UKC

We’re heading to Portland this weekend but it’s hard to determine where to go with there being a high tide at midday (I have the Rockfax app but not the overall view of all crags that you get in the guide).

Some good 7a-7c routes would be ideal at a sector which we will be able to get dogs to without much difficulty.

Any sector recommendations which might fit the bill would be very welcomed.

There isn't much that's tidal on Portland - some parts in the middle of Wallsend and then much of Coastguard South - but both are guarded by boulder beaches which may be difficult for your dog anyway, I'm not really an expert in the limits of dog friendly terrain!

It is going to be pretty warm this weekend with wind a bit easterly. 

Blacknor North hangs onto the shade the longest, until 1-2pm, and has a decent range of options up to about 7b-ish. Lots of nice stuff to do around reptile smile and all that sector.

I have taken my son (now 5) down to  Battleship Back Cliff and  Battleship Edge a number of times. The Edge will be hot once the sun hits, as will some of the walls on the back cliff, but the cliff base holds the shade better and the wind can funnel down the gap between back cliff and the block to take the edge off the heat.

Coastguard North has fairly ok boulder beach and a short approach so I would have assumed might be ok with a dog and is right near the sea which will take the edge off the temperatures.

Thanks a lot for this. It’s really useful. I must have picked the few tidal crags when scanning through the app and I assumed that must have been the norm. 
 

We’re just choosing where to go now, beautiful day for it down here.

In all fairness, there's probably more tidal stuff there than I mentioned - a lot of the dws east coast crags and stuff obviously - they're just not that popular choices for the infrequent roped visitor, so I sort of ignored them!

Have a good day...

I guess it depends what you wish to climb too. 

Many higher 7 routes can be thin moves/holds which on a hot day aren't always easy to tick. 

I'd suggest somewhere not too short and with some shade. The 2nd part being the tough bit. 

If you choose relatively easy to get to places, you can swap locations at mid day to give shade all day. Maybe not a newbie to the area option but it is possible. 

The White cliffs can be an oven in the sun

We ended up going to the cuttings, before quickly bailing (before climbing) to a cafe and the beach for a swim. 

Went back at 3ish once it was in the shade and had a good day. Did Sign of the Vulcan which was just about okay for the skin. Hall of mirrors on the other hand - it needed to be about 15 degrees colder!

We've arranged to get a guidebook tomorrow which will help but I think multi-crag days are the way forward, with a swim in between and after. And maybe some fishing in the evening given the number of mackerel being pulled out from the beach tonight!