Lundy Island - Route Descriptions

covering routes mentioned in Assault on the Pirate's Lair

References:
South West Climbs by Pat Littlejohn;
Lundy - Climbers' Club Guides - by Gary Gibson and Paul Harrison.

(Available from Mountain Book Services)
Landing Craft Bay
Centaur; Road Runner; Formula One; Shamrock; Holiday in Cambodia
Centaur - 160ft HVS (First Buttress North)
1972: CJ Lawrence, AD Caswell (1 pt)
1972: P Littlejohn (FFA)

Excellent, interesting and requiring a good set of nuts. If you're new to leading on HVS, try something else - I've climbed easier E1's!
Start around the lefthand corner from Road Runner; scramble up easy rock to a belay point where the rock steepens.
1. 60ft 4a Climb easily to a stance below the obvious v-chimney.
2. 100ft 5b Grovel up the chimney to a roof, and onto a ledge. Turn the large overhang on the right, move around arete and onto a small ledge. Follow the groove above, then easily up the ramp to where it steepens. Tricky, exposed moves lead to a wide flake, followed by easy climbing to the summit ridge.


Road Runner - 90ft VS (First Buttress North)
1972: GJ Gilbert, P Littlejohn, RD Moulton

Two pitch climb, the second pitch seldom climbed. Pitch 1 takes the obvious crack on the left side of the smooth southerly face of the buttress. Start on the pile of boulders below the crack.
90ft 4c Follow the crack on good handholds and jams to the large recess below the overhangs (Peg belays and abseil point)
Note: The second pitch, 50ft, aided at HVS/5b or free climbed at E3/6b is seldom climbed (see Lundy - Climbers' Club Guide for description).


Formula One - 140ft HVS (First Buttress South)
1972: P Littlejohn, RD Moulton, GJ Gilbert

Superb route with good protection and varied sustained technical climbing. Not for the faint-hearted HVS leader. From the bottom of the descent point, scramble around the base of the righthand buttress, to the obvious groove at the crest of the buttress.
140ft 5a Follow the crack easily to a groove and over an overlap, up to a large overlap. Swing right and up the slanting crack to a sharp layback flake. Short steep climbing leads to the top.


Shamrock - 160ft VS (St Patrick's Buttress)
1972: T Thompson, RD Moulton (Pitch 1)
1974: P Littlejohn, K Derbyshire (Pitch 3)

Considered a classic, it is steep with good holds and protection. The current final pitch was climbed after a rock-fall altered the climb considerably. Start at the very obvious corner on that leads to the huge ledge above.
60ft 4c Gain the corner and then climb more easily onto the large ledge above; belay on its left;
40ft 4a Climb the jagged crack, step left to the base of another, slightly leaning corner (belay point);
60ft 4c Climb the crack, to easier ground, and exit onto very loose terrain above. Move carefully to avoid dislodging stones on your second to a huge block belay above. (pitches 2 and 3 were easily combined)


Holiday in Cambodia - 150ft HVS (St Patrick's Buttress)
1980: G Gibson, D Beetlestone

Described as a "very fine slab route" by the Climbers' Club Guide. "Protection is spartan throughout and the top pitch could offer some worrying moments for a nervous leader". And even for bold leaders!
1. 60ft 5a Despite the higher technical grade the easier of the two pitches. Starting left of the main corner, step up onto a sloping shelf, then straight up onto the big ledge above. Belay in the left corner;
2. 90ft 4c Climb the left edge of the wall, on thin but positive handholds to a mouse-width ledge, where a few blades of grass protrude. Move out left and then up a crack on the arete, finishing direct. (If you like protection at reasonable intervals, find another climb!)


Flying Buttress
Double Diamond - 140ft HVS
First recorded in 1984; frequently climbed over the years as a variation to 'Diamond Solitaire'

Superb line above angry waves; belay from the back of the dark recess, below the prominent overhang.
140ft 5b Turn the overhang, then gain the thin crackline and climb to where you can move right into a wider crack that leads to the top on good holds.


Needle Rock
Integrity - 80ft Severe
1967: DW Brown, P Bingham, J Gill, JA Gaskill

Airy and excellent climbing on a solitary sea-stack.
Move around the corner from the large southern platform-ledge, onto the sea-facing side of the stack; follow the prominent crack to where it peters out. Move right and onto the arete, gain the sharp spur and move onto the southern face. A large flake leads though to the top.


Devil's Slide
Satan's Slip - 330ft E1
1970: LP Fatti, DG Ward

Huge slab, with superb friction makes for a spectacular climb. Small RP's or Wedges the only protection available on the top pitch! Start at the base of the slab, roughly in the center.
1. 150ft Climb easily up the center of slab to the half-way horizontal break. Find a comfortable belay spot.
2. 150ft 5a Climb the center of the slab, just right of the dark streak, aiming for the edge of overlap above. Move with care at an angle midway between climbing and walking, until you gain the corner crack, which is followed until an obvious flake belay point is reached.
3. 30ft Move up and over the large blocks from above the belay point.


Albion - 350ft VS
1963: PH Biven, VN Stevenson, C Fishwick

A classic middle grade climb, named after the last private owner of the island. Start from the base of the slab.
1. 120ft Climb easily up the left side to a stance on the left edge of the rib.
2. 80ft Move back to the right and climb the slab to the half-way horizontal break. Belay in the recessed stance with flake belays on the left of the midway break.
3. 120ft 4c Follow the corner crack (undercling) until an obvious flake belay point is reached. (As for Satan's Slip.)
4. 30ft Move up and over the large blocks from above the belay point.


 
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