UKC

Climbs 78
Rocktype Limestone
Altitude 25m a.s.l
Faces SE

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Nearing the upper half of the fabulous thin crack-line of The Brink of Solarity (HVS) on the High Slab at Portishead Quarry. © Mark Glaister

Crag features

Slabby climbing on variable quality rock. Single pitch routes to 50 metres. Protection generally reasonable; some pegs and bolts.

Approach notes

Quarry situated approx one mile west of Portishead. Follow B3124 westwards to some houses on a right hand bend in the road.  The Quarry entrance is up a path on the right oppisite the houses.

Do NOT park in the layby next to the houses or at the head of the gated entrance lane opposite; there is a layby 250m further up the road on the LHS. Keep the noise down as to not annoy the locals.

 

Update this Crag
Last updated on 19/May/2023

No Access Issues

Update (27/03/07) - Avon Wildlife Trust have now reopened the quarry following the scaling of loose rock in partnership with the BMC. The project involved removing a significant amount of loose rock around the large slab, resulting in some superficial marking to the slab - this should decrease in time.

Click here for RAD Access Notes
Last update: 22/04/2022  

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Microwave size block came off corner 'one rainy wish' to the left of the slab whilst I was climbing it. Looks like there's more loose rocks on the route
Zolly Whitaker - 10/Nov/14
Lots of very large break away rock on the small bolted wall.
Dan1898 - 20/Apr/14
Climbed here Jun 2011 Not as 'uninspiring' as I was expecting. Bit of a suntrap on the slab.
climbojimbo - 08/Jun/11
Climbed in late summer 2009, fence pole's up around area but no fence in place, may change in future. uninspiring but if your in the area why not?
puzo - 20/Jan/10
Been climbing here late 2007 and early 2008, no access problems. BMC website states site re-opened.
SteveCox - 09/May/08
The routes on the main slab are all still climbable (from BoS to Pharos). Not much change at all except less polish.
thomasadixon - 03/Jun/07
Looks like that official looking bloke has put in boulder catching nets. Nice big bolts holding it in. :P Looks like they have put in new bolts at the top of some of the easier climbs. Some of the rock still looks pretty unstable thou. Climb it and see...
srees2108 - 19/Mar/07
ARSE!
Queequeg - 01/Feb/07
RIP Portishead quarry! Looks like over the weekend there has been a HUGE landslide and alot of the rock has fallen in. Havn't had a close look as there was an official looking bloke climbing it and the were new padlocks on the metal gates, but as you can see from the photo alot of rock has fallen.
srees2108 - 30/Jan/07
There are big gates up but you can walk around them, just not ride a motorbike around them. We had no problems climbing there.
thomasadixon - 25/Aug/06
The quarry is closed at the moment by the management (can't remember the name). The reason given being disturbance by local lads on motorbikes. The sign muttered something about loose rock too in order to curtail climbers usage, but the fact of the quarry's looseness is well known (especially the Sharks Fin etc). Anyway, right or wrong we couldn't see why the behaviour of lads on motorbikes should reflect on climbers so we went in and got no trouble. A few of the locals saw us and didn't seem to mind. The sign also states that the BMC have been informed of the situation.
majormajormajormajor - 30/Jun/06
Routes left of the main slab = death. Sort of. Very loose anyway, much pulling of blocks onto each other.
Tamlyn - 17/Jan/06
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