Witches Tip
Witches Tip | |
( Sea Walls ) | |
Rock Type | Natural Carboniferous Limestone |
---|---|
Climbing Style | Sport |
Approach Time | 15 minutes |
Area | South Coast |
Sub Area | Temple Bay Inlets |
Geodata | |
WGS-84 Location | 51.441733,-3.606431 |
OS Grid Ref. | SS 884 726 |
WGS-84 Parking Location | 51.446124 -3.6053771 |
GR Parking Location | SS 885 731 |
Parking Postcode | CF32 0RT |
Base Elevation | 0 metres (Other) |
General Info | |
Faces Direction | South West |
Aspect | Sunny |
Wind Sheltered | Mostly |
Climbing Type | Normal |
Midge Problem | Never |
Seepage | Quick drying |
Tidal | |
Before/After Low Tide | 3.0 hours (See Note) |
Crags Within 2.0 km | |
Black Zawn, Cave Inlet, Davy Jones' Locker and the Sea Caves, Dirty Harry Walls, Dunraven Cliff, Elephant Wall, Every Persons Wall, First Inlet, Folded Walls, Fools Fantasy Area, Mitzy Wall, Ogmore Popular End, Phaser Wall, Playtime Wall, Right Hand Wall, Second Inlet, Stone Wings Cliff, The Biscuit, The Castle Area, The Long Wall, The Western Crag, Tiger Bay, Tusker Chimney Area, Twinkle Buttress, Witches Cave, Witches Tip | |
PREAMBLE
Immediately below the fishermans ledges on the very tip of witches are a number of walls and overhangs offering short sharp routes. Many of the routes were done decades ago and have remained unreported or unrecorded until now. Some of the old pegs and situ gear have been replaced. A fun place to be in the sun.
ACCESS
Clearly visible from the Dunraven / Southerndown beach carpark. When tides permit walk/ scamper left across the beach. When tides do not permit it's possible to pass over the stile from the lower carpark and walk above the cliff tops to descend sketchily steep grass below Tufa Terrace. Not recommended if you are not familiar with the crag so best to wait until all you risk is wet feet from an ebbing tide.
THE ROUTES
- Betty Swallocks
Bulging arête on left of platform.6m - It's just bollocks - E2, 6b
The overhang, gaining and using the black chert hold.6m - Paternoster - E3, 5c
The roof,situ threads.10m - Fisherman's friend-E2, 5b
The roof and final crack.10m - Royle Headache - Fr 6c+*
Gaining the gaping corner proves problematic,watch your head and a clip stick would be handy.10m - Jilters Wall - Fr 6b+**
The narrow white wall,10m - Professor's Crack - VS, 4b
The crozzly ramp and crack.10m - Flintstoner Fr 7a+ *
Bulge right of crack.You won't have many goes at this in a session. - Leg Over - E4, 6a
Crozzly chert pulling.Swing left from the platform (TR) and surmount the final roof(PR)Womble to the top.10m - Pull Over - E3, 6a
More of the same.Climb direct from the platform(TR)to the large ledge,womble up.10m - Hand Over - HVS, 5a
The faint rounded corner gained awkwardly from the next step up.10m - Gloss Over - E1, 5b
The right side of the wall left of the long rectangular beam of rock.10m - No push over - E1/2, 5c
Gain the beam of rock on the left (Protection possibilities)then flail hopefully onto the top of the beam or if slender in girth squirm through,both methods are harrowing. 10m
To the right is an easy escape chimney and a square crinkly block.
- Eugene's Over - E1, 5c
The centre of the block.5m - Cross Over-?, ?
The right edge of the block. 5m
Around the front again are-
- "How Well It Flows" - HVS, 5b
The short ragged crack,then amble to the top.5m - Arcana E4,5c
The face right of the ragged crack. 7m. - Lysistrata - E5,6a
Make first moves of "Arcana" to finger rail then hard moves into short crack.Straight up on two layaways to good finishing hold.7m. - Bridges End - E3,6b *
Somehow gain the pockets in the hanging arête of Undercut.Proceed past the large rusting DRILLED peg with long moves to gain jugs.7m. - Undercut - E1, 5c
The obvious hanging corner.Eugene's sitting start is much harder.7m - Up In Smoke - E3 5c
Gain the first break(painfully)continue directly up the wall via the peg runner(drilled of course).7m. - Step Aside - E2, 5c
The obvious rightward sloping crack,hard to start painful to continue.10m
- Cold Shoulder - HVS, 5b
Gain the ramp from the left(spike runner in horizontal break.Use pocket in short wall(left) to finish.10m - Breakout - HVS, 5a
Pull into the hanging groove ,gain the ramp then take crozzly pockets on right.10m - Fast Flow 1 - E1, 5b
Start just right of the groove,gain and climb the brown flowstone(TR).10m - Fast Flow 2 - E2, 5b
From the low scoop gain and climb past the drilled thread in the flowstone.10m - Even Faster Flow - E3,5b
Even more threads,all drilled of course.10m. - The Inexorable March of Time Fr 6b+
The steep wall R of the tattered threads.10m. - Aristophanes plays with time - Fr 6c
At the right end of the undercut section are some black chert lumps directly under an old yellow thread.Ensure the integrity of your spine with large numbers of bouldering mats or some "thoughtful stick clipping".Devise and execute the sequence of slaps and pulls to reach the break and continue directly up the wall. Try Eugene's sitting start for full value. 10m - Turn Back Time - E3, 5b
Joins the two routes on either side.Step up as for next route then take a short traverse left to join the yellow "tat" of the previous route. 10m - Down The Mists of Time - E2, 5b
Step up just left of the faint line of Surprise and continue direct past the situ tat. 10m - Suprise,Suprise-E1, 5b
A faint line of flakes then direct above. 10m - Waiting Game - HVS, 5a
Glaringly obvious layback flake.10m
First Ascents
- E.Jones 1996
- M.Crocker
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
- D.Meek S.Robinson 1986
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1988
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
- Prof John Harwood 1975
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
- Prof J.Harwood 1975
- G.Royle 1987
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
Short Sidewall
- E.Jones
- EJones
Breakout Wall
- R.Thomas M.Learoyd 1986
- M.Crocker
- M.Crocker
- R.Thomas G.Royle(rucsac step)1987.Swinging in L from Undercut at the rusty DRILLED peg Martin Crocker 2000+
- S.Robinson M.Learoyd 1986
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987
- J.Harwood 1975
- J.Harwood 1975
- R.T
- R.T
- R.Thomas G.Royle 1987(sitting start-Eugene Travers Jones 1990's)
- M.C
- R.T 1987
- M.L R.T 1986
- R.T M.L 1986