Routes in Barbican Wall

A good first pitch which is a bit fierce near the top where the aid was originally used - it was originally graded 18 with the aid. Roland rarely bothered to upgrade things when he freed them. So this has been undergraded at 18 for decades. The upper pitches wander to get to the top. It is possible to find abseil trees but many of these are a bit suspect after the fires.

Start: Takes a thin seam/crack line R of Morgan [altho' it is possible to start Morgan at the same point]. Faint initial.

1. 18m (19) Up over blocks moving R at 7m to fine groove [PR] up this to ledge.

2. 18m (11) Up a couple of meters then traverse L to arete. Up wall passing loose flake and thin crack to ledge.

3. 12m (10) 'Arete' to ledge

4. 15m (12) 5m R and up corner.

The corner pitch is ok but the rest of the route is worthless. Most of this route (as with every route at this cliff) is on very poor rock. Usually combined with the 'Direct Finish'.

Start: A scrubby blocky line leading up to an obvious attractive corner about 8m R of 'The Pirate'. Marked with an X

1. 35m (17) Up to corner, sustained climbing up this to the roof then L to ledge.

2. 16m (15) Intimidating traverse back R into corner and across its R wall. From the ledge climb the wall above to a roof.

3. 8m (14) Traverse L to lip and up.

Once you get past the lower 15m of broken rubbish this a surprisingly good old fashioned steep route. The rock is a bit frail in places.

Start: Right of 'Algiers' is a big buttress split by a major chimney/crack line. 'Scurvy' takes that line.

1. 15m (10) The aim is to get to the big tree below the crack on the major buttress without handling too much shattered rock. Possibly best to head up near 'Algiers' and traverse R to the tree.

2. 25m (14) The awkward V groove to ledge.

3. 20m (14) R and up steep crack with some exciting sections to ledge. Watch for loose holds.

4. 14m (10) Easy wall from back of block.

A worthwhile multi pitch adventure. The first route climbed on the cliff. There is apparently a grade 19 variant that can be climbed on on P2 but I have no idea where it goes.

Start: R one of 2 V corners 25m R of 'Storm'

1. 20m (14) The corner to overhang, out R to arete and up until you can traverse back L on a slab. Up little corner to belay. Take care avoiding loose blocks on this pitch.

2. 24m (16) Corner to roof, L to enter steep crack, up to belay on L.

3. 20m (14) Up line.

This route and the Scuppers are both around 50m, but the cliff here abouts is around 70m high. I assume that both routes reach the terrace at the top of the 'Three Sailors of the Armageddon' buttress which is about 50m high [TSotA abbs off a tree at 40m]. There is a steep narrow buttress behind this terrace taken by P3 of 'Barbertucky'. Either side of this buttress are steep gullies which can be reached by scrambling down the gap behind the terrace. Abseil trees are available in these gullies [50m x 2 ropes]. Or a roped pitch on the R would lead to the top pitch of Scurvy.

Start: Two bays [approx 60m] R of the MoW block is a buttress with a distinctive large block sitting in front of its R edge. About 6m L of this block. Initialled.

1. 17m (11) Up corner to overhang and up L to line. Up to corner.

2. 36m (11) Corner turning roof on R.

The second pitch is sustained, dirty and on something less than rock. You have been warned.

Start: 7m R of Peg-leg

1. 16m (13) Up line past distinctive [and terrifying] perched block to just R of corner. Poor belay in manky rock.

2. 36m (17) Up corner and R face searching desperately for anything resembling solid rock. Dont even think of falling off.

3. 23m (14) Corner to roof, R and up chimney to second roof. Exit L and up crack. Not a bad pitch really.

Wandering and uninspiring

Start: 35m L of 'Queequeg'. A flake crack leading towards yellow overhangs.

1. 15m (10) Up flake crack to ledge below big chimney/crack line.

2. 12m (12) Up line about 6 meters then traverse R around arete to flake line.

3. 16m (12) Up

A long overlooked route with interesting climbing on all pitches. A good easier multi pitch adventure.

Start: Near the bottom of the L wall of the gully L of Morgan is an obvious jagged flake crack [unclimbed]. Head down about 20m L of this to a L facing chimney corner.

1. 23m (13) Scramble up to and up chimney corner to overhang, chimney to large ledge on top of pillar.

2. 16m (15) Step R off ledge and climb overhang. Up steep line to large ledge.

3. 14m (15) The delightful crack.

Looks awful

Start: Chimney just R of TD

1. 33m (11) Chimney to stance under roof on R.

2. 30m (11) Up chimney.

The top 2 pitches are quite good, the first is just a way of accessing them.

Start: The track hits the cliff just R of large steep gully. This route takes the L edge of the main cliff just R of the gully

1. 35m (10) Follow broken corners and blocks heading up to a prominent tree below a short corner with overhangs.

2. 17m (16) Up around overhangs in corner and up crack to ledge.

3. 20m (16) Up the line with an awkward bulge

Start: 12m R of MD, the faintly initialled crack/groove on L arête of The Pirate wall.

1. 15m (14) Poor rock to start, then up to overhang, then wall above to stance.

2. 20m (12) Corner to roof, R, up and back L to arete. Up to stance on L

3. 33m (15) Up arete, then slightly L and up to old rusty peg. Above this follow shallow crack/seam up pimply rock to ledge. Up easily on bocks. [This pitch originally headed into dirty gully on L]

A good sustained and varied first pitch, the second isn't too bad either but not in the same class.

Start: A steep flake 4m R of RA [about 15m R of MD] Initialled.

1. 24m (16) Follow the flake up and R to a vertical crack which leads to a ledge.

2. 35m (13) Up and R to small roof, pass this on the L. R and up.

The cliff here abouts took quite a hammering in the fires [it was probably always a bit unstable]. Once you get more than about 10m up everything is dangerously shattered and unstable, some VERY large stacks of blocks are just perched waiting to go.

Start: 6m R of MO

1. 23m (14) From chipped initials climb corner then up slightly R to ledge below prominent corner.

2. 20m (14) L corner crack and on past blocks to foot of P3 of MO

3. 23m (14) As for P3 MO.

Looks like it covers some pretty awful territory.

Start: Just R of the distinctive block.

1. 17m (8) Up broken vegetated rock to ledge. Up shattered crack to overhang, R and up to ledge.

2. 33m (9) Up line on poor rock passing L end of roof.

The first pitch, whilst indirect, is quite good with steep interesting climbing. Double ropes will help avoid rope drag. Unfortunatley P2 is pretty ordinary.

Start: 6m R of 'The Hornpipe'.

1. 39m (18) Climb blocky wall to roof traverse L under it to small corner. Up to next roof, swing back R around arete and traverse R to foot of crack in small corner. Up this to tricky exit R [crux].

2. 27m (14) Up dirty corner using cleaner R wall where possible.

An exciting battle up a steep line with a lot of suspect rock. Quality of protection is limited by the quality of rock it is in. A good route if you are prepared and capable for old school 19 on questionable rock.

Start: A large steep yellow wall up and R of the ramp leading to 'Mermen'. It has a couple of obvious cracks up it and MoW takes the LH one. Scramble up to its base, careful as the ground is a bit unstable around here.

1. 35m (19) Up wall to ledge then steep crack.

2. 15m (8) Wander up to top.

Start: The R arete of The 'Rapier' bay.

1. 40m (15) Up arete to obvious overhang. R, up wall, then back to arete and up to ledge

2. 14m (15) Skirt overhang and up.

Good looking line liberally decorated with poor rock and a sand pit. Enjoyable if you are capable and prepared for oldfashioned 21 on questionable rock. The 'Direct Finish' is the way to go. Both described finishes are 21.

Start: The crack R of MoW

1. 35m (21) Up little corner to overhang, step L and up crack to overhang [DF goes boldly up from here]. Hard step L to another crack, up to roof.

2. 15m (10) Step down L then up veering R

A good first pitch which is a bit fierce near the top where the aid was originally used - it was originally graded 18 with the aid. Roland rarely bothered to upgrade things when he freed them. So this has been undergraded at 18 for decades. The upper pitches wander to get to the top. It is possible to find abseil trees but many of these are a bit suspect after the fires.

Start: Takes a thin seam/crack line R of Morgan [altho' it is possible to start Morgan at the same point]. Faint initial.

1. 18m (19) Up over blocks moving R at 7m to fine groove [PR] up this to ledge.

2. 18m (11) Up a couple of meters then traverse L to arete. Up wall passing loose flake and thin crack to ledge.

3. 12m (10) 'Arete' to ledge

4. 15m (12) 5m R and up corner.

Steep and exciting, originally graded 18!

Start: As for P2 of 'Rapier' Straight up the overhanging corner and cracks above.

Great atmospheric climbing, with dubious rock and gear. The tree used to start it may have perished in the fires.

Start: 5m R of SoG

Start: As for 'Storm'

1. 25m (17) Continue up L into V corner above roofs where 'Storm' traverses R. Belay on ledge on R after V groove.

2. 33m (14) Traverse R to 'Storm' and finish up this.

One of the better routes of the crag on some of the better rock, but not the "superb" the guide describes it as. Be prepared for some committing moves.

Start: As for 'Rapier'

1. 30m (22) Start up 'Rapier' then go straight up vertical corner capped by overhang. Pass this on R and power boldly up wall to shallow corner, step L to nose.

2. 18m (20) Up wall to ledge, finish up 'Rapier' DF

Very shattered and unstable since the fires, best avoided.

Start: 2m R of Yawl

Looks good, and rather unlikely for the grade. As it is a Peter Martin route it is possibly under graded.

Start: As for Yardarm

Straight up wall to roof [crux] and up to belay on L. Find a suitably stable abseil tree or continue up the original route.

Start: As for P2 of MD

Good climbing, technical and sustained. Protection is mostly small stuff [RPs useful] and is fiddly to place.

Start: As for P2 of 'The Pirate'. Head up and R to flake above overlap. R to thin crack and up steeply.

Dramatic second pitch.

Start: At the distinctive block on the ground. Climbs the left side of nose 5m right of TSOTA.

1. 18m (15) Up and over overlap into scoop. Step R and up to flake crack following this to ledge on R.

2. 17m (21) Step L and up to horizontal break. Up and left on series of dirty breaks.

Looks good and rather hard for the grade.

Start: 5m R of the Pirate

Left at overlap on to block. Up and right to finish up thin crack.

Up L side of TD arete to ledge at 5m. Then up to take overhang on its L.

Start: On the L side of the Doldrums arete

Start up Stormbringer but pass overhang on left (not right). Up and right on wall to rejoin Stormbringer where it steps left.

A combination of 'Stormbringer' LHV and 'The Pirate Variant' to give a good sustained grade 19 route.

Start: As for 'Stormbringer'

1. 25m (19) Up 'Stormbringer' to overhang, move 2m L to arete. Up to overlap then veer R up wall to recessed triangular ledge. Up to stance on arete.

2. 20m (19) Up to overlap, hand traverse L to rest under prominent pulpit feature. Steeply up L to dimply ledge under roof. Step L and finish up 'The Pirate Variant'.

I haven't found a description of this. No idea about grade or quality. It tackles an impressive wall above P1 of 'Storm'. There is a diagram that includes it in the VCC SE 'Grampians' update vol 2.

Start: As for 'Storm'

1. 39m (-) As for 'Storm'.

2. 30m (-) Going by the diagram it heads out L past a bolt then up past 4 more bolts going through a roof near the top.

Bushy start but the upper half is quite fun.

Start: 10m R of the distinctive block. Stay on rib to avoid bushes heading for the thin crack in steeper head wall. Follow crack stepping R to tackle the final bulge. Move R to finish up Scurvy or traverse L to find a tree to abseil off.

Start: This buttress is up at the top R hand side of the gully R of the Man of War block. It is distinguished by a wide crack up the front and prominent overhanging cap stone. We abseiled down its front [40m] from beneath the capstone to access it. 'Access' from below, up the gully, would be very unpleasant.

1. 15m (5) [roped scrambling] From the foot of the buttress head up short walls and gullies on the R edge of the buttress to belay below an attractive L leaning flake crack.

2. 12m (17) 'Steep' L leading flake then out L to belay on front of buttress.

3. 15m (14) Crack to capstone.

Something to finish the day on.

Start: 60m R of the Man o War block. Steep crack up middle of short block L of Yard Arm buttress. Watch for some loose blocks below the mid height bulge. Abseil descent from any of a number of trees.

Start: Start at the foot of the chimney which goes up behind the Man 0' War block. Scramble up R on farily steep and loose ground from the foot of the Man 0' War face to access it.

1. 35m (18) Scramble up the back of the chimney until it narrows at some blocks, chimney up and out 5m to gain the foot of the shallow groove on the R front of the chimney. Up groove to foot of major V groove.

2. 16m (16) The steep clean groove.

Takes a prominent crackline and gives varied climbing on sound rock.

Start: Originally started as for 'Mermaids', but this is not recommended. From just L of the Man o War buttress a L leading ramp heads up the cliff to a ledge with a large tree.

1. 15m (8) Up broken bushy ramp to ledge below where rock becomes steep and solid.

2. 30m (17) Climb shallow groove on the R. From top of groove step R to steep thin crack. Up this and the line above to ledge below short headwall.

3. 10m (16) Stimulating seam up steep wall.

Be careful as some of the fire affected rock breaks unexpectedly.

Start: 'Small' buttress about 30m R of the 'Scurvy' buttress. Up short corner on L edge of buttress to overhang, step R onto front of block and up steep seam exiting R ward to ledge. Finish up slab on L. Move R to abseil tree.

Steep, loose and poorly protected. Takes the line that VCB must have set out to climb.

Start: As for P2 of VCB but continue straight up the wide crack. Poor rock and protection.

Quite good climbing up a series of cracks and flakes directly below the abseil descent.

Start: Start 3m R of the landmark flake on the L side of the gully. Below a thin crack. This is about 25m R of 'Queequeg'.

1. 14m (14) Thin crack up prow of buttress to ledge.

2. 20m (17) Up seam and L to R curving jam crack, up this to break [it is also possible to take the seam direct at about the same grade] then 2m R to crack, follow this to good ledge.

3. 12m (18) Up the thin seams in the middle of the wall behind. This is roughly midway between 2 more prominent cracklines the L one of which is the lovely final pitch of 'Queequeg'.

Start: 10m R of 'Scurvy' below a big gully.

1. 40m (10) Start up gully heading towards a large chimney/groove on the RH edge of the 'Scurvy' buttress. Up this groove stepping R onto a ledge with a large tree.

2. 20m (15) Up the next deep groove with a steep finish exiting R to a ledge below the summit block.

3. 8m (14) Step back L and steeply up to top of pinnacle

4. 12m (10) Descend from block, cross to main wall and up.

A way up. The first 2 pitches make an OK easier excursion.

Start: As for IRBS.

1. 18m (14) As for IRBS

2. 30m (15) Crack and short walls above to large terrace at top of buttress. [Possible, and preferable, to scramble down L from here to a large tree and abseil].

3. 28m (17) Starting from the gap at the rear of the terrace take the flake to the horizontal break on the steep buttress. Traverse steeply L and up to weakness. Continue to ledge at top of buttress then up short walls to top