Ruby's Top 5

Eye Of The Storm (f7B),  Lynmouth

The Eye of the Storm is one of my earliest, and favorite, first ascents. The bloc is an impressive feature, it starts on a freestanding pedestal with a high heel-toe hook, leading into a big move to a right-hand crimp, followed by a challenging release onto the arête of the feature. I first climbed the problem in the summer of 2019, since then the bloc now has seven problems ranging from 6C+ to 7C+, all established collectively by good friends Mikey Cleverdon, Grant Edwards, and Kyle Whitehand.

Lynmouth is a small coastal town on Exmoor, and is somewhere I have spent a lot of time. On the east side of the bay you'll find low-friction, slopey boulders, including the classic Slopey Traverse (7B). Lynmouth West, in contrast, is slightly less developed but presents a strikingly different style, with sharper crimps and board-style problems. For detailed topos and information, check out the new Devon Bouldering Guide and Exmoorbouldering.com set up and updated by Grant.

Lizard Brain (7B), Crock-Pit Boulders Exmoor, North Devon

Lizard Brain is a highball line that me and Kyle developed a while back. The line starts off with a series of small rounded crimps leading up to an obvious crack, which works its way up to a high headwall with knee bars and pumpy climbing. It's one of the first features you can see when scrambling down to the beach, and standing at around seven metres tall, it sure is striking.

A decent amount of pads and a good head game are needed for this one. Depending on the beach height the landing can be found perfectly flat or with an annoying boulder under the drop zone. Like most other locations on the coast it's only really a summer venue, most months the rocks are green and slimy due to the constant seepage from the land above.

Excalibur (f8A),  Tintagel North

Tintagel has become a renowned bouldering destination, and impossible not to mention when discussing premier spots in the area. The Super Bloc offers a fantastic range of problems from 6C to 8B, set against stunning scenery. One standout line for me is Excalibur. Starting on the left-hand side of the block, it demands toe hooks and body tension to link into the classic Path of Daggers (f7C+) (defined by its tricky, crimpy crux).

While projecting Excalibur, my sessions often involved repeatedly falling at the crux 'dagger' hold, sometimes as many as eight to ten times a session. When I finally managed to link the crux move from the start, I was alarmed by a loud pop in my right hand. I continued to the top of the problem, and whilst pulling over the top of the block I felt my finger becoming tingly and numb. A trip to Huffy a couple of days later found that I had fully ruptured my A2 pulley. Certainly not ideal, however, sending the problem sure made the whole injury a little less sour!

The Nonconformist (f7C) (7C),  Vicarage Cliff

This is undoubtedly one of the most striking features on the North Coast. The line follows the underside of the prow in compression before topping out through the top of the arch onto the slab. Originally established by Tom Newberry in 2012, the climb has seen some grading debates over the years. It was initially given 8A, but following several hold breaks it has now settled at 7C, which I think is fair. The climbing is powerful, pumpy, and feels like a real fight all the way. If climbed without compression, using just the left-hand holds, the line is considered 7A+. 

Last summer, we spent a lot of time exploring the Morwenstow area, developing the opposite side of the beach. A massive, steep wall with hard lines is now established, with problems ranging from 7B to 8A. Expect more details in the upcoming Cornwall Select Bouldering Guide, currently being developed by Tom Bunn and Tom Last.

The Hollow 7C, Glenthorne Beach Exmoor

The Exmoor coast is quite underrated, not just for its climbing, but also for its incredible landscape. Glenthorne Beach has a steep atmospheric approach through an old Victorian Estate woodland, which opens to a picturesque pebble beach. A short walk along the beach reveals a hidden cavity where 'The Hollow' sits. Often wet, this problem can be difficult to get in condition.

Established by Matt Helliker in summer 2024, The Hollow is a 3-star board-style problem. It begins with a powerful pull-on, followed by a delicate move to a small crimp, and finishing with a dynamic pop to a big jug. Like a problem we would set on the board, it's got a perfect blend of power and precision.

Further down the beach lies The Giant's Rib or, as we have come to call it, The Megaboard. Discovered by Kyle in 2019 a long board of solid rock, we have now developed a collection of problems ranging from 6B to 7C. When in condition in the summer, it really does live up to its name!

Solly's Top 5

Young Blood (f6C), Boscawen Point

Young Blood is a 6C at one of the first outdoor crags I got dragged to in 2016, where my palate for fine climbing really began. This bloc is a perfect overhanging knife's edge arete, that has the perfect amount of height to make it interesting. The holds are positive the whole way up, but with some moves that require specific body position.

Young Blood was also my first taste of trying a boulder that had not been climbed before, swiftly following Tom Bunn up after he made the first ascent. For me, this bloc is not only an incredible line with nice moves, but also brings an element of adventure. It is off the beaten track and slotted into a bay hidden from the rest of the world, down in the depths of Cornwall.

Showboat (f8A), Priest Cove (Dreamboat Boulder)

Another South Cornwall granite masterpiece. Showboat may not be the original line on the dreamboat boulder at Priest Cove, but for me is more fitting, starting at the bottom right and finishing at the highest point on the left.

The crux revolves around a high heel or toe above your hand, and locking off a small crimp to a rail. The original, Wonderland (f8A), then breaks out right along The Dreamboat (f7B), which was first ascended by Tom Bunn. But, when I heard that Chris Mathews had instead finished up Bad Breath (E6 6b) I couldn't wait to go back and re-climb some notorious Cornish moves. The extension to go into Bad Breath doesn't so much add more difficulty as it does more exposure, with the addition of extra height. For me, both Wonderland and Showboat could be in the Top 10.

Pebbles 7C, Nabor Point

When me, Kyle, and Ruby first set our eyes on this crag, we couldn't believe that it wasn't filled with climbs and had every man and his dog underneath it before. A thirty metre wide wave with cracks and lines going up it every other metre. It still makes me excited to think what could be left to do down there.

On the first occasion we took pads down, this line in particular stood out to me due to a pebble which had been wedged into the crack for what looked like centuries. Maybe one day this pebble will leave its home and make way for some different climbing, but for now this whole climb revolves around the use of a wedged pebble to work higher up some slopers or crimps, whichever takes your fancy, before a launch to a victory jug.

The Laws of Chess (f8A), Zennor

I found this bloc by pure fluke while working down in St Ives, and had to come back as soon as possible. I may be a sucker for an arete, but I think there is something about how striking the lines on them are. Although this arete is more knifed-edged, which tends to lean the climbing more to one side or the other, this Bloc climbs more like a compression boulder, with comfy but small crimps either side and some complex and high feet to add to the mix on this tall proud line.

With other new additions to Zennor this summer such as Tooth Decay 7A, Momentary Bliss 8B, and The Narcissist 8A, it has become a great area for all grade ranges and abilities. Most importantly though, it is a stunning location to be present in - nothing beats a boulder field this close to the sea.

Supercede (f8A+), Hartland Quay 

For the final spot on my list, I had great difficulty deciding between Supercede, Young, Youth and Manhood (f8A) (both of which were first ascended by Tom Newbury) and a personal climb of mine, Mare Tranquillitas, 8A, all of which have their own merits and downfalls.

Young, Youth and Manhood has got the history behind it, being Cornwall's first 8A, and that doesn't take away from how great and subtle the climbing is on it, however, it's quite a lonely boulder, with not much else of similar quality and difficulty to do nearby. Mare Tranquilitas has the best location of the three, and is under the radar for most, next to a large cave with lots of potential and some other incredible boulders, yet, whilst the climbing on it is superb, it lacks height and is tricky to get in condition.

Which leaves me with Supercede, which I didn't want to put on this list, purely because everyone who knows about the southwest most likely knows about Hartland, and therefore Supercede.

However, it wouldn't be fair to have the Top 10 boulders in the Southwest without Supercede being in the roster. It has everything a Top 10 Boulder needs: comfy holds, interesting movement, perfect amount of height, a bit of history, tops out, and a good line. It is also a boulder which is very hard to muscle your way through and requires a higher level of technique than strength.