Routes are listed in chronological order of submission.
Submitted by : Ben O'Connor
Area : West Cornwall
Crag/Section : Aire Point/south facing main wall
Route Name : Peppered monkey
Length, grade, stars : 20 meters, Hard Severe
(4b)
Approach/Descent:
As listed in current guidebook (2000).
Pitch descriptions:
Single Pitch
Start as you would for Landing Strip, continue directly
up by jamming the right side of the bulge, lay back on the large
flake above, and finally jam up the last crack to gain access
to the ramp above.
Climbers names : Ben O\'Connor, Steve Parry
Date of ascent : 23/05/2006
Additional info: none |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall, The Lizard
Crag : Vellan Head, Africa
Date of ascent : 03/02/2007
Route Name : Hacuna
Length/grade/stars : 40 metres, E4, 6a, 4a 1
Climbers : P R Littlejohn, I M Peters
Start location:
This newly developed area lies on the E side of
Vellan Head itself, which is some 500 metres E of
the established climbing on Hidden Buttress. The
headland consists of a broad, broken ridge ,
easy-angled at first but steepening and narrowing as
it descends. The W (Left facing out) is made up of
slabs broken by horizontal breaks.
Scramble easily down broken rocks on the W side of
the headland to a terrace above more substantial
gentle slabs. Continue down diagonally left to a
spur which allows easy access to the base of the
cliff. Ledges (sea-washed at half tide or when a big
sea is running lead back right towards the
overhanging seaward nose of Vellan Head itself. At
higher tides, a straightforward abseil from blocks
on the crest of the ridge lands on ledges just E of
the nose.
The E side of Vellan Head consists of an area of
seemingly easy-angled slabs - Africa Slabs extending
for 150 metres, where a number of low to mid grade
routes have been climbed.
The Nose itself is much steeper, the most obvious
feature being the series of slanting offset corners
taken by Hacuna.
Pitch descriptions:
P1 25m 6a Pull steeply up the first overhanging
corner to a resting ledge below the next offset
corner. Tenuous moves up this lead to better holds
up and to the right. Move right to the next corner
and climb this to pull out onto the crest of the
ridge. Belay on a large ledge 5m up the ridge. It is
possible to scramble off to the right.
P2 15m 4a. Climb the crack above then the more
broken rocks above.
Additional info:
On sight, ground up ascent. No fixed gear. |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall, The Lizard
Crag : Vellan Head, Africa Slabs area
Date of ascent : 03/02/2007
Route Name : Matata
Length/grade/stars : 40 metres E3
Climbers : P R Litllejohn, I M Peters
Start location:
Approach as for Hacuna. The route takes the steep
wall and blunt rib 5 metres left of the corner of
Kalahari (see below). Start at the base of the wall
below a horizontal crack and roof at 6 metres
Pitch descriptions:
40 metres 5c
Gain the crack, then move left to the rib. Pull
steeply over the small roof (crux) and climb
diagonally up and right to the base of a shallow
groove just left of the rib. Follow the groove and
pull over to better holds. easier climbing leads to
ledges and a belay
Additional info:
The crux is well protected by Friends, but spaced
protection above. |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall, The Lizard
Crag : Vellan Head, Africa Slabs
Date of ascent : 09/2005
Route Name : Kalahari
Length/grade/stars : 40 metres, VS
Climbers : I M Peters, D Hillebrandt, B Peters
Start location:
Approach as described for Hacuna. The route takes
the first obvious groove to the right of the
conspicuous stepped corners of Hacuna
Pitch descriptions:
40 metres, 4c
Climb the groove, moving onto the left wall where
the groove curves to the left. Steeper moves on
flakes lead to an easing of the angle. Continue
direct to the crest of the ridge.
Additional info:
No known repeats |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall, The Lizard
Crag : Vellan Head, Africa Slabs
Date of ascent : 09/2005
Route Name : Shark's Fin
Length/grade/stars : 40 metres, HVS, 1
Climbers : I M Peters, D Hillebrandt, B Peters
Start location:
As for the previous routes. The next major feature
to the right of the Kalahari groove is a slanting
roof at 18 metres. Start below the roof.
Pitch descriptions:
40 metres, 4c. Climb slabby rock at first on the
right then up and left onto a sloping ledge beneath
the left side of the roof. Move left around the rib
and then climb the steep arête on good holds to
finish up a shallow corner in the slabs above.
Additional info:
An enjoyable route despite a distinct lack of
protection |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall, The Lizard
Crag : Vellan Head, Africa slabs
Date of ascent : 09/2005
Route Name : Liberia
Length/grade/stars : 30 metres, S
Climbers : I Peters, B Peters, D Hillebrandt
Start location:
As for previous routes. Avoids the slanting roof by
a line at its right hand end. Start at the base of a
shallow groove below the roof.
Pitch descriptions:
30 metres, 4a. Climb easily up the groove, stepping
right below the roof and move up right to gain
easier slabby rock, leading to ledges and nut belays
Additional info:
Again, sparsely protected but straightforward when
dry, lethal if wet! |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge.
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : Monkey Magic
Length/grade/stars : 15m E1 (1)
Climbers : Bob Peters, Colin Struthers
Start location:
From the Count House, take the Coast Path above
Commando Ridge and pass through a gate to the
flat-topped rocky Osborne's Carn on the right. Go
down the r/h side (facing out) through another gate
and follow a faint path which leads to the foot of
Rosemergy Ridge and the Monolith Slab. Bear left
towards the "finger" above Brandy's Zawn and contour
leftwards for 100m to reach the slabs. The upper
slab is easy angled, whilst the lower is split by an
obvious cleft. Routes are described from L - R.
Pitch descriptions:
Start beneath the left hand arete of the slab.
15m 5b. Climb the rib direct with the crux at the
top.
Additional info:
Brandy's Slabs.
These diminutive but delectable slabs are hidden
away at the foot of the broken ridge of Osborne's
Carn 100 metres S of the prominent "finger" above
Brandy's Zawn. Despite a somewhat tortuous descent,
they are well worth a visit, especially if combined
with a climb or two on the neglected Monolith Slab
of Rosemergy Ridge. |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : Guacamole Jeff
Length/grade/stars : 17m V.Diff
Climbers : Alan struthers, Colin Struthers
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
17m Climb the obvious cracks near the left hand
arete of the slab.
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : Monkey's Breakfast
Length/grade/stars : 17m Severe
Climbers : Iain Peters, Martin Mandel
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
17m 4a Start below the obvious cracks near the
left hand arete of the slab.
climb rightwards then direct up the middle of the
slab.
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : Monkey's Lunch
Length/grade/stars : 15m Severe
Climbers : Martin Mandel, Iain Peters
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
15m 4a. Climb the groove in the centre of the
slab, finishing up the thin crack
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 29/07/2007
Route Name : Hurdy Gurdy Arete
Length/grade/stars : 15m H Severe
Climbers : Mark Hounslea, Rob Hastings, Bob Peters
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
15m 4b. Climb the sharp arete forming the left
side of the cleft
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : Monkey Business
Length/grade/stars : 18m E1 (1)
Climbers : Iain Peters, Martin Mandel
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
18m 5a/b. Climb the right arete of the cleft.
Nice, technical slab climbing but unprotected.
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : Gorilla Groove
Length/grade/stars : 18m HVS
Climbers : Martin Mandel, Iain Peters
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
18m 5a. Climb the slabby groove to a heather
finish.
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Brandy's Slabs - Brandy's Zawn/Rosemergy
Ridge
Date of ascent : 27/07/2007
Route Name : None
Length/grade/stars : 15m VS
Climbers : Martin Mandel, Iain Peters
Start location:
As for previous route (Monkey Magic)
Pitch descriptions:
18m 5a. Start up the wide crack forming the
leaning flake. Swing round right onto the front face
and finish up a thinner crack.
Additional info:
As for Monkey Magic |
Submitted by : Iain Peters
Area : West Cornwall - North Coast
Crag : Robin's Rocks
Date of ascent : 01/08/2007 (02/08/2007)
Route Name : Flip-Flop
Length/grade/stars : 20m H Severe
Climbers : Mark Hounslea (solo). Crocs Continuation
- Iain Peters, Clive Davis, Bob Peters
Start location:
As for Robin's Rocks. Lowish tide. The route lies on
the slabs left of Sensible Shoes
Pitch descriptions:
25m 4b. Start. On narrow ledges at the base of
a slabby corner immediately above a tidal pool 20m
left of the groove of Sensible Shoes.
Traverse right then up and across a slab to an
undercut nose. Climb the corner to its left to the
top.
The Crocs Continuation.
15m 4b. At the undercut nose, swing right and
follow the slabby arete to the top.
Additional info:
Similar in concept but easier than Sensible Shoes. |
Submitted by : Charlie Pickin
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Bosigran, Landward Cliff
Date of ascent : 17/06/2006
Route Name : Holiday Slab
Length/grade/stars : 18m MVS
Climbers : Charlie Pickin, Lara Pickin
Start location:
The crusty inset slab 3m to right of first pitch of
Picnic
Pitch descriptions:
18m 4b
Climb directly up the middle of the slab to the
cracked overlap. Surmount the overlap at a point
between the cracks, and continue confidently in the
same line.
Additional info:
Presumably someone must have scrabbled this way
before, but I think still worth recording. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Lizard, Predannack Head
Date of ascent : 21/05/07
Route Name : Start the Week
Length/grade/stars : 50m Very Severe
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
A good exploratory route up the left side of the
crag. Start from a small ledge behind a huge boulder.
Pitch descriptions:
1 30m 4b Climb the groove/crack to a handrail
traverse leading leftwards below a bulging wall.
Having cleared the bulge climb up and rightwards to
a stance.
2 20m 4c Follow the L-ward trending crack above,
step left and take the obvious line past a bulge to
the top.
Additional info:
The crag on the tip of the headland is quite
extensive. Routes described can be reached between
Low & half tide. Scramble down the front of the
headland to a large ledge 25m above some shelves of
rock which are above HT mark. Abseil in from good
threads (or climb down at VDiff - care with rock). |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Lizard, Predannack Head
Date of ascent : 21/05/07
Route Name : Raconteurs' Route
Length/grade/stars : 45m Hard Severe *
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
Probably the easiest line on the cliff. At mid-tide
or below, traverse right from the non-tidal ledges
beneath the cliff to an obvious pillar at the base
of the main face. The route follows the crack rising
rightwards from the top of the pillar.
Pitch descriptions:
1 25m 4a/b Climb the crack to a steepening at 18m
then trend left to a stance.
2 25m 4b Pull straight over the bulge on good holds
then follow the crack on the open slab, bearing left
to pass the final nose. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Vellan Head, Africa Slabs
Date of ascent : 23/05/07
Route Name : Midnight Wall
Length/grade/stars : 50m E4 *
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
The impending black wall N of the slabby area gets
the sun from mid afternoon. Start below the obvious
niche on the right hand side of the wall.
Pitch descriptions:
1 25m 6a Climb to the niche, make a hard move to
break out and continue very steeply to a large
sloping terrace.
2 25m 5c Move left and climb the steep arête till it
eases. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Vellan Head, Hidden Buttress
Date of ascent : May 2007
Route Name : Falconer
Length/grade/stars : E4 6a
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn
Additional info:
Repeated The Falconer, which after the rockfall is
now the only route taking the central part of the
cliff. Still E4 6a and good climbing till the rock
quality deteriorates near the top forcing you to
escape rightwards. Serious. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Nantivet Cliff OS ref SW 682 135
Date of ascent : 22/05/07
Route Name : Give and Take
Length/grade/stars : 60m MXS
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
The only apparent breach in this 'impregnable'
cliff. Begins enjoyably.
Pitch descriptions:
1 8m Traverse right to belay at a big hidden crack
splitting the bulge.
2 52m 5b Climb through the bulge and follow the
groove pleasantly on to the upper wall. Continue
directly up the continuation groove, trusting
nothing, to reach poor belays at the cliff edge.
Additional info:
500m NW of Kynance Cove, a big barrel-shaped crag
forms the back of a small bay enclosed by the
rounded sea stack of Nantivet Rock. On the left (NW)
side of the crag a broken area of low-angled rock
forms a corner with the main mass. Approach by
abseiling 50 down the slabby rock to ledges near the
base of the corner. From about 2hrs after LW it is
possible to traverse right across huge boulders
beneath the cliff till they end at a flat rock. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Lizard, The Horse
Date of ascent : 22/05/07
Route Name : Queen of the May
Length/grade/stars : 45m HVS 5a ***
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
A rare beauty. Around to the right of Tie That
Crittur Down is a short groove leading to a
pedestal. Solo up to belay at the base of the
groove.
Pitch descriptions:
Climb on to the pedestal, step up left then trend
right to a good crack before bearing left again to
the edge of the face. Finish directly up the yellow
rib leading to the apex of the long groove on the
right. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Lizard, The Horse
Date of ascent : 24/05/07
Route Name : Sport of Kings
Length/grade/stars : 50m E3 5c ***
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
Right of Queen of the May is a long groove giving a
brilliant sustained pitch. Belay 4m down right from
QotM.
Pitch descriptions:
Traverse right for 6m then climb the wall to a bay
below the groove. Step left then follow the groove
all the way, sometimes using the left wall. |
Submitted by : Pat Littlejohn
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Lizard, The Horse
Date of ascent : 23/05/07
Route Name : Paleface
Length/grade/stars : 25m E4 6a *
Climbers : Pat Littlejohn, D Garner
Start location:
Dropping directly from the 'summit' of The Horse on
the South side is a silvery-coloured wall giving
unusual climbing for The Lizard - technical &
balancy.
Pitch descriptions:
Climb the groove leading to the wall; make difficult
moves using a thin edge then step left and bridge
the shallow groove until it is possible to step
right to easier ground. |
Submitted by : Tom Wright
- see comment below
Area : West Cornwall
Crag : Bosigran main cliffs
Date of ascent : 09/04/2008
Route Name : Tom and Jerry's indirect finish to
autumn flakes
Length/grade/stars : 180ft, E1 5b, 2 stars
Climbers : Tom Wright, Jeremy Goodchild
Start location:
Start at the bottom of autumn flakes.
Pitch descriptions:
Pitch 1: 20ft(4a) Pitch 2: 65ft(4a) Pitch 3:
95ft(5b)
For Pitch 1 and 2 follow the first 2 pitches of
autumn flakes. For the last pitch go straight up
from the second belay position and over a rounded
rock with a thin crack in the middle (crux move).
Then finish up the last pitch of Broadstairs.
Additional info:
Traditional
Comment submitted by Andy March:
I repeated this on the 3rd
May. I am confident that I followed the
description given, and I'm afraid it's absolute
rubbish !
- There is about 10 or
15 feet of independent climbing on the route -
the rest belongs to Autumn Flakes or Broadstairs.
- It's neither E1 nor 5b
- HVS 5a at most.
- It's absolutely
definitely not two stars! It doesn't actually
qualify as a route in my opinion, it's a minor
variation.
Normally this sort of
thing would get picked up by the next
guidebook/supplement writer, but a new 2* E1 on
the main cliff at Bosigran is likely to attract
a lot of attention in the meantime, and I'd hate
for other people to waste their time on this.
Comment by Iain Peters:
I would like to endorse
Andy March's comments on this "route". Whilst I
wouldn't want to discourage anyone from
exploring new lines, 'mature' crags like the
Main Face generally don't have many
undiscovered secrets except at the upper end of
the E grade. Broadstairs itself is one of the
more artificial routes on the crag, and the
middle sections of Autumn Flakes and Nameless
present a number of options. To my personal
knowledge the line described was being used by
many of us over 40 years ago to liven up a
day's instructing, but it never entered our
heads to record it.
It would also help the
guide writer if a new variation is
described only giving the pitch number and the
length of the actual variation not the whole
route. Sometimes significant variations are
given a name (viz. Boysen's Variant to Thin Wall
Special or The Chicken Run alternative on P1 of
the same route, but usually they are
just described as variations in the main text.
Sorry lads; better luck next time! If you're
looking for new routes in West Cornwall, get
yourselves into some of those deep dark zawns between
Rosemergy and Portheras.
|
