Routes in Seven Dials Area

Classic of yester-year. Climb brittle rock for 5m, step left into a stance, clip an average looking carrot. Up through horizontals, before reaching a good stance out L. Step back right into thin crack and up through orange bulge, then L to ledge.

Pull powerfully through the roof (watch the hollow flake!) and then up direct line.

A combination of routes which has become very popular. A good option for those who would rather climb an overhanging wall than an overhanging crack.

1. 18m (18) As for 'The Lonely Sea'

2. 27m (19) Up 'The Lonely Sea' to the horizontal ledge. Up under overhangs tending R to the sentry box on 'The Last Grain Race'. Up thin crack airily past an old peg on a steep wall. Step R (abseil possible here) or go and up past a couple of steps to the terrace.

Start: Ugly cleft 10m R of YHH. Initialled.

1. 30m (12) Up cleft trying to ignore terrifying looking chockstone, then arete to ledge.

2. 14m (12) Crack to overhang, L to ledge.

3. 20m (12) Climb wall, step R to crack and up past overhangs to large ledge.

4. 36m (13) P 3 comes out directly beneath prominent steep crack. Up the R ward leading line R of this to overhangs [there is a mysterious old peg out L here]. Exposed traverse R to next crack, up.

The top 2 1/2 pitches are OK, but getting there is not. Start: As for TOMatS. Initialled.

1. 45m (-) Up the obvious vegetated ramp to a ledge at 20m. Up chimney for 10m exiting R. Up to a large ledge.

2. 20m (13) Move to back of ledge, go R 6m, then up weakness to crack.

3. 17m (15) The steep crack to a ledge.

4. 17m (16) Chimney to old unnecessary BR then awkward wide crack.

Start: Takes a major line up the L side of the 2nd buttress from the LH end of cliff. Initialled.

1. 30m (13) Up crack for 9m to below overhang then traverse R to groove. Up this and wall and cracks on left to ledge.

2. 30m (9) Up line to ledge, step R onto thin plate at lip of overhang. Up to ledge then continue up nice cracks to higher ledge.

3. 13m (10) Up chimney crack and wall.

From the back of the pinnacle, go up left on easy blocks, then steeply up right.

Start: Initalled chimney 4m R of HA.

1. 35m (8) Climb the narrow chimney passing in front of 2 chockstones to the top of the boulder choke.

2. 33m (8) Up chimney 6m to chockstone. Traverse 10m L along ledge, cross scrubby gully and climb short wall. Continue to second wall and up this to ledge.

3. 13m (8) Climb wall R of crack.

A direct finish to 'Frigate' avoiding the only good pitch on that route. The second pitch chimney looks frightening and is likely to be undergraded by modern standards.

Start: As for 'Frigate'

1. 45m (-) As for 'Frigate' P1

2. 34m (9) The big chimney taking off from the L back of the ledge. Belay below the large chockstone.

3. 19m (-) Up L of the chockstone.

A great line providing sensational, well protected climbing for the grade. Initialled. 45m abseil possible from bollards, otherwise walk off.

Start: from where the track reaches the cliff, head right until you reach the prominient initialled corner.

1. 26m (14) The corner, over three bulges.

2. 26m (12) Chimney to ledge at 12m. Left around blocks, up crack.

A crag classic with a stunning second pitch. The original start is not much chop - ?the direct should make for a better climb. P2 & 3 could be combined quite easily.

Start: 7m right of salvation is an inital, G.

1. 20m (16) Original route: Follow the crack for 6m then rising traverse to the prominent corner. 1a) Grouch Direct (20m 18): from the intial (GD) 4m R of salvation, climb overhang, step L into crack and veer R around arete to foot of corner.

2. 30m (18) Up corner to roof, head left a couple of meters and continue up corner to ledge. A fantastic pitch.

3. 12m (14) head left off ledge, and up corner.

A classic, varied and interesting climbing with a goey crux. Well protected.

Start: Approximately 10m R of GF is a prominent initial, 'G'.

Walking the plank would be preferable. Even the first ascent party said it was unbelievable choss.

Start: L facing line 5m R of 'Landlubber'. Initialled.

1. 26m (14) Line to cave.

2. 30m (-) From cave go diagonally R over loose blocks, continue up line to exit up R.

3. 8m (-) Scrub and the line to next ledge.

4. 23m (-) Traverse L to chimney, up to ledge.

5. 18m (-) Up.

It starts off promisingly but then goes out of its way to find dirty gullies. Best to abseil off of the top of 'The Lonely Sea' block after P2 or do the direct finish.

Start: 10m down and R of 'The Plank'

1. 38m (13) Climb corner just L of arete to a large alarming looking pinnacle. Up behind this to ledge.

2. 26m (10) R and up gully to terrace at top of Lonely Sea wall[possible to abseil off from here]

3. 18m (-) Up diagonal crack in steep wall behind terrace for a few meters to a horizontal break. Traverse L on this around arete to foot of gully.

4. 30m (-) Up gully.

a nice short route with good protection and just a touch of loose rock.

Start: 20m up and right around the corner from 'Gomper' is a painted square below a featured crack.

Pitch 2 isn't too bad and the new pitch 3 makes an entertaining finish.

Start: Takes the obvious central corner on the upper cliff. Starts up bushy corner below this leading to terrace.

1. 23m (14) Up loose and dirty corner to break, up short wall on R to terrace.

2. 30m (16) From L end of ledge head up into groove. Up this to belay on R.

3. 10m (16) Either escape easily up and L [as originally climbed] or head up R to obvious roof, jam around this and up.

You'd need at least a bottle of rum in you to even imagine that this was worth climbing.

Start: 2m R of WYSIWYG big corner line. Marked with an X, possibly as some kind of warning.

1. 40m (12) Vegetated line.

2. 50m (12) More of the same only worse. Up the hideous cleft above.

After the first nice corner the climb deteriorates badly.

Start: As for LPS

1. 62m (19) Up corner as for LPS then up and R to line of blocks, up these. [I am sure it must be possible to split this pitch]

2. 25m (-) From top block climb choss to join 'The Plank' at its final chimney.

3. 18m (14) Chimney.

Not destined to be a classic.

Start: Scrubby L slanting crack just R of MA.

1. 25m (12) Up scrubby crack to tree.

2. 39m (12) Chimney then loose blocks to foot of corner.

3. 20m (10) Corner and crack

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.

One of the great classics of 'Grampians' climbing. It takes the steep and strenuous crack up the L side of the wall.

Start: 8m R of HS.

1. 18m (18) Climb the L facing corner. Swing R at the overhang to a small stance.

2. 33m (20) Up the thin crack to narrow ledge, head steeply into the overhanging crack, and up this [A large cam or 2 is useful]. Move R and up at the top then more easily to the terrace.

Another old classic, overshadowed by the variants which use bits of it to make better climbs.

Start: Crack 4m R of TLS.

1. 32m (19) Up the crack L of the pillar to a narrow ledge at 23m [possible belay], move L a few moves and up crack to sentry box. Steeply up thin crack past old peg. Step R to small stance (abseil from here 30m).

2. 18m (15) 'Steep' crack then easier walls and cracks to terrace.

After a reasonable first pitch the climb degenerates. Possible and best to abseil off after P2.

Start: 36m R of CF and 20m R of a landmark pinnacle leaning against the rock. Initialled corner.

1. 25m (16) Climb up to and up corner until 5m below overhang. Out R briefly onto wall then continue up corner and over overhang. Up until level with tree on R. Traverse to tree.

2. 20m (16) Climb V chimney and overhang. Up 2m then R across slab to stance. [Abseil tree across R from here]

3. 30m (-) Up R over hideous choss to foot of chimney.

4. 23m (-) Chimney to large chockstone.

5. 20m (-) Back into the bowels of the earth to emerge through a small hole.

Better than it looks, the second pitch is quite good.

Start: Crack 4m R of PSM

1. 42m (18) Line to ledge with a tricky move at half height.

2. 41m (18) Crack to cave, steeply out of this and up wall to ledge [good belay spot]. Up more easily from here.

A lovely sustained first pitch with excellent protection.

Start: 4m R of AatS

1. 25m (18) Up the flake

2. 23m (17) Step R and climb overhanging wall to corner and chimney.

3. 45m (10) Corners and cracks as for 'Blackbeard'.

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.

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 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.

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.

Solid going, steep and intimidating. Originally graded 14.

Start: Near where the track reaches the cliff, a corner leading to a large roof.

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.

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.

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

The top 2 1/2 pitches are OK, but getting there is not. Start: As for TOMatS. Initialled.

1. 45m (-) Up the obvious vegetated ramp to a ledge at 20m. Up chimney for 10m exiting R. Up to a large ledge.

2. 20m (13) Move to back of ledge, go R 6m, then up weakness to crack.

3. 17m (15) The steep crack to a ledge.

4. 17m (16) Chimney to old unnecessary BR then awkward wide crack.

Steep and exciting, originally graded 18!

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

The first Aussie female ascent at this grade, and an FA no less.

The first pitch is loose and unprotected making it hard to recommend the route in this form despite the good climbing higher up. Do the Combo instead.

Start: 2m R of TLGR.

1. 23m (19) Up R side of shattered pillar then the flake above to a ledge. Step L and follow thin crack to cramped stance.

2. 18m (19) Rotten crack to sentry box. Exposed moves up onto wall above. Step L to thin crack and up to ledge.

3. 10m (15) Step R to short crack, up this and steps above.

Excellent climbing up a nice line.

Start: 10m R of 'Dubloon'.

1. 20m (21) 'Small' R facing corner then thin bulging line.

2. 45m (-) Step back L, up wall to ledge. Straight up next wall then veer slightly R to climb wall just R of wide crack.