A must do, recommended route list for the visiting climber.
We’ve picked ten routes for the following grade ranges;
- Diff – Severe
- Hard Severe – Very Severe
- HVS – E2
- E3 – E5
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!
Diff to Severe, Top ten classic Devon Climbs.
1. Wogs, V Diff – Chudleigh south face.
A polished classic up the highest part of Chudleigh, the crag that everyone loves to hate! Usually climbed in two or three pitches, it’s got good gear and a little exposure higher up. The start is very polished, but it soon gets better and the climbing more than makes up for it.
The polished classic that is "wogs" at Chudleigh.
2. Mucky Gully, Diff – Dewerstone.
This low grade route is a popular climb at the Dewerstone and is an enjoyable introduction to the crag. Getting steadily harder as you gain height, it has a choice of finishes depending on how brave your feeling. Can be climbed in one long pitch.
Mucky Gully on the right, and reverse cleft (S) on the left.
3. Ben, Severe – Baggy Point.
The most popular crag at Baggy point has a great collection of routes at a similar grade that weave their way up the cracked slab. An abseil approach means that these route aren’t for the novice but for those with some experience it is a delight, bomber gear and the sea close by. Keep and eye on the tides and the loose rock on the top of the crag.
Climbing on The Promontory in some windy conditions.
4. The Needle, Severe – The Dewerstone.
Another low grade classic at the Dewerstone. The crag is full of them really! This route sits away from the main cliff and has an exposed “needle” that you have to climb at the very top.
Needle Arete at the Dewerstone - what a route!
5. Route B, Vdiff – The Dewerstone.
Ok, the last route at the Dewerstone, for this section anyway. One of my favourite lower grade climbs, this route weaves it’s way onto the main buttress in three pitches with the top pitch being nicely exposed, the main crag dropping away underneath your heels. Pretty good gear and some contrasting pitches are tempered by a couple of loose blocks on the top pitch, be careful, but don’t be put off this excellent route.
6. Zig zag, Diff – Hay Tor.
Climbing at the most popular tor on Dartmoor means you are likely to climb with an audience of gawping tourists on this one! Shut out the comments (“if he/she falls now mummy, what would happen?”) and you’ll have a good climb with some of the best views in Devon. Lots of other routes nearby as well, Zig zag is the one to start on.
Well, it's not Zig Zag but Athos (VDiff) is good too.
7. Nest Egg, Severe – Lucky Tor.
At the other end of the scale from Hay tor, Lucky tor sits alongside the upper river dart and is a good forty minute walk from the car park. This means it’s quiet! It truly is an excellent setting, and the climbing is good also, with Nest egg taking a central line up an intimidating section of the crag. You can cool off in the Dart afterwards, don’t forget your picnic.
A very rare group at Lucky Tor, (we took them there!)
8. Oak tree Zig Zag, V Diff – Bench Tor.
This is in a similar vein to the previous route, but this crag sits well above the Dart near Venford reservoir and commands some good views out over the valley. It’s got a tricky start, and fiddly gear but after that it gets much more straight forward. There’s some other good routes on the crag to top rope (or lead) and Combestone Tor is just up the road which has some good low grade bouldering.
9. Nest Egg, Severe – Meadfoot.
Away from the Moor, and down in Torbay are some great little quarries by the sea. They are non tidal, have a pretty flat base and the ice cream vans are never far away! Being quarried crags, some of the routes can be a tad blank gear wise but Nest Egg is actually fairly good for the gear and has some nice climbing in it’s two pitches. Take a helmet, some of the top outs here are a little loose.
10. The long traverse, Vdiff? – Anstey’s Cove.
A deep water solo, the long traverse links Anstey’s Cove with Long Quarry Point. You can climb this at any state of the tide, although it does get harder when the water’s higher. Best done by jumping off one of the pinnacles and having a swim around. There are some impressively hard routes that you climb past as well, all quite inspiring…
