NEWS: Rockfall at Vicarage Cliff

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 UKC/UKH News 11 Apr 2017
All that debris is fresh, including the massive blocks..., 3 kbA major landslide is affecting the approach to Vicarage Cliff on the North Cornwall coast. It poses a very serious danger to anyone passing underneath.

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 Dave Garnett 11 Apr 2017
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

Alpine start then, to cross below the Brown Spider before the sun gets on it!
 petellis 11 Apr 2017
In reply to Dave Garnett:

Aye probably best to un-rope for that bit in case you need to sprint! Seems to be what the pair in the photo have done.
 ripper 11 Apr 2017
In reply to Dave Garnett:

> Alpine start then, to cross below the Brown Spider before the sun gets on it!

I think if I was below that lot and it started moving, a 'brown spider' would pretty quickly appear...
 Bulls Crack 11 Apr 2017
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

So which bit is the cliff?
 ripper 11 Apr 2017
In reply to Bulls Crack:

if you mean where's the climbing, it's on the rocky headland at the far end of the beach in the pic. The way down on to the beach is around where the photographer appears to be standing - ie. closer than the immediate foreground. Which means that to get to the climbing from the 'way down' onto the beach, you'd have to pass below the large area of obvious landslip on the right, which has clearly thrown some big stuff a fair way across the beach.
From memory there was also some bouldering half way along the beach which looks like it might now have been buried!
 Luke90 11 Apr 2017
In reply to ripper:

On the plus side, some of those new rocks look almost large enough to tempt the boulderers.
 Greenbanks 16 Apr 2017
In reply to Luke90:

> On the plus side, some of those new rocks look almost large enough to tempt the boulderers.

Is that a positive?
)
 Martin Davies 16 Apr 2017
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

I was down there? yesterday, the approach path along the cliff top is closed and gates bolted etc, but going round the diversion can access the rope down to the beach. The actual climbing is unaffected as far as we could see, and as far as the approach along the beach goes it was fine for us as long as give it a healthy border. Saw some big rocks come down but none really went that far onto the beach.
 Sean Kelly 23 May 2017
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

It was always a frightening bit of cliff best avoided. I've seen a few come unstuck on it and require help getting off it.
1
 Offwidth 24 May 2017
In reply to Sean Kelly:

Its fine for experienced lower grade climbers used to adventurous access descents and aware of tides. Nice low tide climbing.
 Dave Garnett 24 May 2017
In reply to Sean Kelly:

> It was always a frightening bit of cliff best avoided. I've seen a few come unstuck on it and require help getting off it.

Classic entry-level culm! I don't recall the descent past Hawker's hut being any problem but it's been a while...
 Mark Kemball 24 May 2017
In reply to Dave Garnett:

I would not recommend the approach via Hawker's Hut unless you enjoy bashing your way through blackthorns. Latest news - according to friends who were there at the weekend, the rockfall is still active, the coast path above the cliff is closed off and is likely to slide onto the beach soon, climbs are not affected, approach along the beach with care underneath the collapsing cliff. Avoid at high tide if possible as you would have to pass through the danger zone, with no easy sprint out of the way...
 Mark Kemball 26 Jun 2017
In reply to UKC/UKH News:

Reports from friends this weekend indicate that the approach across the beach is no longer subject to bombardment.
In reply to Mark Kemball:

Thanks for the update Mark
 Sean Kelly 26 Jun 2017
In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Would it not be possible Mark, to fix up some sort of abseil anchor directly above the Vicarage Cliff so avoiding that long walk in the first place. Probably have to prusik back up though!
 Mark Kemball 26 Jun 2017
In reply to Sean Kelly:

The whole of that section right of the main cliff is fairly loose with some very thorny vegitation mixed in, also, you'd need a very long ab rope (100m?), I wouldn't fancy it.
 skelf 06 Jul 2017
I went down a couple of weeks ago and the cliff wasn't doing anything, but on Tuesday evening there were a few rockfalls. Just as we got onto the beach, some paving slab sized flakes rolled down and there were a couple of further trundlings in the next hour or two.
It's not quite done yet!
 Graeme Hammond 06 Jul 2017
In reply to skelf:

When i was there a few weeks back there was no stonefall and decending the fixed rope felt like the most dangerous actively other than the normal danger of climbing on a tidal sea cliff. There was a big crack right in the middle of the closed path section with the potential for a further massive collapse. This could be at any time or it could be years ahead. I expect the situation is being monitored for further movement or stabilization over a period of time. I expect significant rainfall could make further movement more likely. The diversion is not much further time to follow but ultimately you are going to be in most danger when crossing the beach under the affected area.

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