Routes as sport in Castle Hill

Starts at the L hand side of the wall with the arch, at the big trail arrow painted on the rock, 3m R of O. Watch out for a loose hold at the 2nd bolt. Up jugs to below overhung scoop then up through scoop (don't pike-off left onto slab!) and directly up to mantle sloping ledge. Step R, up face, and over little block to good holds. Jug-haul runout up face and then up L to small ledge and double rings. Save your rope and rap off the rings rather than lower. 5 FHs.

Really good and solid for the grade. Starts at the R hand end of the arch. A bouldery start then up and R to the roof. The nut on the bolt above the roof maybe loose. Diagonally L to the massive chains.

Start 4m R of HANDIOTNZ at the closed seam. Good holds lead up the face to a hard move at the overlap. Over this and steeply up the face above to the rings.

Climb the face and avoid the arete. Be careful clipping the fourth bolt.

Starts 5m R of TEOR, around the next side of the pinnacle. Clip the 1st FH and climb onto the face before heading L around the arete and up the vertical face, avoiding any of the large cheat stones for your feet (FH). Up, clipping the 3rd FH off a LH mono before reaching for the arete. Continue up the arete (2 FHs) before traversing (crux) around the bulge clipping the tricky 5th FH. Now up the overhanging wall on jugs to the chains.

Same as Heiroglyphics but move a little further R up arete.

R of MFB on the seaward facing side of the pinnacle. Climb the gently overhanging finger crunching face past 2 FHs (crux). Trend L clipping the third FH from where the climb eases slightly, then move up the easy slab (2 FHs) to chains.

Good first lead or warm up. On the slabby side of the pinnacle facing Vision. Start 1m R of the arete, up the delicate slab and over the roof to chains. 4FHs

A climb perfect for beginners or a first multi-pitch.

1. Start on the slab left of the gully. Up slab and headwall to DRB. 10 bolts + anchor

2. Step R and up slab, through crux to easy ground to DRB. Can walk off left here. 8 bolts + anchor

3. Straight up slab to DBB. Can also walk off here. 8 bolts + anchor

4. Walk R 5m on ledge to slab. Traverse slab R to DRB. 5 bolts + anchor

5. Up slab through corner to DRB. 7 bolts + anchor

Up arete to DRB. About a 21 if you do not stem against the opposite wall - about a 16 if you do. High first bolt. Runout near the top. Potential for bad fall. Bolts not recessed.

Left of Insight P3. Up the layback feature to DRB.

A short but sweet beginner climb. DRB.

Start at ramp and up through boulder problem to lower-off DRB.

Start at ramp and up through boulder problem to lower-off DRB. If you use the ramp on left it's an 18.

An alternative traverse to P4 Insight. A bit chossy.

P4 of Insight but in reverse.

Approach via walking down the gully. Up slab to DRB of P4 Insight.

1. Start on right side of gully 5m from Insight as for VVS. Follow line of U-bolts up slabby, pocketed face to DUB.

2. Follow left-hand line of U bolts to DUB anchor.

3. Layback up pillar, stepping on to face to be confronted by technical movement with a slabby, right trending finish finish.

Links in from Hindsight to Vision pitch 2 anchors.

A 'Castle Hill' classic. A great climb to do in the afternoon. The route was rebolted in late 1998 and again in 2017 to make it completely safe. Simply great climbing with excellent positions up the top.

Start: Starts a few metres down R of TS. If you can't find TS, walk past the bouldering wall, keeping an eye out for a wide chimney (landmark) up through the grass on your L. Continue past this for a few metres, keeping on the track until you hit the (overall) third railing on the track. Once here, punch up the hill through the grass for 10m (no track) to the base of the blunt arête of the large, slightly detached block that is the start of the climb. You'll know you're on track if you see a series of big, silver 90 degree FHs quite close together up the face.

1. 20m (18) A tricky lead with some insecure moves. Easily to clip the first FH. Cruxy moves through to third FH. More FHs until you reach the crack where the climb eases. Chain belay behind the tree. 'Escape' off L (chains) is possible here, but keep climbing because the next pitches are better.

2. 20m (16) From the DBB behind the tree, step up onto the cheat stone and L onto the thin face past first FH. Nice moves past some thin stuff with odd thank-you-God jug will lead you past FHs to the massive, exposed slab with fantastic views, easy moves. More FHs up the slab until the ledge and DBB. A great pitch. You can scramble off L here if needed.

3. 30m (19) Step R using the slightly loose block to clip the first FH above the belay. Now instead of traversing R for the Vision Original Finish, continue straight up through the crux at midway following the bolts to the DBB.

You'll need 12 quickdraws + something for the DBB the anchor.

Speed Record

The current speed ascent record is held by Jarrah Brand-Adams & Christopher Glastonbury with a time of 7 minutes 15 seconds.

Glen Hayford & Sam Lavender 17:54.

18-12-19 Jarrah Brand-Adams & Christopher Glastonbury 10:45.

22-12-19 J B-A & CG 8:06.

22-12-19 J B-A & CG 7:15.

From Vision P2 DBB, clip the first FH of Vision and traverse R and up to clip the second FH - clean the first FH. Keep traversing R to clip the third FH - some climbers choose to now traverse back and clean the first FH to reduce rope drag. Head up to the fourth using a long sling and unclip from third bolt. Continue up and R past FHs to the corner. Sustained moves up the pocketed corner to the top. Use Vision anchors.

The Vision Direct Finish is a far more popular route these days due to the elimination of the traverse and rope drag.

The old DRB, along with the chains, can be found 4m back from the edge.

Bypass start by traversing in right from ramp on vision pitch 1

Starts 5m right of vision. Option to bypass start by traversing in from ramp on vision pitch 1. Can reach vision ledge via one bolt extension.

Starts about 7m R of Vision. Up flakes to clip first FH then up to second FH and up onto the slab and third FH. Now trend easily up and R to finish at double rings. A popular and fun sport route. 3 FHs.

Starts 4m R of OFTK just L of the tree. Up to clip first FH, move L and up 4m to clip second FH. Hard moves past this (crux) leads to jug and third FH. Mantle onto slab, runout past pockets and more slab to rings. Grade 22 for shorties.

Another classic on Castle Hill. "Saint" for obvious reasons, and "Sinner" because of the dynabolts. It needs to be rebolted.

There are four rap stations on the route and about 50 bolts in total. You'll need about 14 quickdraws and five hangers.

Starting on the far R of Hardman Wall uphill and R of the spiky pandanus tree; the direct start starts to the L of the spiky tree and is a similar grade.

1. 21 35m This pitch has 12 bolts and goes up some sustained territory with the crux above the 9th bolt. A real endurance-fest. Starting R of the tree, up to ledge, then L onto face and up following bolts.

2. 18 25m Follow the bolts to zig R up the slab, and then zag back L to chains.

3. 22 27m (crux) A wandery crux pitch. Up and R out the heavily bolted traverse, up, then an unlikely looking traverse L at the flake. Up the groove and R around final roof to chains.

4. 15 37m Up the crack (2 FH's) and find the line of hangerless bolts up the wall L of the major groove L of the Saint.

Up balancy face, then choose to quest up the groove or the often wet crack. Pull over bulge, then tiptoe up enjoyable slab to anchors. Permadraw at bulge to help when cleaning.

Traverse right from 'Maid in France' anchor then up exposed finish.

Stickclip first bolt and trend right using finger strength and balance. Over left to white streak, up crack to chains.

A clean line on exceptionally solid rock with intense crimps and pockets.

Break left 10m up Spitfire through a tricky bulge and featured face above.

Straight up the white streak

Start as for Hammerhart.

Stickclip first bolt below undercling flake, up this with tricky feet. Crimp through bulge to rest, then balance out right over to jugs

Stickclip first bolt below undercling flake, up this with tricky feet. Crimp through bulge to rest, then balance out right over to jugs, bail here (Hammerhalf 26) or continue up the quality face.

Reachy start with an optional batman to the first jug. Sustained and enjoyable with closely spaced bolts.

Put on a happy face for cruxy moves off the ground!

A challenging start!

Extension to Wings of Steel - a real slab adventure for true slab ambassadors!

Climb on some unbelievable scoops followed by a crimpy crux to the midway anchor.

A good crag warm up. A tricky start and finish with a flowery middle!

A gloriously varied and fully bolted multipitch passing the iconic 'Saint' high above Alias Wall. Outstanding climbing on the fourth and fifth pitches. Take 16 quickdraws.

1. Climb French Braids.

2. Some cruxy moves up headwall then trend left to crimps. Balance up slab heading right to pockets and then easily left to DBB.

3. Up vertical start then slab up to water streaked head wall with great crimps and edges. Move left to grey rock and jugs. Up diagonally right to delicate finish under steep wall.

4. Immaculate rock and quality climbing at the grade. Steep start with bouldery moves to jug shield. Left to amazing pockets and edges. Eases off over lip to anchors.

5. Up face avoiding huge detached pillar on the left next to the 'Saint'. Up to pockets and exposed jug hauling. Motor up face to cave below overhanging block. Step right around bulging block, high step up ramp moving left onto face. Jugs to finish on summit ledge with DBB.

Scramble up to tourist lookout (watch for broken glass) or abseil back down with a 60m rope.

The name say's it all!

A decent route, blessed with some good jugs.

Up the ramp to steep and funky orange groove.

Uphill from Bramble Scramble. Up slabby start to rib feature, over bulge then up continuous corner.

Break right from the 3rd bolt of MS to gain the corner. Funky crux through the roof to the engaging 3D groove above.

Starts 5m right of Open Project #3. Follow the first 5 bolts straight up over the crux to a right traverse then a easy climb to the DRB.

All aboard! Easier to rap down Spookeye.

1. The best pitch on the hill. Start 2m L of Spookeye p3. Up groove.

2. Up on interesting rock.

3. A dawdle. Descend via Spookeye.

Shares the first six bolts of Spookeye pitch 3. Instead of traversing R, the line continues straight up directly through the rooflet. Quest up to the mini-cave where you strike a golden rest before the final challenging moves to the anchor jugs. Stay clear of the suspect blocks directly up and above the anchors. There's gold in them hills!

Break right off Goldmine to follow a line of pockets.

Branch L off Spookeye p1. Find the key to the stopper start and be rewarded with brilliant pockets.

A unique gem with some of the steepest climbing on the hill! 14 draws required. A single 60m rope is sufficient to rap the entire route.

1. Up steepening ramp.

2. Left through roof to Sanctuary ledge.

3. Another cruxy pitch. Up the featured groove trending L, then move R to a powerful and pumpy finale.

4. Up the proud vertical headwall. It is worth rapping in to do this pitch if the lower pitches are above your paygrade.

5. Scramble to summit.

Sport multipitch geared to beginners who are keen to try a new skill. Morning shade. Chain anchors. Ten quickdraws. Abseil down with a 50m rope or walk uphill to the right from Spookeye start.

1. (14) Straight up black slab to big ledge.

2. (18) Step right from ledge then up to short corner, stem up this onto sloping ledge then traverse left to chains.

3. (17) Move left up to corner and crack, step right onto tree ledge then up onto slab for a few metres.

4. (15) Long straightforward slab.

5. (14) Short scramble to top.

Starting below the chains and moving up and to the right keep to the left of the easy corner and finish at chains.

Starts about 10m L of Oven Roasted under the shade of the tree. A manky start to the first BR but is compensated by good climbing thereafter. A good moderate clip-up (take five brackets). Starting below the BR up high, climb broken rock to clip first BR at about 5m. R through scoop and up to second BR. Nice moves to third BR. Up slab above, then reach L to clip final BR. A short crux above the final bolt gives the top. Watch out for loose holds.