UKC

Hi folks

At Wintour's Leap on Monday, and would like to use the Easy Way Down, but I've never done so and am not sure how to find it from the top.

Would anyone have any helpful directions, advice, landmarks that'll make sure I don't get myself into an epic?

Thanks

Lee

Wintour's Leap

Lee, 

Its a big place, so depends on where you are.

Its all in the guidebook, and I wouldn't go there without one.  I have an old copy you can have if you want it, assuming your going for trad?

Essentially you walk straight forward off the cliff and then there's a way down. Very unnerving and I honestly can't see how anyone could safely find it alone. But I am a timid old biddy...

Best advice, if you're not going with someone who knows it and there's no one around to follow, is to start at the bottom and find your way up it before attempting to descend that way.  

Sure, it's a faff; but time spent on reconnaissance and all that.  

T.

I would either park at ban-y-gor and take the Lancaut Trail down into Wintours (safest and a nice walk) or park near woodcroft on the main road (avoid the residential areas) and walk through that quarry, down into Wintours (the steeper but shorter option).

The gate code is found on the BMC Rad database. The locks been damaged but still works.

I'm not sure that finding the way up is any easier TBH... Having been down it many times I decided to take my daughter up it. It took me a while to find the start and I got confused a couple of times on route.

to the OP, To find the top you go to the viewpoint, which has a brown sign IIRC. Go to the edge on the left and look down, you'll see there is a step down. From there you'll see another step, and so on. It's pretty well worn, so once you've started you can't really get lost. 

The Lancaut trail is a nice easy option. You also get a great view of the crag as you approach, the majesty of which you don't get to appreciate if you approach via the easy way down or Woodcroft.

As you are an e1 climber...

Find the old parking bay, it's just off the main road and has bollards. It's quite obvious. Standing in the bay facing out towards the river, scramble up and left through bushes to reach a really prominent lookout point. You will see a small scrubby tree. Start to climb down to the right of this. You will drop down and right and the rock gets steeper. The way here is really pretty obvious now as it's the only way which could even vaguely be moderate. There are lots of roots and trees to swing off as you go, but take care, working back and forth down ledges until you reach a steep corner. Just below this obvious ledges traverse left facing out. Here there is a little tricky section where you have to climb down, I find it's easiest to climb facing in down a crack. Now head towards bushes where you traverse ledges initially and then down into almost a tree tunnel, it's well trodden. It's a mistake to follow the ledges and just keep going, make sure you go across and then directly down. This brings you to the big ledges near the bottom, you cross these easily but with exposure to reach the bottom of the corner rib route 3 and much easier ground. Good luck, you'll be fine as long as you take it steady and once you've done it, it's much quicker than any of the other approaches to that section of the wall.

There are 2 prominent lookout points at the tops of buttresses. Make sure you take the leftmost one (facing out from the top). I've made the mistake of starting down the other one before. They're quite near the Central Rib Routes/Bottle Buttress tops, if you have done those before. 

I agree with you, I'm not sure why it's called the easy way down. We always go down through Woodcroft quarry even if we are climbing at the north end. 

Also the parking at Lancaut Lane (Banygor parking) can fill up quickly on high days and holidays so get there reasonably early!

Perfect description! I used to be able to follow it with my eyes shut but now, after a gap of 20yrs, you brought back every move!

Used to think it was a great way of warming up before a route. Guess it would be a grade 2 scramble in the mountains.

I took my kids age 3 and 4 down it with a bit of assistance. The only "hard" bit is finding the start which looks a bit unlikely but is so polished it's obvious. There are no exposed scary steps. 

I do hope you put them on a safety rope !

One slip in so many places could have been their last. The stretches to the next foothold must have been "interesting" to say the least.

To be fair I took my son up it when he was about 5, on a rope. It was a great adventure.

Easy way down? More like the easiest way down...