The crag is south facing for the most part and quick drying, especially with a bit of sea breeze. However, it's worth bearing in mind that traversing along the platform at the base of the crag (needed to get to most routes) can be exciting in anything other than calm seas. The traverse is generally accessible 3 hours either side of high tide for most of the crag and the base of Terrier's Tooth and Bishop's Buttress for slightly longer, although these times are significantly reduced during neap tides. During high tides or when big seas are running, it is also possible to abseil in to the upper pitches of several routes.
Dates: 15 March to 30 June
Reason: Nesting Birds
The restriction applies to all routes on Bishop's Buttress - from Lacertion to The Mitre inclusive (route 82, page 153 to route 14, page 159 in the 2017 Climber's Club guidebook).
Routes within Zawn Rinny (Consolation Climb to Shark Alley) are also restricted during the same period, but the Zawn Rinny descent for the western end of Chair Ladder is fine to use.
Rockfax Description
A series of short and intense pitches which provide some excellent and hard climbing. Start at a thin crack-line just right of the corner of Pegasus.
1) 6a, 20m. Climb the difficult, thin crack to an easing and then traverse left to a belay under an overhang.
2) 5c, 8m. Make strenuous moves through the bulging overhangs via cracks and gain a large ledge and belay.
3) 5a, 20m. Above the stance is a slab with a steep wall above it. Move up the slab to a blunt arete in the steep wall. Climb the arete to a good ledge on the right. Step up onto the slab on the left and climb it to a ledge and belay.
4) 4c, 15m. Climb through the overhang above and finish up cracks in the wall. © Rockfax
West Country Climbs , South West in Extremis
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Grade: E2 5c ***
(Vessacks West)