Restricted Access
The crag is south facing for the most part and quick drying, especially with a bit of sea breeze. However, it's worth bearing in mind that traversing along the platform at the base of the crag (needed to get to most routes) can be exciting in anything other than calm seas. The traverse is generally accessible 3 hours either side of high tide for most of the crag and the base of Terrier's Tooth and Bishop's Buttress for slightly longer, although these times are significantly reduced during neap tides. During high tides or when big seas are running, it is also possible to abseil in to the upper pitches of several routes.
Seasonal Restrictions
Dates: 15 March to 30 June
Reason: Nesting Birds
The restriction applies to all routes on Bishop's Buttress - from Lacertion to The Mitre inclusive (route 82, page 153 to route 14, page 159 in the 2017 Climber's Club guidebook).
Routes within Zawn Rinny (Consolation Climb to Shark Alley) are also restricted during the same period, but the Zawn Rinny descent for the western end of Chair Ladder is fine to use.
Rockfax Description
One of Cornwall's greatest VS routes, requiring a broad selection of techniques. The line follows the huge corner up the middle of Bishop's Buttress before making a memorable leftwards traverse to clear the huge roof. Start at a short crack just left of the corner-line.
1) 5a, 20m. Move up to a long ledge and then head right to a wide crack. Climb the slab and corner right of the wide crack (or the wide crack itself) to join up with the wide crack once again at 7m. Climb the widening crack awkwardly to a stance in the back of the crack beneath the roof.
2) 5a, 10m. Make a technical horizontal traverse left across the face and move up a little way to a stance where the overhang fades. (The crack that runs underneath the roof to the stance may also be climbed at around the same standard).
3) 4a, 15m. Climb cracks in the wall directly above the stance to a large ledge and block-belays.
4) 4b, 11m. The line of steep thin cracks above the centre of the ledge as for Flannel Avenue. © Rockfax
Ticklists
The 100 Best UK VS routes? , Kernow , West Country Climbs , Rockfax West Country top 50 , UK Classic Corners , South West VDiff-HVS , CUC Climbing Club, Part 1: The Classics , Paul's pre-Kendal Kernow ticklist , High Quality Adventure routes , 100 Best South West Mid Grade Routes , Adventure ticklist 2018 , South West Classic VS's , Definitive *** West Cornwall , Target Routes 2019/2020 , South West Climbs - Pat Littlejohn (1st Ed.) , Pre-departure , Learning to Trad Climb: Cornwall , Cornwall 2021 , Cornwall , 22 For 2022 , Dan’s Delights , Kernow , ROCKFAX TOP 50s upto e3 , HS-HVS adventures , Luke & Andy's Cornish Climbathon , Cornwall - October 2023 , Llidberis South West Tour
Feedback
| User | Date | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Rowland | 22 Jul, 2020 |
Show βeta
βeta: First pitch is a nightmare if you can't offwidth very well, traverse under overhang is also tricky after being shaken up, can traverse left onto a slab to miss out the offwidth if needed but gear isn't as good | ||
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Show beta
βeta: First pitch is a nightmare if you can't offwidth very well, traverse under overhang is also tricky after being shaken up, can traverse left onto a slab to miss out the offwidth if needed but gear isn't as good |
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| Lewis_F | 8 Mar, 2020 |
Show βeta
βeta: Looks to be a pair of choughs setting up shop in the p2 belay cave. | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: Looks to be a pair of choughs setting up shop in the p2 belay cave. |
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| lithos | 12 Sep, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: low traverse, small cams and rock 2s (grey c4, yellow & red C3) | ||
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Show beta
βeta: low traverse, small cams and rock 2s (grey c4, yellow & red C3) |
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| Aimee Louise | 19 May, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: There is a (very loud) bird nesting in the little cave on belay P1. Behind the big boulder at the back. It doesn't like having a sling thrown near it. | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: There is a (very loud) bird nesting in the little cave on belay P1. Behind the big boulder at the back. It doesn't like having a sling thrown near it. |
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Logged Ascents
Guidebooks for Chair Ladder
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C Land Super
Grade: VS 4c ***
(Cligga Head)