Routes as trad in The Big Cliff

Good positions above the crashing surf. The climbing however is terrible.Starts at the extreme L edge of the Big Cliff, where a chimney starts 6m up and slants L that can be reached at low tide.

1. 16m 11 Go up easily and enter the chimney, which you follow to a good ledge on the R. There is a Bolt Belay at its far end.

2. 25m 11 Back L and cross the top of the chimney. Diagonally up L to a bolt on the L wall. Bad rock leads to a spectacular stance on the arete.

3. 42m 11 (crux) Climb the face above the ridge (bolt at 3m) Traverse R up to a ramp with a big flake. Up with care and continue along the ridge to the R. Evenually you can move up L to a bolt belay on the L wall.

4. 36m 11 Ignore the the chimney of Nostromo above, instead traverse L over boulders until a short loose chimney gives access to the final slope and bolt belay.

Start at the detached pedestal R of Matelot.

1. 30m Climb the loose crack up the R hand side of the pedestal. Step L then back R to enter the main crack which is followed past a bolt to a steepening. Continue to a tiny stance. Move diagonally R up the weakness to a wide crackon the L of the huge jammed block. There is a stance on top but the anchors are inadequate.

2. 36m Go up moving L as the rock gets worse. Continue on mixed ground to an unstable earth ledge below an obvious shattered crack, and bolt. Continue to a large detached flake. Traverse 3m R and go up on smooth grey rock to finish up the last part of The Ancient Mariner (loose and serious).

One of the better climbs on the cliff. Start at the crack 3m R of Poseidon.

1. 25m Climb the crack/s to the stance on Poseidon.

2. 25m Straight up the crack above to a bolt (where P goes off R) on the 3rd pitch of Nostromo.

3. 35m Go diagonally R up the ramp of loose blocks to a big crack splitting the headwall. Avoid a bolt remaining from the 1st ascent of Poseidon. Finish up the crack.

Everyone has to take it someday. This route introduced wall climbing to the Big Cliff. Starts as for the TAM.

1. 25m 16 (crux) Climb TAM to its 1st bolt belay, swing up L around the roof, then up and slightly R to a small stance.

2. 30m Step up and L to an undercut crack which leads to TAM 2nd bolt belay, Finish up TAM

Steep cracks and flakes 3m L of the original line lead up to the roof.

1. 40m Climb the direct start the up around the roof as for The Plunge. Instead of moving up and slightly R, move up L to the groove. Follow this and the short jam crack with its continuation to the ledge.

2. 25m Straight up

A little loose maybe. Starts 5m R of Poseidon, up an easy wall below a prominent roof in the middle of the cliff.

1. 10m Straight up to a crumblimng stance and a rotting bolt belay below the roof.

2. 21m Move R wards around the roof and into the line above on very poor rock. Up the corner to a wobbly bolt belay.

3. 36m 14 (crux) Continue up the crack, to a crumbling slab. Above the grade eases but the rock gets significantly worse. The cliff degenerates into a dangerous, decay pile of shit with nothing you would tie you hated mother in law to. Enjoy that!!

The original and possibly the easiest route on the wall, poor climbing though. The Chimney crack 3m R of TAM.

1. 18m Easily up the chimney line to a small stance on the L.

2. 21m Traverse L 2m into the 2nd pitch of TAM and climb the corner crack with poor protection to a bolt belay.

3. 36m Traverse back R via a dodgy flake to the original line. Chimney up to make a scary exit L onto grass. Choss to the top.

2a. 21m 12 The only way Continue straight up the main chimney and exit L to the original bolt.

Done during an attempt to continue up the wall. 1a. 20m 16 Climb the wall L of CC to the 1st belay.

The best climb on the cliff but a testing lead. This was originally Aided at 17M5!!! Start below the thin crack 2m R of CC.

1. 18m 17 Climb the difficult crack and up to a stance and poor bolt belay (maybe be better to belay on the first stance of Carious Crack, around to the L)

2. 30m 19 Excellent climbing up the line to a small stance and 31 cam belay.

3. 30m Move slightly R then up loose ground. Pitch 2 and 3 can be combined.

Surprisingly good rock - enjoyable climbing. Start below the main crack up the wall R of Popeye.

1. 43m 16 (crux) Straight up the wall on delicate holdsto the foot of the large crack and the bad bolt on Nostroms 1st pitch. Continue up to a second bolt on the L wall. Climb the huge block to a rotten exit onto the ledge. Traverse a little R to a stance on another large block.

2. 30m Straight up the face on the L, then up onto the grass.

A travers of the cliff. Atnosperic. Star in the gully on the R which seperates the main face from the Candle. Solo the groove on the L to a small stance and bolt belay.

1. 15m 15 (Crux) Down 2m then traverse up to the base of a wide crack and bolt. Move down L onto the obvious traverse line which is thin and sustained but has good rock to the 1st stance of Carious crack.

2. 15, Traverse L into TAM and across the L wall. Continue across the face in a good position to a wide crack and bolt. Move 1m up and continue traversing to the good 2nd stance of Poseidon.

3. 27m Diagonally R wards up the crack which is the 3rd pitch of Poseidon. From the top of the block traverse horizontally L to a zone of collapsing grass and bolt. Claw up the grass to a stance on the R.. Step L and climb a tricky little crack. Exit around the corner and go up to a Piton anchor at the top of the terrace.

4. 28m Climb the awkward crack and gully line above and slightly on the L. Finish up the blocks and grass to a Bolt Belay in a boulder.

Satrts as for Nostromo.

1. 30m Up into the major crack line and follow it to a small stance.

2. Continue up the now shattered line and move slightly L to enter a very chossy zone which leads to the top.

King Neptune is located somewhere in the upper 3/4 of this route. The description is very vague.As described below there is a direct line all the way up the R side of the cliff. Start at the R hand edge of the Big Cliff. This is the R most of 3 crack lines right of Barnacle Bill.

1. 18m 17 (crux) The crack through the buldge and past a bolt at the start of Nostromo.

2. 35m The major crack moving R past a large jammed block to the ledge. Follow the think crack up the short wall to some shaky bollards.

3. 15m The unstable rubbish above.

Scramble up the gully R of the main cliff and traverse onto the slender buttress above and to its R. Climb the R hand arete of the face past an ancient bolt (ancient in 1974!!!!) to the ledge. Finish up the loose and unprotected step.

A neglected line. Corner on the L of the Candle buttress.