UKH

Journeying through a largely hidden world at the base of England's biggest sea cliffs, where few ever tread and the tidal range is the second highest on the planet, the traverse of the Exmoor Coast is a unique multi-day adventure. In September 2023 a team of five managed to complete a two-day traverse. Ever up for celebrating the weird, the wacky, and the downright impressive, we were keen to learn more.

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Top climb with the boys!

Clarks hiking boots did me proud! 😅 Next time will have the B's on. 

I can't remember falling down a VDiff but the boys all remember it, a limpit must have popped 🤣 

Excellent stuff, and an entertaining article.

I didn't realise it was quite so long, is there a shorter version more commonly done?

Incredible effort! 

I wish all my partners would give me a Powerpoint presentation over Zoom with a history of the route, previous attempts and likely cruxes before I went climbing.

Would it be ethical to carry a wet chalk bag with spare limpets in it, or would that count as aid?

Great job, great article - the Cuillin Ridge of the South (but way harder)!

I know this had been attempted by Dave Pickford and Grant Farquar a few years ago, good effort getting it done!

I'm so sorry but I can't help myself. Also, I have made the point before so I am nothing if not consistent...

It's "The Valley Of Rocks" not "The Valley Of The Rocks." 

There is only one "The" and it's at the beginning.

I'll shut up now.

Also, great effort!

Brilliant.  Would be interested to see the kit list of what was carried and the reason for B2's over approach shoes.  Did I read that right - Doc martens over the top of rock shoes?!

Well played, gentlemen!

jcm

We experimented between the two. Approach shoes proved better for the climbing and running the pebble beaches, but one slip into a rockpool and they're soaked, while B2's offer better ankle protection for scrambling the endless slippery boulders. We each decided what worked best for us. No need for rock shoes. 

George doesn't have fancy kit, so opted for what we thought were Doc Martens, but we stand corrected, as he mentioned above they're from Clarks! 

Brilliant work!

Phwoaaar, you look proper hench in this George! 

Good effort fella.  

Also, Clarkes shoes! Hero. 

I went for Tennies instead of boots, though it did make me quite nervous for ankles on the miles of slimy boulder running... Steve managed to fulfil that worry!

Great effort!  We have lots of sea-level scrambles here in Guernsey, but nothing as committing, and with less climbing - I think missing a LW crux would just result in an unplanned wait on a large ledge or beach above the HWM for the next low.  Climbing sections are inevitably boulder problems required to escape gullies. I suspect we do have more low water cruxes though, so would take longer to do in a single push.  There is a guidebook (Guernsey Coastal Walks and Scrambles by Alan Hill, detailed in the logbooks section on here) which is excellent - each section is graded, as are escape routes.  We normally do them in winter when it's too wet or cold to climb. Hiking boots or approach shoes are normally the favoured footwear, but people sometimes take rockboots for known climby cruxes. Definitely good training for alpine activities.  It's 23.2km in total.  The island of Sark also has similar scrambles and a guidebook "Guide to the caves and bays of Sark" by La Trobe-Bateman. Checked and reprinted a few years ago. Herm can be scrambled around easily (I've done it with my scouts), has the added interest of an old copper mine which can be explored safely. Alderney - probably a serious undertaking due to a lack of escapes and cliffs that drop straight into a sea with very strong currents in places. Jersey - the Jerseymen on here will have to advise, probably similar to Guernsey but their cliffs are on their north coast and in the shade whereas Guernsey's are always in the sun

We're happy to provide info for anyone fancying attempting it, or indeed sections of it.

The more popular unbroken traverses are listed on the UKC crag page, though don't expect quality rock, it's more adventure climbing, across wondrously scenic sections of the North Devon coastline.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/the_exmoor_coast_traverse-1242/

Jim is the more knowledgeable and suggests he may find the time to knock up a small PDF with some additional info, though no promises.

Hi, Id recommend 2 segments: 

The best introduction is probably to start at Wringcliff bay, beneath The Valley of Rocks (51.231300259377576, -3.8606027226534163), and traverse westwards around Duty Point (VD or Severe). This ends at the tourist beach of Lee Bay, and if the tide is still way out you can continue by traversing Crock Point (HS with 1 abseil) to reach the derelict harbour of Woody Bay (51.22472805997287, -3.8958380461058706). This is probably possible on any spring low tide if sea conditions are good enough. The rock is good and its not too committing. 

The 1989 North Devon and Cornwall guidebook recommends traversing just the Inner Sanctuary. This is all the best climbing of the traverse, but its also the crux and the possibilities for escape en-route are very few. I think the author managed it in just a single day (guided by someone knew the route), which is pretty good going! This bit took me three separate trips reccying from either end before i was confident enough that it could all be climbed. You'll also likely need one of the lowest couple tides of the year. 

starts at : 51.2292840029411, -3.9034873103379497 

and finishes Heddons Mouth: 51.23010362316185, -3.9281079079582297

Thanks,

I've been looking to get to Guernsey and Sark for a little while now. I remember buying an old book with many of the coast traverses described during lockdown and thinking i definitely had to visit. It was impressive to read how long ago they managed all of these traverses too. 

I think i first read about Sark in this excellent short alpine journal contribution: https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1978_files/AJ%201978%201...

Hit me up if you decide to come, happy to advise or guide you if I'm around and free .  The descendants of La Trobe have recently (past few years) been and re-evaluated his guide due to the popularity of coasteering so the latest edition is fully up to date.

Just in case, there is a Free download of Martin Crocker's Guernsey exploits

https://www.martincrockerclimbing.com/downloads

Very well done to all involved, I think a two day crossing is a fantastic achievement, having barely managed it in just over four days in 2016! Thanks for a great write up and photos that brought back mixed feelings, as well as mild tide panic. I’d ask you to cut me in on the next powerpoint presentation, but you look too young and strong. Just one thing, a willingness to carry four large pork pies and drink from puddles is not nonsensical, you lads need to channel your inner spaniel 😉

All the best

Matt

An excellent read and adventure - great effort

Chris