 (1.0%)
Unknown3 of 105 (2.9%)

'Climbed'16 of 105 (15.2%)
clean O/S20 of 105 (19.0%)
clean β7 of 105 (6.7%)
clean rpt15 of 105 (14.3%)
clean RP3 of 105 (2.9%)
dnf44 of 105 (41.9%)