Routes in Hollywood Bowl

The clean corner at the L end of the slab.

Start: About 250—300m L of the main 'bowl' is a smooth recessed slab, bounded by corners at both ends. There you will find this route.

Up the crack and L-facing corner above. David Brereton, James McIntosh Nov 91.

Start: The central line on the wall, above the highest point of the huge detached block.

Traverse L just below the cave to the corner at the L end of the cave to belay. Traverse easily to the R to abseil as for 'Cannes'.

Start: To the L of 'Cannes' is a short wall capped by a cavernous roof, with a distinctive flaring chimney at its R-hand end. The 'Cannes' rappel is directly above this. Start at the boulder somewhere near the centre of this wall where a vague line leads up and L toward the cave above.

The L of the two obvious cracks just around L of 'Bowled Out'. Climb the crack for about 10m. Traverse easily L to finish up the arête. Abseil off.

The R crack and corner behind.

Rather contrived. An enjoyable enough route, but not in the same league as 'Romancing Times'. 1) 35m (crux) As for 'Romancing Times' but head up just L of the brown rock past an obvious under-cling at 25m. 2) 35m Up R, taking both overhangs pretty much direct.

Despite the crux being very run-out, James is reported to have declared this 'the best new route we have ever done'.

Start: Start as for 'Bowled Out'.

Start directly below the 'bowl'. 1) 45m Climb up into the foot of the 'bowl' then avoid major difficulty and lack of protection by skirting up and left around the 'bowl'. 2) 20m Up easily.

A pleasant mixture of slab climbing and exposed but juggy face-climbing. Start below central rib, on face R of 'bowl'. 1) 12m Climb the slab and veer R to belay at the L end of a ledge, at a tree. 2) 40m Go up L on to the slabby rib and climb it to the little roof. Go L and pull through the weakness. Up to the next roof, over it, and up cracks to the top.

1. 15m Up main L-leading dyke to belay as for 'Arrows of Desire'. 2) 40m Straight up to the R end of first little roof on 'Arrows of Desire'. Move R to easier ground, then head diagonally up L to finish on prow.

Good climbing with a poorly protected crux. Start from ledge at The Ballad of Idwal 'Slabs' anchor. 1) 40m Straight up to, and through small break in roof-let R of 'Arrows of Desire'. Traverse 2m L on flakes (poor RPs) to shallow groove. Up this (poor RPs), then delicately up and R to ledge. Finish up R side of prow.

Similar climbing to 'Arrows of Desire' but steeper and on even better holds. Start just R of the Ballad of Idwal 'Slabs', 4m L of the little corner. 1) 16m Climb the slab to a ledge. 2) 36m Climb the wall directly above to finish up twin cracks.

Start: Start as for "Chariot Of Fire".

1. 15m (-) As for "Chariot Of Fire".

2. 40m (17) Climb the wall tending left to the ledge. Move up to the base of the right diagonal ramp. Mantle this, then directly up the steep headwall.

Quite exposed on the traverse. 1) 35m Climb the scooped line R of Chariots of Fire into the corner above. Go up the corner to the R end of the slabby ledge and up the corner above. When just below the roof step R to a ledge. 2) 25m Pull over the overhang above the belay and traverse back L (watch rope-drag) on the lip into the L-leaning arch, which is followed in a dramatic position until the line heads up the steep wall above on surprising holds. 2a) 30m, grade 15**. traverse 4m left from belay, head up through the juggy break in small roof(!) in to the original line. Well protected.

40m 15, the 'S' shaped crack system. Up the line 10m to overhang [watch for brittle rock], through it to the original line.

Start: Start as for "Ancient Times"

1. 25m As for 'Ancient Times' to R-hand end of the ledge. Progress to block at top of slab. 2) 35m (crux) Up and R across wall on in-cuts to base of juggy crack in steep wall. Motor up (sling runners) to a rest on the lip. Cross 'Ancient Times' to finish directly up the steep, juggy head-wall.

Start 15m R of 'Ancient Times'. 1) 30m Follow the delightful arête. 2) 30m Climb the flake to the roof, L (brittle) into gully and up.

Airy traverse. May be a little easier if you are shorter than 5'9" / 170cm

1. 25m (16) As for Citizen Cane to ledge belay. Take lots of wires.

2. 25m (22) Up the fantastic steep juggy corner of 'Wings of Desire' , through right side of roof. Traverse the lip of the roof left (good medium cams, but way pumpy to place) for around 5-6m to open book corner. Wide steep bridging on good holds. Left under small roof to big ledge belay. Roped scramble off left (approx 15m), then over to either the abseil station above Citizin Cane or the 'Main Wall' abseil station.

A high-quality route. Start 15m R of Bubbles of Fantasy. 1) 25m (18) Up large L-facing corner then main wall, passing a small R-facing corner. At its top, step L, then diagonally R to orange sickle. Up jugs and R-facing corner to belay on ledge. 2) 25m (crux) L-facing corner to roof, boldly through this (#3.5 cam at lip), then up and diagonally L to rest on arete (fixed wire). Up, step L and up wall, finishing through bulge on L.

Sustained and absorbing face climbing. 'Excellent' protection available. Start a few metres L of Wing of 'Desire'. 1) 25m (16) Straight up face, moving slightly R at diagonal, then up to belay at R end of ledge. 2) 25m (crux) Traverse 2m R, then directly up the crack-line to the R end of striped mini-roof. Through this to overlap, and directly up veering slightly L to finish at the chain.

Sporty incuts up a sustained face, then exciting trad climbing up a steep weakness. Starts about 8m right of 'Wings of Desire' and 3m left of 'Trust'. Traverse left across pocketed wall (two FHs) then up the face above past horizontal break (cams) and onto face proper. Edge for pleasure on sideways sloping rails (three FHs) to crux move right into seam crack. Up this crack with a dogleg left past a huge fang for 20m to top trad belay. Full trad rack to #2 SLCD required.

Start as for Faraway so Close. Up then diagonally L past broken niche. Up R of 'gargoyle', finishing R of mossy streak. Join Faraway so Close 4m below top.

Appearances can deceive. 'Excellent' climbing.

The open-book crescent. Directly up off the block (RPs and other wires) to base of crescent. Move L past BR then back R above roof.

Step up R off block (RPs), then up (BR, FH), to join 'The Pillow Book' at base of crescent. Step R and up R side of arête (BR) to top.