Routes in North West Bay

An obvious gully, crack and chimney system at the left corner of the North West bay starting from Prickle Traverse beneath a large overhanging feature. Marked with "CS" painted on the rock at the base. An excellent climb in a superb position, with a number of obvious places to protect a belay. This route can be started after finishing pitch 4 of Right Anti-climax.

Approach: climb the old tourist track to the base of the cliff, scramble down until about 10-20m before the start of Middle Line. Start in front of a patch of black rock on fairly level ground in front of a stand of small trees (firs?). Pitch 1, 30m (10): climb the series of short walls and vegetated ledges until you reach an overhanging, right leaning crack on the cliff proper, with a small alcove and comfortable stance to build an anchor. No good protection, climb carefully. Pitch 2*, 30m (15): Step down to the left and traverse 3-4m below the buttress, then directly up on good holds with sparse, but mostly good gear. Below a small roof you will come to a comfortable belay ledge with a solid vertical crack behind it to build an anchor (0.75 Camalot v useful here). Nice face climbing which is a bit run out. Pitch 3*, 35m (13): rising leftward traverse to the gully left of the belay, into the corner, then up onto the large boulder. From here, trend back to the right, climbing inside the large, detached but solid flake back onto the face, then up. Nice climbing on good features and great exposure, with good pro for the first 2/3rds. Not much pro after that, but the climbing is easy. Rope drag can be an issue here. Belay on large, vegetated ledge. Pitch 4, 35m (10): straight up to the Prickle Traverse. Pitch 5, 35m (15) at the right end of the orange roof is a short, slightly overhung corner: up here, then the right hand face, over some easy terrain to a more overhung corner, over this to a large ledge, then up the overhanging face with a concerning looking, but seemingly solid, flake, then 10m of easy face climbing to a belay ledge. Pitch 6 25m (14): up varied terrain and over a final short overhanging wall to a wide belay shelf. Pitch 7 30m (16): the money pitch. A series of cool puzzles with good gear and some great exposure. Aim to go up the left side of the bulge just below the top. Belay in the sheltered alcove under a flat rock.

Historically, the most elusive climb in the Stirlings. Pleasant and airy if "The Nose" is climbed direct. Possibly the finest pitch on Bluff Knoll! Grade 10 if nose is avoided