Routes in South-West England for selected grade

Up and right of the slot.

A direct route through the wandering line of Idleburger Buttress. Climb straight up and then to the left of the obvious roof where Idleburger Buttress goes right.

A well-travelled line up the slab and corner in the centre of Evening Wall. Start at the left side of the slab where it abuts a steep wall. Make a bouldery move over the low overhang to get established on the slab. Climb the polished slab, with a move right to runners in a thin horizontal crack halfway. Gain a ledge at the base of the steeper upper corner. Follow the corner to an exit on the left. A variation finish up the wall and overhang right of the final corner is also worthwhile.

Alternative route off lunchtime ledge to Direct Route.

1. Easy, 25m.

2. 4a, 30m.

3. 4a, 25m.

Rockfax Description Popular and often climbed but care is needed with the route finding. Start 4m left of the Central Rib belay at some short walls leading to a big grassy/vegetated ledge.

1. 15m. Scramble up ledges and at the big grassy/vegetated ledge go left and back right to a belay under a dark grey wall with two noticeable slanting borehole strikes in it.

2. 4a, 25m. Head up past the overhang above and on up to reach an iron spike. Move up past an overlap and then trend leftwards next to a shallow rib until a traverse left can be made to gain a small tree. From the tree take the steep flake and bulge to a good small stance.

3. 4a, 15m. Climb up to a borehole (thread) and make some steep moves up to a rib and easier ground. Climb up past a tree to a straightforward finish.

Start to the right of the red wall. P1)Climb the ramp up to the rock anchor and a borehole with two pegs. P2) climb the borehole and follow the crack and corner right wards. Go left at the top and abseil from the tree.

A long diagonal line leading from the base of Giant’s Cave Buttress to the top of Liverbird Buttress. An esoteric route with sections of climbing, interspersed with scrambling and more vegetated ground. Not the highest quality climbing, but an interesting mountaineering type adventure if you don’t mind a little scrub bashing...

Go through the gate from the road and take the path on the right, as if heading for Giant’s Cave Buttress. Start where a toe of rock pokes forward from the wall in a little buttress. This is the first obvious clean bit of rock on the path, around 5m along.

P1 Climb directly up the little slabby buttress of rock with sparse gear (4a). Continue in the same line on easier ground to belay from several small trees. 20m

P2 Move left for a couple of metres into a slabby sort of vague gulley line. Climb this in a diagonal up and left, runners in cracks on the right. Continue easily up more vegetated ground in the same direction, towards a little easy angled buttress. Scramble up this on a narrow area of rock. Walk across the top of the Buttress and go up the easily angled Lizard Slab for a few metres to nut, spike and small tree belay near the top right corner. 40m

P3 The objective is a tall tree, seen directly above. To the left of Lizard Slab is a steeper slab, Crumbling Slab, the right side of its base guarded by brambles. Traverse left for a few metres under the brambles to the left side of Crumbling Slab. Climb the slab using cracks and the sharp left hand arete (Crumbling Arete), 4a. Move off the slab onto the arete where it flattens, taking care as the rock here is especially loose. Walk along the top of Crumbling Arete to a rock tower, Pigeon Tower. Climb the tower enjoyably on mostly good large holds but with no convincing gear. Continue up the same line more straightforwardly, over a smaller easier angled outcrop. Walk left for a few metres to belay from a cluster of trees. 40m

P4 Walk left past brambles (causing inevitable rope drag), keeping close to the cliff edge to stay on rock. Clamber up a muddy slope to reach some rock (for hands, at least) and runners. Carefully traverse left, then slightly downwards on dirt ledges to reach a cracked rocky block (runner). Continue to keep left close to the cliff edge to stay on rock, on a slightly rising diagonal, to reach an obvious big ramp. Scramble up the ramp (runners in cracks in the wall on the right) to reach plentiful nut belays in the wall near the top of the ramp. 40m

P5 Continue easily to the top of the ramp, until it is simple to escape up and rightwards. Clamber up a short steeper vegetated slope to reach the railings at the top. 15m

An airy route, initially straightforward, but increasingly challenging as it gains height. A good route at this grade, which is poorly represented in the Avon Gorge, and ideal for a Severe leader looking to improve their all-round skills. The rock is good, and the lower section of the route well protected. Start by abseiling from the tree at the top of Limbic Dystrophy to the capacious well-protected mid-way belay ledge of that route. From the belay ledge easily up the rightward-trending open groove to ledges, then follow the continuation groove with more interest and exposure until forced left onto narrow ledges. After arranging protection ascend the increasingly exposed and delicate right-trending continuation groove to the top. Belay at the tree.

To the south (right) of the main West Face of Suspension Bridge Buttress is a much shorter buttress with much of its top section under black keep netting. There are three routes on the crag; this is the central one of the three.

A pleasant route that takes the wall right of the start of The Return of the Fencing Master, exiting as for that route. Starting at the short stepped rib just to the right of the two large rock anchors, climbing the wall above on the right using crystal pockets. At the ledge system step right and climb the clean wall (peg) enjoyably to a larger ledge. Gain the attractive groove 2m left and climb to the large bay, and move left (care needed with slippery netting underfoot) to join the final section of The Return of the Fencing Master. Traverse the ridge to a large tree and excellent stanchion.

Descent: Abseil of the tree (no strop fitted currently) or descend on foot via the keep netting and easy angled slabs to the south. Height

A supprisingly good route with solid gear and a nice position. The first obviously cleared route on the left hand end of the crag.

Climb the big corner crack in the centre by layback or jams

The far right crack, amenable and well protected.

Climb the left hand of the three distinctive slanting cracks.

The righg hand crack is followed to a delicate move near the top or move right at a horizontal crack to a belay just above the boulder bridge. There is a direct start up the thin crack to the right - very severe 4c

the eye catching crack in the wall to the right of mucky gully.

the eye catching crack in the wall to the right of mucky gully. start the same as mucky gully below the long corner.

A high-moorland classic that features crack-climbing in all of its guises. It is possible to run the upper pitches together. Start on the right side of the flake that sits at the base of the gully.

1. 9m. Climb the crack and then the groove above (it is also possible to climb the left face of the groove) to a good ledge.

2. 9m. Chimney up the steep crack and exit onto a large ledge and belay.

3. 9m. The easy chimney above to finish. Belay on blocks. © Rockfax

a fairly tough line that has some very good moves and feels much longer than it actually is. start at a crack system 5m right of the edge of the crag.

the capping overhang that runs right across the wall has a number of breaks that provide cruxes for all routes that cross it. start just right of omega crack

a much attempted line that sees some epics. start below the cracks that point the way to the middle break in the upper overhang.

another good little pitch that is perhaps the easiest of the three severes on this section of the wall. start at the base of the crack that leads to the right of the overhangs.

This route offers breathtaking views from a location that imparts a sense of remoteness, making it relatively popular among climbers.

Begin at the tip of the promontory, where a narrow left-facing corner awaits. Ascend the corner until you reach a sloping ledge on the left, where the corner gradually disappears.

From there, traverse towards the right and climb a crack that leads to the top of the promontory. Set up a belay point there. To descend, scramble along the crest of the promontory.

Four contrasting pitches split by good belay ledges. The difficulties on the second pitch are 'traditional' meaning probably harder than VDiff! Start at a tree at the base of a vertical corner that is at the beginning of The Easy Way Down.

1. 23m. Climb the corner with a thin crack, and another couple of corners above it, to a huge flat ledge with various tree belays.

2. 4a, 10m. Can be avoided on the right. Walk right to a well defined hand crack. Boulder up the fun wall and overlap just to its left and then the more technical polished groove in the next wall. Belay at a tree and cracks in the short wall above.

3. 18m. The buttress above is climbed via an excellent crack just left of two small trees. Belay on good ledges above.

4. 12m. Climb a thin hand crack up the centre of the final buttress just right of a tree. Belay at the top on flat ledges.

Like its near neighbour, there is lots of entertainment to be had on this route including some tough but avoidable moves on the third pitch and a fine arete on the fourth. Start at a corner 5m down and right of the beginning of The Easy Way Down.

1. 10m. Climb the slightly earthy corner to ledges (on The Easy Way Down) and belay at a tree.

2. 18m. Just to the right is a short rectangular section of rock, above which is a wide crack. Gain the wall right of the crack and climb it boldly to a ledge above the wide crack. Head up right of a tree to a corner and take this to a huge flat ledge. Walk right to belay at a 3m well-defined hand-crack.

3. 4a, 10m. Nip up the hand-crack and then move over to below a short well-scratched finger-crack. Climb the crack - hard - and then easy ground to belay below a short slab just right of a tree.

4. 18m. Climb the short slab and move up to under the blocky arete of the buttress above. The arete, started on its right-hand side, is excellent. Belay on good ledges above.

5. 12m. The crack-line up the final buttress gives a fine finish. Belay at the very top of the crag on flat ledges.

The Severe finish to the 'Direct Route' on the third pitch. Climb the steep wall behind the belay for 15m.

Nice route with meandering traverses.

Tree belay at end of 1st, 3rd and 4th pitches. Peg, nut and stake belay at end of 2nd pitch. The second pitch is the standout. Beware the polish.