Cliff Guide for Lower Taipan Wall

24 (!!)

Start: L of 'Natural Wastage'

FA: Nick White, Nicky Sunderland, 1991

Natural Wastage

Good, hard climb up a gorgeous wall.

Start: Start a few m L of 'The Rubicon'.

FA: Steve Monks, Nick White, 1990

The Rubicon

A stream in wet weather.

Start: The major vertical corner from the terrace.

FA: Keith Lockwood, Andrew Thomson, 1972

Non-Passerine

They shall not perch.

Start: Start 5m R of 'The Rubicon'.

FA: Kieran Loughran, 1990

Tyger, Tyger

Burning bright. Has been seeing a resurgence in popularity.

Start: Start beneath the overhanging corner 20m R of 'The Rubicon'.

FA: Nick White, Andy Pollitt, 1990

Hardly.

Start: The second line R of Tyger, Tyger.

FA: Kieran Loughran, Maureen Gallagher, Nyrie Dodd, Geoff Little, 1990

Centaur

An enjoyable lower grade climb up a great line, which should become more popular now that it has a rap chain (since May '07).

Start: Back down at ground level, just before the track passes under the overhangs there is a major corner.

1. 21m (13) The crack just L of the corner to a ledge. Up the chimney to another ledge below a large roof.

2. 22m (13) Step across the gap and move around the roof and up the corner. The route originally topped out, but a chain has been added allowing a 30m abseil to a ledge 2m off the ground at the base of the climb. People using this abseil should wear helmets because of the fragile nature of the rock.

FA: David Mudie, Andrew Thomson, 1970

You have to clip about 12 lousy bolts before getting to the climbing. Has been done without hammering by Kirsty Hamilton. Overall grade is 11 M4 - but it is not clear whether each pitch deserves the grade.

Start: Start 15m R of 'Centaur' below the first weakness in the huge overhang.

1. 37m (11 M4) Follow bolts and the odd other piece to lip of roof. Continue up line until able to free to a ledge.

2. 24m (11 M4) Move L of the line, up the overhanging crack and up to the top.

FA: Andrew Thomson, David Mudie, 1970

Pegasus

Something of a hybrid. The first pitch is free except for one long aid point. The less significant second pitch still holds a few aids.

Start: The next hanging corner R of 'Icarus' is now easily identifiable by 2 shiny new FHs on the steeply undercut face below the corner. (This is a closed project which is attempting to free the batman start (extremely bouldery)).

1. 24m (31 M2) Batman to the first bolt above the FHs, continue up corner past dodgy old "Pollitt ring-bolts" to abseil anchor.

2. 31m (- M2) Free up to ledge below crack across roof. Aid roof and up to top.

FA: Thomson, Mudie (M4, 8). Andy Pollitt 30.11.90., 1970

Gilgamesh

Magnificent. HB almost freed it (30M1 - 1 point) but it took another 15 years for Ben to finish it off, by the skin of his teeth. So far he's suggested "maybe 30, 31" for the grade - we'll go with the latter!

Start: 10m R of 'Pegasus'.

1. 35m (31) Hard moves take you R through the roof 10m R of 'Pegasus' to crux into bottomless corner. On up corner to belay.

2. 27m (-) Easy ground.

FA: David Mudie, Stephen Due. Malcolm Matheson (One point) 90's, 1974

FFA: Ben Cossey, 2008

Inkido Roof

This steep and powerful roof looks like fantastic climbing, but unfortunately the bolts have not aged well and it is mostly only 4-5m off the ground requiring care to avoid groundfalls.

Start: Start 25m R of 'Gilgamesh' at the R end of the low rooves.

FA: Malcolm Matheson, 1993

Start: Start 8m R of 'Inkido Roof'.

1. 25m (17) The crack.

2. 15m (-) The chimney, then step L to the jugs. The quickest walk-down is the gully between Lower 'Taipan' and 'Reprisal Wall'. Find this by bashing 50m back to 'Afterglow Wall', then go 80m R until you're underneath 'Between the Sheeps' bouldering area. Turn R away from the rock and after 30m you're at the top of the gully.

FA: Melanie Taws, James McIntosh, 1987

Apollo

As for 'Artemis', but from the 1st bolt go 5m further L to narrow ledge. Great sustained moves up orange flakes and L over roof, onto the long pumpy headwall, finishing at a lower-off. NOTE: a 60m rope is probably NOT enough to lower off (a 70m should reach, but check first!).

Start: Start as for Zeus.

FA: Will Monks, Vanessa Wills, 2008

Artemis

Up Zeus for 5m then traverse 5m L. Builds up nicely to a fun roof at the top.

Start: Start as for Zeus.

FA: Will Monks, Jill Gara, Ross Timms, 2008

An old style route. (There is another climb called 'Time Warp' near Hall's Gap).

Start: Start about 10m R of Tyger, Tyger.

FA: Matt Walsh, Campbell Mercer, 1997

Bouldery start with no pro (a high runner in 'Centaur' may help).

Start: Start 2m L of 'Centaur'.

FA: Matt Walsh, Campbell Mercer, 1997

Despite the good climbing, the dangerous batman start off a jammed knot is likely to discourage people. It's not clear whether the first ascent used the batman technique or abseiled in to a hanging belay 5m above the deck! Maybe the tatty slings should go and people should place a hook from a long stick and batman up to it.

Start: Start about 20m L of 'Slap and Tickle'.

FA: Campbell Mercer, Matt Walsh, 1997

Bouldery start with no pro (a high runner in 'Centaur' may help).

Start: Start 2m L of 'Centaur'.

FA: Matt Walsh, Campbell Mercer, 1997

About 10m L of 'Inkido Roof' is a line of FHs and RBs leading into an appealing orange corner/seam above the big roof, with DRB halfway up the corner where the climbing obviously eases.

Blunt Instruments

The first 20m or so of this route is excellent. It basically follows the blunt arete 5m L of 'Centaur'. Strenuous climbing but on huge holds. (There is another climb called 'Blunt Instrument' at Black Ian's).

Start: Start just L of the arete.

FA: Campbell Mercer, Rob Pease, 1997