Routen in Central Crag

Rock requires care in places. Start -At the centre of the buttress is a narrow chimney a little right of a tree growing on the face.

1. 15 m - The chimney is difficult until a large hold on the right wall is reached. Climb the wall and move left to the foot of a steep groove.

2. 15 m - The shallow line of weakness right of the groove is more difficult than it looks.

Start in the corner crack 8 m to the left of the White Spot.

1. 15 m - Up the crack until holds on the left wall are reached. Up these to a large ledge with a huge flake. Step onto this and climb the wall above to a large block belay at the Junction with Jamhuri.

2. 15 m - 2nd pitch of Jamhuri.

Start - Just to the left of the white spot is a groove 20 feet up a smooth wall with pocket holds leading in from the left, near the start of the Scab.

1. 18 m - From the crack on the left a thin traverse gains the base of the groove. Go up to reach a ledge using a peg to get onto this. Strenuous moves up to the top of the groove and a peg beneath the overhang leads to a tree. Up to a ledge.

2. 9 m - Up the crack behind with a struggle through the sapling.

Start at a chimney to the right of the white spot and to the left of a big block.

1. 24 m - Up the chimney and left over doubtful flakes. Up and left into a groove and up to a small tree. Continue past a ledge to a second ledge with a belay on the left.

2. 12 m - Up the crack with a shrub in it finishing up the rib on the right.

Start as for white spot ordinary.

1. 9 m. - Climb the chimney to the top of the detached pinnacle.

2. 15 m - The blind groove on the wall is climbed for 3 m, then swing left and up to overhand. Move left and up, then diagonally right to the top. A very pleasant pitch. Sparse protection according to 1967 guidebook, maybe different with modern gear.

The large corner chimney. Very difficult for 6 m and then a walk with a problem at the top.

Start between Capstone Chimney and the large tree.

1. 12 m - Up to the left to a shrub covered ledge and then up to a tree in a corner.

2. 18 m - Move right and up the edge of the buttress (hard) or swing into bushes on the right. Up over ledges to good finishing holds.

Start between Capstone Chimney and the large tree.

The next prominent feature is a 35 foot long roof halfway up the cliff with a cave behind it. Start 3 m left of a slanting groove leading to the left end of the overhand at the foot of a vertical groove. The climb lies up this groove in two pitches.

1. 18 m - Climb the groove to a stance below a short wall.

2. 18 m - A few good moves up the wall on the left, then the groove and slab above.

Start at the foot of the slanting groove leading into the cave. lM> ft. - Climb the chimney and slanting groove moving on$o the pleasant slab R 1 al i Ighl. Large block belay below the cave. SJF 60 It - Climb over the belay into the cave and up the groove just inside the cave.

Start just right of the overhand 12 m right of Durin’s Chimney.

1. 18 m - Climb cracks and grooves to the large tree. Belay.

2. 9 m - Move left and climb the nose of the steep slab, step left into the grooves and pull up into the huge cave (this exposed pitch can be protected by a line sling on a small flake high on the right side of the slab).

3. 12 m - Climb the chimney from the centre of the cave, moving diagonally right until it is possible to swing into the groove outside above the bulge. Climb easily to the finish.

Start as for Balrog.

1. Up to ledge and swing right to land on a large ledge.

2. 21 m - Up the crack using pegs for aid until it turns into a groove and then a chimney which is climbed free to the top. The first part could probably be done with less pegs if alcoholism is avoided the night before!

Severe at the first ohockstone; Very Difficult beyond. Start in corner 40 feet right of Balrog at the foot of a pinnacle-like boulder.

1. 9 m - Climb the corner chimney to below the chockstone which is climbed on the right with difficulty. Delay.

2. 27 m - Scramble left through creeper and go up on easy gully and through a hole into a chimney behind a tall flake. Climb the chimney - fine back and foot work into the groove above and over the chockstone into an easy gully.

Start in a recess of the the crag (just left of the Riddle), below a wall with an enormous undercut flake on it.

1. 24 m - Move easily up blocks lo base of flake. Fine layaway moves up the flake to enable its sharp top to be reached. From the top of the flake move left into crack and up lo ledge. An awkward move left leads up to the edge which is followed to the top

Start at the foot of a corner with a large fig tree a third of the way up.

1. 12 m - Up the corner, past the tree, to platform on right.

2. 12 m - The corner steepens and narrows at 6 m, providing a riddle which, when solved, should have exercised the brain more than the muscles

Start - This goes up a large slab to the right of the corner followed by the Riddle.

1. 24 m - Ascend the thin wall about 2 feet to the left of the rib via a groove to a ledge. Up the cracked overhand to a large tree and belay.

2. 15 m - Climb the right hand arete of the chimney of riddle for 5 feet and then break right onto the face and climb direct to top. Variation: 2(a) Climb the face direct to the top about 3 m to the right of the chimney. This is thin but more in character with the rest of the climb. A peg for protection would be useful. Not yet led.

Start 8 m feet right of the last climb at the foot of a leftward slanting slab.

1. 21 m - A rising traverse left up into a corner leads to a gentle slab.

2. 22 m - The corner above to the right.

Start about 3 m right of Garden Path just left of a crack.

1. 15 m - Straight up to a large platform and up by the steep crack on the right into the hole under the overhanging top boulder, runner, move right and up over the bulge. Belay among trees.

2. 23 m - Press through the trees into the corner which is climbed by a crack and later a chimney until easy rocks lead to the top.

A delightful climb Start 5 m right of Garden Path on the left wall of the short chimney

1. 12 m - Climb the wall and crack over a bulge and traverse left to a belay on the afforested ledge.

2. 5 m - Traverse right across the top of the chimney to a large ledge.

3. 15 m. - Semi-hand-traverse left and mantleshelf onto the nose. Climb the ridge on good holds. A fine pitch.

4. 6 m - Easy rocks to the top.

Pleasant, well protected, varied and on clean rock. Climb chimney, exiting at top through hole. Now left side of a pillar up fractured blocks; belay on a pinnacle -15m. Traverse right across wall to gain ledge with tree -5m. The corner above, taken direct with fine jamming to top -10m. Or finish up an easier wide crack on the right.

From just below the pinnacle belay on Fracture an excellent alternative is to climb the top pitch of Ridge Way; hand traverse L and mantelshelf onto a ledge on the ridge. Follow ridge to the top (111+).

A girdle traverse from The Swinger to Capstone Chimney. Start at the large tree 10 yards right of Fracture. Up 6 m and left to ledges crossing Fracture. Continue beneath an arch on Ridge Way and into trees on Rock ’n Roll. Easy slabs lead across Garden Path and diagonally upwards to a platform with a tree belay on The Riddle. Move down and across the wall on large loose-looking flakes. Scramble down to reach the top of pitch i on Capstone Chimneys. Up to the left on slabs to the large ledge on Hangover. Swing left onto tree on Balrog. Pitch 2 of Balrog (V.S.) or easier left to foot of overhanging chimney which the leader surmounts with the aid of a shoulder. Through the cave and down Durin’s Chimney for some way before moving left across Dodder to Doddle. Down into a corner thicket and swing up into Capstone Chimney using a tree. Scramble up the bed of the chimney with a final pull out at the top. There is a fair amount of scrambling and the whole route is well protected with many belay points.

1. 8m, 4a

   Start at the foot of broken groove midway between 'Fracture' and 'The Threader'.

   Climb the groove 5m, before launching rightwards over hanging slab. Step back left behind small pinnacle to belay on small fig tree.

2. 25m, 4b

   Climb offwidth crack on left past handy chockstone to surmount pointy boulder on left. Step right onto face a climb rightwards before stepping left below small roof. Climb loose overhang to pathetic tree on ledge. Continue up the dihedral, over boulders to top.

Start at an enormous tree 10 yards to the right of Fracture.

1. 27 m - Up past the tree and to the right of the main chimney then a little left using holds on the slab and two or three pegs to reach the small tree with white root 2 pegs used for aid to reach the tree. Swing right and mantleshelf onto the arete place 2 pitons above the overhang (very wide channels used) and move up into a steep groove and pull out onto a tree on the right to reach a ledge (The wedge in place here was not in fact used).

2. 9 m - Up the arete on the right and step left across the groove to easy ground which leads to the top.

30m right of Fracture in a shady bay between boulders and trees, a steep comer leads to a slab with caves and nests below big overhangs.

Veerog starts at base of a groove; some fine moves and positions on this climb, but the 1st pitch (originally aided) is now unpleasantly free; after the groove traverse a steep slab R-wards to gain a ridge; climb a slab on right to a small tree. Above this balance into a corner on left and climb this past a tree and a bulge to the top.

Start 25 feet left of Cliff’s route at the foot of a groove with a tree root. The climb goes up this and then across to (ho detached pillar and up the left hand side of the pillar chimney. Cliff’s route going up the right hand side.

1. 30 m - Climb the corner and up to a tree above the chockstone (runner) traverse right to the pillar, belay deep inside the chimney.

2. 18 m - Climb the chimney up its left edge until it is possible to move onto the top of the pillar. Belay round the pillar.

3. 9 m - Step down into the groove and so to the top. A strenuous and sustained climb in a fine position.

The next climb In very fine one, the route as described appears to differ only slightly from Barry Cliff’s route which, in the rain, took a line deeper in the chimney. This gives an alternative way of doing pitch 2 and avoids the chockstone; a pity. Start below the V formed by facing grooves, 9 m left of the Mummy.

1. 12 m - Climb a short groove and easier rock to a belay below a large block at (lie Junction of the two grooves.

2. 9 m - Move into the left hand groove and up the chimney to the projecting chockstone. Turn this on the left using a dubious flake as foothold.

3. 18 m - Climb the bulging groove above - sustained.

Start at the obvious crack up the left side of the Mummy. Climb an easy angled corner crack which steepens at the top. The rock in this section is very polished. Reach a chockstone, this wobbles and should not be pulled outwards. Continue up the cleft on right and pull over the bulging chockstone. Go up the chimney a bit then take the right wall and up to the ledge. Climb the wide corner crack above to the top of the Mummy. Climb the corner above to join pitch 4 of Morning Shade. You can also rap from the big tree rather than go all the way to the top of the cliff.

(originally done in 4 pitches but can easily be done in one with modern gear).

Start on the right of the Mummy in the cave between the Mummy’s Child and the ma face.

1. 6 m - Climb either the root or the inside of the chimney (a shoulder helps) exit through the chockstones.

2. 8 m - The right hand corner up to a tree.

3. 8 m - Traverse loft and up to a large tree.

4. 10 m - Take the right hand corner to a platform.

5. 12 m - Move left and up a corner to finish.

Variation start:

1. 12 m - Start deep in the cave at its narrowest part and chimney up with difficulty on smooth rock until it is possible to move into the flue-like chimney and into the open again at a large platform, various chockstone runners en route

2. 9 m - Climb the steep crack in the centre of the wall and join the traverse up to the tree as for pitch 3 of the original route.

Start to the left of Crackpot where a dead tree hangs down below the overhang on-the wall.

1. 24 m - Very hard fingery moves up a blind crack lead to a good horizontal crack to the left of a dead tree. Traverse left to the edge of the buttress and step around the arete to a cave and climb the overhanging wall above using twin tree roots, belay on a large tree.

2. 9 m - Easily up the groove to a bushy slab and another tree.

3. 21 m - Up groove behind until it steepens. Traverse left along an enormous flake to the next corner and up this to the top. The direct finish has not yet been done owing to loose rock and an absence of holds.

This is the whole of the left hand groove on Central Buttress. Start below the bottomless groove.

1. 24 m - Use a sling on a spike and a peg (in place) with an etrier to gain 3 m [ed: unsure if still in place in 2020]. Move left to ledge and back right to base of groove. Bridge and chimney to a niche with large chockstones (used as belay for Crackpot ordinary). Continue up steep blind corner above, crux, until one can move right to belay ledge. (A poor peg was used for protection on the crux, but is not necessary.)

2. 24 m - Step back into groove and up to overhanging block. A peg was used for a handhold to stand on the block then hard moves up (crux) to get over bulge and up to ledge on left. Continue up crack to overhanging blocks at top which are surmounted directly.

Variations

Crackpot Ordinary

HVS

1. 18 m - As for Crackpot to niche.

2. 34 m - An obvious traverse line leads up to left (easily) to a large bollard at left arete. Straight up above is a good crack which goes blind after a while with an awkward move, then move easily to the top.

Crackpot Misdirect 49 m HVS

1. 24 m - As for crackpot to belay ledge.

2. 24 m - Above belay in centre of the wall is a small tree. Move straight up to this and then into crack above. Up to triangular overhang, surmounted by bridging, and then handjam up steep cracks above (huge blocks appear detached but seem sound). Straight on up to the top.

This is the right-hand groove on the central buttress.

Start to the right of the direct line at the obvious line of weakness.

Sustained, fine climbing.

1. Start at the painted 43 and climb a steep slab on poor rock to an obvious crack breaking through bulges above. Climb crack (peg runners, crux) to a ledge below the corner proper. Go up this initially using the right wall till a step left leads to a ledge and belays on left (25 m).

2. Step right into comer and climb the groove, overhanging at first; at a chockstone climb the right wall then continue to the top (25m).

Just right of the slab start of Party Grooves is a small, short right-facing corner. Start just right of large flake below an overhanging crack 9 m up.

1. At the painted numbers 44,45 and 46, climb to a bulge and surmount it by a shallow crack to a resting ledge. From right side of this a short R-facing comer leads to base of groove proper. Take it by a steep, strenuous jamming crack. Belay on a ledge above and on right (25m).

2. Move right and up to a ledge in the next corner; step back left to finish by the main corner (20m). A direct finish is a fine, sustained and well protected pitch climbing the main corner throughout.

Start in the corner on a little platform below a chimney.

1. 12 m - Climb a crack on the steep left wall; then take the right of twin cracks up to a tree belay.

2. 18 m - Up behind the tree to the foot of an undercut groove, ignore this and climb the right wall by a tree on to a slab, difficult. Cross the slab to the right and swing up Into a steep crack and up to a tree belay.

3. 6 m - Climb the loose-looking corner above.

The description below is a more pleasant variation of the original way which, above the tree belay of pitch 1, moves up and traverses right across a smooth wall and slab (with the help of a sapling) to gain a tree and hence the top. Start one metre right of Nutcracker (painted 45,46,47).

1. Climb a crack up the wall, then take the right of twin cracks to big tree above (25m).

2. Reach a ledge on the nose to left (tree not required). Climb to a corner, then to a ledge below a very steep corner (15m). Step Left from ledge to top part of the steep corner which is the finish of Nutcracker Direct; take this to the top.

This goes up the ignored groove of Knight’s Move. A fine pitch in an exposed situation.

Start as for Knight’s Move

1. 14 m - Climb the chimney to a belay below the steep cracks.

2. 9 m - The 1eft hand of the twin cracks up to a tree belay (the same crack as I reached by the Knight’s Move across the slab).

3. 8 m - Move up right to finish.

A magnificent climb.

Start to the right of Mwa! in a deep corner behind the tree just around the edge of the buttress.

1. 21 m - Up the corner on good jams for 6 m until the roof forces an awkward step onto slabs on the left. In 3 m good holds lead to the arete and up to a large easy ramp leading right to a belay on top of large blocks.

2. 12 m - Up the corner crack behind to a large roof split by a good crack on left. A flat looking ledge on the left wall surprisingly turns out to be a good Jug. Mantleshelf onto this and then climb a crack containing a huge long block to a good thread belay.

3. 6 m - The right hand crack leads more easily to the top.

A technical and well-protected route on excellent rock. Good. Start 3 m right of the tree at the right of the foot of Surprise where a line of pockets for footholds leads left.

1. 32 m - The problem is to enter the corner crack behind the tree. Using pockets for the feet a mantleshelf can be made with some difficulty. This leads to a move (crux) into the corner above the bulge. Long reach is an advantage. The corner leads past a chockstone belay on the ridge at the right hand end of the overhang.

2. 11 m - The right hand wall gives a pleasant finish.

Start at the foot of the wooded gully.

1. 11 m - Scramble up the gully and up a short wall to a trough, tree belay on the left.

2. 12 m - Climb the right hand corner (a peg was used for a handhold at 9 m). Move onto an awkward stance below a V chimney. Belay on a large flake high on the right, or use this as a runner and lead straight through.

3. 11 m - Straddle the V chimney and move across to the large flake, climb easier but polished rock above and exit on the left.

Start at the foot of the buttress, 40 feet right of the previous climb at the foot of a larj tree which grows a root down the rock. 1 2

1. 50 ft. - Climb the wall by the tree root into a short chimney, to a stance oi large sloping ledge behind the tree. j

2. 70 ft. - Move up to the right to the foot of a short undercut groove, climb tl and the n ai l above until just below the top; climb the crack on the left wall to top.

Crosses Radical from right to left. Start 6 m the right of Radical start where there is a line of weakness just left of a detached pinnacle.

1. 18 m - Climb diagonally left to mantleshelf in a corner and then traverse out (airy and well protected) onto the face where a further mantleshelf leads into a groove. This ends at a block belay at the base of the undercut groove on pitch 2 of Radical.

2. 24 m - Traverse left and either climb straight over the overhanging continuation of pitch 1 of Radical (crux not led) or take the wall 10 feet to the left where 2 high holds lead to easier things (crux) then follow the obvious weakness to the top.

Start 3 m right of the last climb, 3 m left of a large 9 m block, detached from the main crag.

1. 11 m - Climb the wall and groove to a chockstone belay in a recess.

2. 9 m - The sidestep, avoid the terrifying crack above by traversing left and ascending a delectable slab on good holds.

3. 9 m - The wall and corner above give an interesting crux with difficult jams on loose flakes.

This climb traverses the crag from Mwa! to Sidestep taking a natural line. A satisfying climb. Well protected.

1. 14 m - Climb the chimney of Mwa!, belay on the right.

2. 9 m - Descend the slab on the right and belay below the overhang.

3. 15 m - Climb the overhang and traverse right over blocks to the corner over looking the wooded gully. Arrange a belay on the last block and descend to the narrow ledge on the gully wall.

4. 15 m - Crux. Climb across into the corner - the top of pitch 2 of Third Time Lucky. Bridge up and gain the flake on the right, traverse right from the top of this flake and move delicately down to the large ledge.

5. 15 m - Move right to the small tree on Radical 2nd pitch, step down and on detached flake and across to the slab of Sidestep, go up to the belay.

6. 9 m or 15 m - Finish either up the slab and corner above - Sidestep pitch severe; or, easier, descend the slab below the belay, step right and finish behind the large detached block. The climb was first done in the reverse direction but this involves either a descent to finish or an an ascent of the crux of Mwa!

Mostly Severe but with 2 good peg pitches. One of the longest climbs in Kenya, it has not been completed in 1 day.

1. • The Ring.

2. Climb Mwa! to the Threader - Traverse across the trees on Knight’s Move. Step onto branch and up to peg stance on Nutcracker. Descend 3 m and A1 across to Party Grooves in fine position. Continue across easy ledges and descend (or abseil) down Smeagol chimney. From tree at the top of first pitch of Smeagol go up slab to overhang, traverse left across smooth slab (peg for handhold) and make V.S. moves up to tree and around to the corner. Then A1 across the wall to the Swinger. Descend this to the Threader.

3. The Threader

4. Continue to Capstone Chimney, up this to the top of The Rash and ascend until it is possible to cross onto White Spot. Ascend this to the top. The traverse is still 15 m from complete at this end.