Great Tor East
From SWMC Guidebook
GR SS
Contents |
TIDAL STATUS
Obscenities is Non-tidal. The other routes 1½ to 3 hours either side of low water, increasing towards the end of the section.
BOLTING POLICY
No boltinng.
PREAMBLE
Another pleasant area with many easy routes. Worthy of description, if only to help take some pressure off Three Cliffs and Little Tor.
The cliffs are described moving landwards (left to right facing away from the sea) along the eastern coastline of the Great Tor headland, which forms the west side of Three Cliffs Bay. Although the area is liberally covered with rock a series of inlets and bays provide the main interest, the first encountered being Shallow Cut.
DESCENTS
Descents are by scrambling down various grooves in the area.
THE ROUTES
Shallow Cut
About 25m right of the starting platform of East Ridge is a shallow recess with a chimney in the back.
1. Stefan Hermann And The Mothers Of Invention 10m HS,4a
Climb the chimney and subsequent corner forming the left side of the recess.
D.Dilligence Pre-2003
2. Careless McGee 10m HVD
Scramble up to the ledge half-way up the right corner of the recess and finish up the corner crack.
D.Dilligence Pre-2003
3. Another Brixius In The Wall 10m M
The right-hand arete of the recess.
D.Dilligence Pre-2003
Deep Cut
This distinctive gash lies below a prominent subsidiary ridge to the east of East Ridge. Climbing is only possible around low water.
4. Left Edge 15m VD
The left edge of Deep Cut contains two corners. Follow the first over a bulge to a slabby finish.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
5. The Camille Wester Fan Club 15m VS,4c
The right-hand corner.
D.Dilligence Pre-2003
6. Chasm 18m HVD
The right wall of Deep Cut contains a leftward rising ledge. Gain and follow this from the right of a bulge. Chimney up the back wall, to gain a ledge on the right. Finish up the crack above.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
7. Left Crack 15m S *
Follow Chasm to the ledge, then take a short corner to a ledge. Choose from a cluster of cracks to finish.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
8. Right Edge 18m M
The right edge of Deep Cut.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
9. Arcelor Bandit 18m VD
The arete 3m right of Right Edge.
D.Dilligence Pre-2003
10. LEG And Jakob's Triple Trigger ABS Restructuring 18m D
The shallow corner immediately right of Arcelor Bandit.
G.Ashmore 15.03.2003
The next route lies above the beach level line of outcrops, in a conspicuous recess.
11. Obscenities 12m E4 6b
The right wall and rib of the cave. Climb the rib, TR, 2PRs, to the roof. Pull through into the groove via very thin moves until a "thank God" hold can be reached. Continue direct to the top (a pre-placed rope belay is advisable).
E.Kellar, A.Wilson 00.00.1990
Odin's Wall
The most attractive of the crags lying on the west side of Three Cliffs Bay, Odin's Wall, is composed of the best Gower Limestone and provides a variety of well protected quality lines. It is the wall at right angles to the last few routes described, some 70m back from the headland. Accessible approximately 2½ hours either side of low tide.
12. Left Corner And Crack 18m HVS,5a
The left end of the wall forms a corner. Climb this to a big ledge and follow the crack above.
J.Talbot 00.00.1961
13. Cave Crack Direct 20m VS,4b *
Follow Left Corner And Crack to the ledge. Traverse delicately right into a hollow and finish up the crack above.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
14. Cave Crack 18m HS,4b
Follow Cave Crack Direct to the hollow, but finish up the diagonal crack on the right.
R.Owen, D.Jones, A.Bevan 00.00.1959
15. Direct 21m VS,5a
Start at a recess to the right of a cave. Step over the pool to use the recess to gain the cracks above. Climb these with conviction, to a rest and an easier finish.
J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
16. Fiechtl 18m S
A niche forms the start of the next pronounced crack to the right. Follow this until a horizontal break leads to a series of cracks forming the right side of the main wall.
J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
17. Wide Crack 18m D
Start as for Fiechtl. Climb the tricky wide crack, chimney and corner to the top.
R.Owen, D.Jones 00.00.1959
18. Pillar Crack 15m D
The chimney right of Wide Crack often has a pool at its barnacle-ridden base. A preferable start lies 1m left, before joining the chimney at a ledge.
R.Owen, D.Jones 00.00.1959
19. Girdle Traverse 18m VS,4c
Start as for Fiechtl and continue leftwards at mid height to finish on the ledge of Left Corner and Crack.
Odin's Wall East Facet
Slightly right and up from Odin's Wall lie a series of pillars and corners. The first pillar of note is called the Second Pillar.
Second Pillar
The first route here follows the obvious South East facing cracked corner at the top left of the bay.
20. Left Corner 12m D
Follow the crack, with good jams past a bulge.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
21. South Wall 12m D
From the base of the crack Left Corner, step right and climb the narrow wall.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
22. East Edge 15m D
Follow the arete to the right of South Wall, taking care with the rock near the top.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
23. Wall And Corner 15m VD
The wall just before Left Crack.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
24. Left Crack 15m D
Set back from the last route is a gashed feature. Climb this.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
First Pillar
Is nothing more than a continuation of the rock.
25. South Face 15m D
The steep juggy face just to the right of Left Crack.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
26. Left Edge 15m S
Take the arete with little in the way of protection.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
27. Left Pillar Direct 15m VD
Takes the narrow east face of the First Pillar.
J.Talbot 00.00.1960
28. East Corner Crack 16m D
A good line up the cracked corner, bounding the right side of the pillar.
J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
The rest of this recessed bay can be climbed anywhere at less than Moderate standard. The cliff now becomes more broken. The next bay, 150m on is known as Third Corner, Which may house a route up some grooves on the left wall (Living Wall HVS,5a, L.Cole, M.Condick 09.04.2002). The next area to be encountered, 100m past Third Bay houses a number of good lines.
First Pillar
Second Corner
The left wall of the Second Corner is marked by a v-shaped nose at its centre. Left of this nose lie two corners.
29. Left Corner 8m D
The left of the two corners.
J.Talbot 1959
30. Buttress 8m M
The rock between Left Corner and Sharp Edge.
J.Talbot 1959)
31. Sharp Edge 10m VD
Takes the short slab followed by the corner above, which provides good laybacking.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
32. The Nose 10m HS,4a
Start in a hollow just right of the slab of Sharp Edge. Climb up left to a ledge on that route, before swinging right onto the nose which is taken to the top.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
33. Quartz Slab 10m VD
Attain the quartz flecked slab just right of The Nose. Follow this with help from the crack to the right, to a bulge. Surmount this to follow the edge above.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
34. Right Block Buttress 8m S
The wall right of Quartz Slab, is climbed by moving firstly a little right and then back into the centre of the wall to finish.
J.Talbot 00.00.1959
