A must do, recommended route list for the visiting climber.
We’ve picked ten routes for the following grade ranges;
There’s a whole range of climbs from single pitch Dartmoor high balls to multi pitch adventure routes on the sea cliffs. We’ve climbed all of them at some point or another and some of them many, many times. Let us know what you think.
Check out javu.co.uk for some up to date route info, and of course the South Devon and Dartmoor and West Country Climbs guidebooks for topos etc.
Use your own judgment, a few of the routes are run out, loose or both, but that adds to their charm and adventurous nature!
E3 – E5, top ten classic routes.
1. Limestone Cowboys, E4/5 – Foggintor Quarry.
A route pretty much on it’s own in an old quarry near Princetown. Used to be E4 6b in the Nick White guide, maybe E5 6a? Quite well protected but very sustained climbing up a vertical wall. Worth going for the onsight or ground-up as the gear is good.
Ed Southwood on Limestone Cowboys, Foggintor Quarry.
2. Black Death, E4 – Chudleigh.
Fingery limestone climbing up the leaning headwall between Wogs and Inkermans Groove. The photo in Pat Littlejohn’s old South West guidebook is great, steep climbing on some small(ish) holds. The forearms get a work out on this route, although there are some sneaky rests if you can find them. Make sure you back up the older ring peg before rushing to the top. “White Life” is a good variation route to the left at E5 6b.
3. Call to Arms, E4 – Sanctuary Wall, Torbay.
“A route of grotesque steepness” is how the South Devon guidebook describes this route. But if your a technique master then you’ll be able to bridge and drop knee your way up the groove to avoid too much weight on the arms. Still well pumpy though! “False Gods” at E5 is just round the corner to the right, and is worth a go also.
John Mcshea on Call to Arms, Sanctuary Wall, Torbay.
4. Interrogation, E3 – Haytor Low Man.
Haytor’s best independent hard route, Interrogation follows a natural line of weakness up the highest, steepest part of low man. A thin traverse is the lower crux whilst an exposed mantel shelf higher up is technical easy, but committing. Can be done in one long mega pitch with double ropes.
5. Rough Diamond, E4 – Haytor.
Up at the main tor, on the north face this route is good after a dry, warm spell when it’s a relief to climb in the shade. After quite a bold start it follows a deep sustained crack where the gears good but there’s little respite until the very top.
6. Dreadnought, E3 – Berry Head.
An amazing line right across and up the head wall of the great cave at Berryhead. Inspiring, intimidating all at the same time. Traversing across the lip of the cave well above the sea with the foot holds right on the lip of the overhang is pretty memorable, made even more so by the hanging belay at the end of the pitch. A great adventure route.
Ed Southwood on the crux traverse of Dreadnought, Berryhead.
7. Toltec Twostep, E5/6 – Hound Tor.
At the other end of the scale, is Toltec Twostep. This gritstone-esq route at Hound Tor is short, powerful and quite technical. Reasonable protection for the lower crux, it’s then increasingly lonely to the top hold of “Suspension” Flake” where it’s all over. There is a piece of gear after the crux, but unless you’ve fiddled on a top rope it’s very hard to place on the lead, especially on an onsight. A top route.
8. White Rhino Tea, (E4?) 6a – Berryhead.
A deep water solo at Berryhead, this one’s on the list just because I enjoyed it so much! Good holds, steep climbing above very deep water, the perfect DWS ingredients. It feels quite high at low tide but it’s still safe. Loads of other routes in this area, including the long traverse’s which make this spot such a good DWS venue.
Climbing White Rhino Tea, in perfect DWS conditions - sunny!
9. Black Ice, E3 – Long Quarry Point.
Two pitches of delicate slab climbing up a hude sweep of rock. Bold in places, but there’s good gear. Take some good edging shoes and some small wires.
10. Thread Flintstone Fr7b at Torbryan and Empire of the Sun Fr7b+ at Anstey’s Cove.
There’s not a huge amount of sport climbing in Devon, but it is good! Torbryan Quarry is a great little crag of gently overhanging, well bolted limestone with “Thread Flintstone” being the premier route. Originally climbed on threads this route has a technical start on fingery sidepulls before the pumpy top half, with a notorious “redpoint crux” at the top.
Over at Anstey’s cove, “Empire of the Sun” is one of many quality, hard, sport climbs. “Empire” is a great route with no definite crux (depending on who you talk to) but it keeps on coming, and despite some big holds the pump continues to build right until the very end.
Chris Jones lowering off "Empire of the Sun" Anstey's Cove.
