Routes in Beche de Merl & The Pillar

Unprotected in places, take some big gear. Start at the crack system near the right end of the lower wall, 60m left of the detached pillar straight underneath chimney (way right of Serendipity Cracks).

1. 50m (14) Steep orange corner below fault.

2. 50m (17) Climb the wide corner to the roof to crack and on to slab to ledge.

3. 45m (19) Shallow, white chimney for a couple of moments, then right onto wall to ledge past carrot. Up bulges then crack through overhang and corner to ledge.

4. 25m (16) Corner and right to carrot on ledge. Scrabby crack on left and up to ledge.

5. 30m (16) Crack to belay on right.

100 meters west of Beche de Merle is a 90 meter pillar with a steep crack and chimney line on its left hand side. Start from high terrace, small cairn marks the start. Great climbing if you enjoy adventurous trad. Climb carefully - there is some soft rock, but protection is good where you need it. Pitches 5, 6 & 7 have bolts with fixed hangers.

Suggested rack: 1 set aliens or similar tiny cams, black diamond 2 x 0.3 to 1, 3 x 2 to 4, 1 x 5, 1 set of wires, 1 x red offset wire for pitch 5, lots of long slings.

P1, 15 meters, (20) Start at rightwards arching flake which is 1.5m right of a corner and 10m left of the fall line of the main crack system. Climb arching flake to ledge, walk right to belay. A #6 cam is handy to protect the first two meters, but you're not likely to place it anywhere else on the route.

P2, 30 meters, (20) Twin cracks to small overlap, step right, crack steepens, jamb and stem for 8m, crack widens, be careful of the big block, wide crack up to roof, move left to semi-hanging belay on cams (4, 5 & 0.5) in horizontal breaks.

P3, 30 meters, (17) Enjoyable wall and chimney, protected by spaced cams in horizontal breaks. Comfortable belay stance, large cams at shoulder height also a fixed 5m thread (rap anchor) at foot level.

P4, 40 meters, (18) Chimney, good climbing, some soft rock, protection via cams in horizontal breaks. When you reach the shale, move into the chimney, over large boulders and up to very top of the pillar on shale. Belay off 2 rings above you on the headwall.

P5, 30 meters, (21) Place gear and then commit to a big step into the thin corner for 8 metres, bomber small gear and crucial red offset. At the roof, step left to a bolt, then commit to a move on the arete and get prepared for a bowl quivering exposed traverse left for 5 more bolts to belay on edge of grey wall. 2 rings for belay.

P6, 30 meters, (21) Diagonally right across grey wall to shallow left facing corner, small cams, further right to bolt then up and right again to hanging arête, up past 4 bolts to ledge. Belay on 2 fixed hangers.

P7, 25 meters, (21) Straight up the orange and grey vertical wall protected by cams in horizontals and wires in unique slots and 3 bolts. Pumpy but lots of rests. Easy top out then walk up the slope 10m to 2 rings at your feet.

Can be accessed by abseil from the top of the wall. Belay on 2 rings. Vertical wall with amazingly solid small hold and lots of big holds. Straight up wall, fixed hangers plus horizontal break at 3/4 height for bomber 0.75 and 1 cam. Walk up loose slope 10m to 2 rings for belay.

Fantastic location, position and climbing on lovely orange rock. Shares 2 ring belay with TWR1. Traverse right staying low on the Bolts to get to the arete and big exposure. Bolts are where you need them, but if your intimidated by a bit of exposure a couple of cams, 1 and 2 will keep things sane. Great route and has belay rings at the top of the wall at cliff edge.