UKC

Hi All,

Covid permitting I may be spending a couple of weeks in Looe in August.  Does anyone have any recommendations for bouldering venues near here?  I'll be with the family so needs to be within 30mins or so drive so I can nip out of an evening or half a day here and there.  Ideally I'm looking for 7A-7B+ problems but also keen for quality mileage in the 6s.  So far I've got Downderry Beach (anyone know if Crimson Cottage Cat is affected by beach height or tides?) and the Cheesewring on the hit list.  

Thanks

You're right in that Downderry and Cheesewring are your closest. Not sure about the problems you mentioned but from Instagram they appear to be on a rocky beach so maybe not affected by beach height but swell and tide could be an issue.

Cheesewring is okay but much better bouldering to be had at nearby Trewortha and Kilmar Tors (latter if good weather) but they will add time to your drive and walk-in times, particularly Kilmar.

Hope that helps. 

Yes I looked at Trewortha/Kilmar.  Looks like the sort of venue that we could walk to as a family day out and I could get an hr in while everyone else is having lunch on the picnic rug.

Just read your guidebook review.  Looks like Helman Tor could be a winner too.  I'll have to get myself a copy of the new Cheesewring guide.

Yes, as Tom said, the new Cheesewring guide is your best bet and I'd recommend Kilmar Tor  Trewortha Tor and  Hawk's Tor as just really lovely places to visit quite apart from the climbing,  Cheesewring Quarry has some good climbing but not so much in the way of bouldering and really it is a bit of a hole in the ground.

Trewortha is perfect for families. Kilmar less so since it's shadier, a bit more rugged underfoot and with lots of holes between boulders etc. Bouldering generally better at Trewortha too.

We visited Downderry in September last year. The Wave (f7A) (f7A) is good fun, I'd like to go back and finish it. Just so you're aware, Downderry is a nudist beach, or at least it was when we visited and unwittingly bumped into a costa del load of pensioners with their todgers out. They kept themselves to themselves, we kept ourselves to ourselves and all was good, if a little strange.

The wave on downderry beach is worth doing there are some other problems in that area that are also good, a high (ish) sharp arete about 6c ish , quite obvious when you are there but it does get wet at high tide, there are also some loose scary trad routes there as well but probably best avoided. Do laps on the wave then sit on the balcony of the inn on the shore, drinking sea fury looking over the sea. It's a lovely spot (I am slightly biased though as my family come from downderry) . You could take the family to look at the castle at tintagal then sneak off to what is quite possibly the most perfect single boulder you could find. Loads of classic problems of all grades in a fantastic setting, purple haze at 7a is great!

Ha ha ha, thanks for that, nobody mentioned it was a nudist beach!