Routes in Wye Valley for selected grade

A traditional expedition starting up Simplex, taking in The Tap and finishing up Bacchanalian. Described in the 1977 and 1987 guidebooks, it was subsequently split into the three routes comprising it and omitted in the 1997 and 2007 publications.

A reasonable way of reaching the Central Ledge - where the routes on the upper section of wall begin. Can be a bit grassy in the crack. Start 9m right of a plaque and just left of a tall tree growing next to the crag. Move up an open groove and then traverse right to below a crack. Climb the crack past a peg on the left to the Central Ledge.

50ft 4c, 70ft 4c

Third pitch crux is good value for VS. Start at the right hand side of the cliff (north wall) and follow the obvious crack line in the corner over the small overhangs. Belay on the first decent tree. continue behind the belay, up a corner groove and over another small roof to a big tree belay again. Now go slightly left then back up right a few metres to near another tree and climb up from there to the base of the obvious slab with the overlap at the top. Moves up the slab past a finger ledge to the overlap are quite tricky and would be very bold but for the peg. Pull over and belay on the great terrace. The 4th pitch looks terrible, better to finish up right hand route (straight up through the obvious v-notch in the overhangs then up the easy chimney), or you can just reach the ground from the great ledge with an abseil on double 50m ropes.

Well-travelled, with the second pitch being particularly good. Start about 10m up the slope right of the edge of the buttress at a corner that heads up through vegetation.

1. 4a, 21m. Follow the corner to a ledge and continue up the cleanest rock on a rib to the right to a ledge and tree belay.

2. 4c, 28m. Head up to a spike of rock (thread) in a small corner and then move carefully up and leftwards to a wall and thin crack (peg). Climb the wall above to a ledge (peg) and then on up to a small overhang (peg). Traverse right to a couple of corners that lead to the Great Ledge. Belay at the abseil station.

A variation on John's Route on the second pitch.

Pitch 2 - 45m, from the second overhang trend rightwards (rather than going left) to some vegetated ledges. Follow the shorter hard wall to easier ground and some cool quartz holds. Continue on to an overgrown top out. Difficult to find a good belay, maybe a couple of rotten tree roots or the stone wall, or risk the traffic on the road?!

Plenty of interesting climbing though the line is a little meandering and grassy in places. Start at left end of the second ledge of the approach scramble – a bolt high on the wall above is easily seen but not on the line of this route.

1. 4c, 24m. Move up to below an overlap and then gain a slim corner on the left with difficulty (peg). Climb the corner and, when level with a tree on the left, traverse a break to gain the tree. A wide rib above is followed to a good ledge and tree belay.

2. 4c, 14m. Above is a thin thread in a pocketed crack (also on Bottle Buttress). Climb the crack to a ledge and then up the easier wall just right of a tree to a ledge, tree and block belays.

3. 4c, 35m. Climb a ragged crack up on the left and then continue up a slab to grassy ground. Head left to a crack on the left-hand side of the steep wall above. Move up the crack and use holds on the right to reach easier but broken ground and follow this to a tree belay. The Easy Way Down is off to the left.

broken and scrappy. from the tall sycamore, climb grooves rightwards past a sapling to a sapling and a bush, and then a short wall with a long reach for a hold to pull up onto a little slab. move up and right onto a grass ledge climb directly up to a bush and a tree belay, just left of the central rib corner.

Nice crack line to the right of hte arete. Bolted loweroff.

The rising diagonal line on the slab just right of Glass Gully.

A reasonable climb with good positions. CLimb onto the enormous tree projecting from the foot of the crag and climb the wall above to a break. Step up and left onto the arete, gain a ledge above and move out right to a concealed hold on the crest of the arete. Finish up this.

Start up Always the rain, before stepping left behind bushes and climbing groove to the ledge