UKC

So Moff and I are about to right a long standing wrong and have consecutive weeks booked for first time climbing visits to North Devon and Lundy (what is going wrong with climbers that there are still last minute camping spaces on Lundy in August?).

So what wisdom do folk have for local top-tips (eateries, pubs, climbing shops etc) and sub extreme stuff that will gladden the heart of visiting professional lower grade obsessives. We know all about the usual classics of course and certainly intend to pick some of those cherries.

In reply to Offwidth:
lots of people used to rave about the North Light Tandoori on Lundy.

In reply to Offwidth:


Bird bans?

In reply to Offwidth:

On Lundy
Little Arthur (VS 4c)
Pretender (VS 4c)
Satan's Second Choice (HS 4a)
The Lost Buoys (VS 4c)
this last one was written up in the Lundy new routes book (not by us) but a comment was added saying it was the same as Johnny Dog (in the CC supplement). It definitely isn't (or if it is then the description of JD is unclear). Could do with checking out by a guidebook writer

North Devon, if you're in the area then this one's worthwhile
Crack of Doone (HS 4b)

In reply to Offwidth:


I don't know, but we managed to get 5 days self catering last September with 3 weeks notice

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Vs OK forecast and lots not bird banned?

In reply to Offwidth:

Don't forget Wrecker's Slab - it's well worth the trip.

In reply to John2:

Definitely - the highlight of the fortnight we spent down there last year

In reply to Offwidth:

There is a cracking pizza place in Kilkhampton called The Pizza Ape. Worth a visit even if you have to travel a bit!

In reply to Offwidth:

If you are near Baggy, the King's Arms in Georgeham is rightly famous for its food and beer - you'll need to book, though. I'm reliably informed that the Rock Inn there is now pretty good as well.

In reply to Offwidth:


This. I didn't believe that it was going to be all that until I went there, now no Sharpnose trip is complete without a Pizza Ape. I have a loyalty card in fact!

In reply to Offwidth:

We had a week there a few years ago in mid Aug and almost everything was still Bird Banned and they didn't think to tell anyone until we were in the Tavern chatting on arrival: this led to much better comms between the wardens and the climbing community but was a pain at the time.

Wonderful place, wish I was could be there this summer.
Go snorkeling with the seals while you're there and help save water: drink pints of Old Light to do your part.

In reply to Offwidth:
If you get on Wreckers and find it tame/have spare time take a look at Smugglers Slab, its a great culm adventure.

In reply to all:

Cheers... great tips already!

In reply to Dave Garnett:


It's excellent - but again, booking strongly recommended (it was full when we ate there, midweek in September)

In reply to Offwidth:

I've always liked Tydomin, at Compass point, a bold but thouroughly worthwile VS, probably HVS if you are a scaredy cat.

In reply to Offwidth:

Quadratus Lumborum on Lundy is an exceptionally good severe inexplicably given a mere 1 star.

In reply to Offwidth:

I suspect it is in your hit list already but may I recommend the classic Devil's Slide:
youtube.com/watch?v=q2fW1pyJAeU&
All the routes on the slide are worthwhile with Albion at VS and Satan's Slip (bold E1) particularly memorable!
Cheers Dave

In reply to Al Evans:

Watch out at Compass - the whole of the right hand section appears dangerously loose at the moment.

In reply to Offwidth:
Vicarage Cliff - well worth a visit, as is Gull Rock - Marsland although, strictly speaking, they are both in North Cornwall. Hurlstone Point, Exmoor (see the CC's South West Climbs vol 2) looks like some really good slab climbing, but I've not been there yet. See http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=679 as the "link Crag" didn't seem to work for it.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

Sad

In reply to Al Evans:

It is sad, but the loose may well clear up in a year or two. Tyndomin and the left section is still ok though.

In reply to Offwidth:

I know you have a reputation as a lover of the "out of the way" crags, well Sandhole Rock would fit the bill, as would Westcott Wattle and Chapman Rock - if you fancy any of these, email me and I can pass on more info.

In reply to Offwidth:

If you've got the 1998 CC ND&C guide there's a whole raft of starred routes in there that haven't been included in the two selected guides to the region. Definitely worth seeking out. I would also recommend starting from the pub at heartland Quay on a falling tide, with a light rack and rope and head North along the beach. Superb rock scenery, and if you print out the Bear Rock section from here: http://javu.co.uk/Climbing/NewRoutes/NorthDevonandCornwall/NorthDevonCornwa... you should find some entertainment.

Vicarage Cliff is well worth a visit but here's some important beta: time your arrival at the crag to coincide with
1. A falling tide. This will give you at least 4 hours to enjoy its many delights at the grade and:
2. Make sure you are back at Morwenstow Church in time to sample the finest cream teas, cakes and proper leaf tea at the Rectory Tearooms:
3. Afterwards stroll through the churchyard and out to Henna, knowing that there's not enough time to climb Breakaway before:
4. Wandering up to The Bush Inn for a pint of Tribute or the local Scrumpy.

Once on Lundy, you'll doubtless not need reminding about the famous classics, but the Devil's Spine is well worthwhile for the position and views, Cableway and Seal Slab/Walrus give excellent V Diff climbing and the scramble out to St James's Stone is a fun excursion, perhaps taking in the short but very pleasant routes on The Needle on the way home. The Knight Templar rocks on the E Coast can save a wet day when there's a strong westerly blowing. Enjoy!

In reply to Iain Peters:
Cheers Iain. We've got the 2000 version (2nd ed?) purchased almost new but never used by us (...as I said righting wrongs... ) and the 2008 Lundy guide as well as 2 selectives (one old, one borrowed). We always buy definitives where we can. We enjoy the classics but quiet days on pleasant lower grade crags and the odd esoteric climbing adventure are very much part of our profile (before earning the cake, pizza and beer).
Am I missing something on Bear Rock... looks like mainly harder new stuff?

In reply to Dave Garnett:


Their baked camembert with garlic is particularly delectable!!

In reply to Offwidth:

If there's any books of the area that you haven't got that I may have you are welcome to borrow as you will pass just past my house on the M5 on the way down.

In reply to Offwidth:

Mainly the work of Stu Bradbury & Co, so perhaps a bit too goey for a relaxed wander, but you will also find smaller slabs at a more amenable angle and grade, definitely worth a scratch around. There's always The Blisterin' Barnacle Slab which does have some excellent Severes and VS's. Worth the walk even if it's only to wonder at that other Walk...of Life on the extraordinary Earth Rim Roamer Wall. If you fancy a laid back beach day with some easy forays up Culm stacks, then Sandy Mouth and Duck's Pool won't disappoint. Finally, if you're feeling very magnanimous and happen to have an old ice axe or similar (as you do) there are 3 pleasant crack-lines on the N facing slab at Menachurch Point which desperately need some TLC before the next guide appears!!!

In reply to Offwidth:

Meant to add that you can camp at the pub in Welcombe. Food's not bad either. We have used it on occasion for BMC SW Area Meetings.

In reply to Offwidth:
It sounds like you are avoiding the honeypots, so probably won't go to Baggy, and even if you do I suspect you would be more likely to head to Long Rock than the Promontory, and even if you did head to the Promontory you would be more likely to do the main slab multipitches rather than the 'beginner' slab, BUT if all these things turned out to be untrue I thought Sleepy Toes (HVS 5a) (squeezed in between Ben and Marion, not in the Rockfax) was excellent and the UKC comments seem to agree.

In reply to andrewmcleod:

All untrue We just tend to do honeypots midweek, early or late. Cheers for the tip.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

Maybe next time for Sandhole, Westcott and Chapman (sure to be back) so thanks for thinking about us. Our reputation is a little unfair, we just like to try most climbs within our range we like the look of at most places we visit and so tend to be some of the few speaking up for hidden gems.

In reply to Offwidth:

Hippa rock and moped zawn have some great routes and are nicely out of the way.

In reply to Iain Peters:

I remember the days when we used to walk beneath Earth Rim Roarer wall and think 'I wonder'.

In reply to Al Evans:

Before ERR1 fell down or the present one Al?

In reply to Iain Peters:

Both

In reply to all

Thanks again. Had a great trip despite climbing a bit less than I maybe expected (various reasons). Lundy was as good as I expected and only a few areas had bird bans in the first week of August, despite the predoctions to the contrary above. Glad to meet the climbers on the island but still surprised to see that the campsite had plenty of space for more.

One tip for Lundy is to take care if going to visit Needle Rock as the approach maps dont tie up with the approach description and neither seem to work (especially if interested in Integrity, which after all is arguably the easiest 3 star line on the Island....as we suspect the line on the topo may be wrong: we stayed left of the arete until 4m higher than shown and inspected the lower traverse line indicated in the guidebook on abseil and its certainly not anything like as easy as HS and seems an unlikely way for a first ascentionist to go, given the better holds and pro staying left).

On the north Deven/Cornwall stuff Wreckers Slab was our fave route...an absolute breeze at VS (probably easy to mid HS in our view).. pitch 2 was especially brilliant and overall the route had no more loose rock than many a starred Peak Limestone route at the grade.

In reply to Offwidth:
Yes, the climbing on Wreckers' Slab (VS 4b) is certainly easy for VS, but the feeling is that it should be VS because of the over all seriousness of the route. What do other folks think? Logbook consensus is easy VS, 4b.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

Easy 4b tech crux with bomber gear, lots of easy HS 3c at the top which would be severe if the pegs were less rusted. Bottom pitch S 3c tops (safest to climb up to a good nut runner at an obvious traverse rather than go diagonal). Moff and I are also allowing for the area grades being less stiff than our area...ie grading compared to other VS climbs in the SW... easiest VS we've climbed by nearly a full grade. Easier also than all the HS routes we did at Baggy and Vicarage.

In reply to Offwidth:

Have to agree, Wreckers is only really HS and was more solid than I was expecting. Smugglers slab, on the other hand, scared me.

More importantly, did you do the full afternoon tea at the Vicarage tea rooms ?

In reply to Offwidth:
I've long argued....in vain.... that Wreckers' should be HS. The original line of the FA which forged straight up the middle of the slab on extremely loose rock and copious plant life was most definitely VS. I have my grandfather's notes from that ascent and nowhere does he mention the diagonal left traverse towards the bounding rib on the first pitch. The present line is the obvious and most logical with only a smattering of loose rock. I also have the letter that Patey sent to him after his solo repeat ascent, apologising for removing even more of the holds! Only 3 pegs were placed on the whole route, one as a belay at the present 2nd stance where the original joins the present one. To enjoy the full flavour of the FA do Smugglers' and the other big slab routes at Cornakey without a modern rack of course!

In reply to Mark Kemball:
Probably only HS as long as the whole thing doesn't fall down! :P I was a bit confused with the topo when I went, until I realised a lump has fallen off the bottom overhang. It has presumably cleaned up massively from traffic; when I did it the majority of rock in the loose section was only vaguely attached to the cliff (i.e. wobbly) but each block usually seemed fairly happy where it was balanced. Most of the death blocks probably get chucked in the sea. If you screwed up and ripped a block off (or a foothold gave way) and fell off, it could get interesting to see if any of the gear placements held...

There is (from memory) also a 10m+ runout at the easy start, possibly a bit cheeky at HS 4b which you would expect to be average in protection and rock quality (which Wrecker's is neither)? Also is there definitely a 4b move on it (I remember taking great care on moves but none of them being difficult)? Otherwise HS 4a might be appropriate.

Personally I think it would be better if all the pegs were pulled as well, it felt a bit like a sport route at times!

In reply to Mark Kemball:

I say it deserves HS rather than VS in it present state also. Pro is ok if a little spaced, no especially tricky moves, not too much loose rock.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

Probably worth VS for the descent through all that spikey stuff.
If it was in the Lakes it would get MVS - not gnarly enough for HS.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

I'd vote low end VS:

The start is bold; decent gear is spaced; I doubt the pegs are up to much; the rock quality needs some care (OK, it's not too worrying); it's a pretty serious position to be in if anything did go tits up; and there's some 4b climbing on it (no, not much).

It's easy but I think you'd want to be pretty steady at VS to do it with a reasonable margin

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

The first pitch we did was pretty much solid except in the groove and had good spaced gear and was not bold on any hard moves. Like I said S 3c tops. The top of pitch 2 was a little bold (at maybe 3c) as was the easier finish of pitch 3. I suspect it has cleaned up. It also was covered in chalk despite the complete absence of sloping holds: grrr.

In reply to Rog Wilko:

Very few spikes currently on the descent if you go the right way by staying higher and left than you might think (we didn't sadly and bashed through at least 5 varieties of thorny plant for about 20m between scree sections). The roped scramble at the bottom faces south now and is pretty trivial (rope not really needed)

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I thought the bold bits (mainly pitch 1) were easy and the harder (4b) bits well protected. The crux for me was the last pitch, quite easy but spaced gear and lots of suspect rock. I wouldn't argue with HS, but if HS is your limit then you might have problems, and it's not the sort of route you want to have problems on, escape not being much of an option! Maybe leave it as VS to prevent epics...

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

If we are going to grade that way for escape, any long tidal route needs to go up the same amount, more so for routes only accessible at low tide (Wrecker's is mid tide with a VD traverse line above the high water mark). Its simply not VS compared to any combination of difficulty, boldness, looseness, escape options or any other combination on any longer seacliffe classic HS we've ever done.

We thought the top two pitches of Devil's Slide were a good half grade harder (and being conservative on DS, allowing for perfect rock and a much easier escape options) and needed a second as good as the leader unless you resort to a devious diagonal line below the traverse. As you know well I'm no sandbagger on bold routes. Wreckers had bold VDiff technicality style climbing with a protectable crack crux easier to us than say Answer Crack on Dovestones Edge (at HVD 4a***).

In reply to Offwidth:

As I said, I wouldn't argue with HS.
But it might be VS in the same way that Tower Ridge is Diff or IV - ie not at all other than pour discourager les autres