devon deep water solo MMT routes

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MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR ROUTES

The following routes are all located above MMT 1. They are all slightly more committing and more involved than the average Deep Water Solo. However, if you are don't mind the complicated approaches and descents there are some excellent routes!

Approach: from twin stakes (one poor) 16ft back from the cliff-edge situated 40 yards S of the exit of False Alarms. A 150ft rope should accommodate the one or two re-belays necessary and allow the HWM to be reached. All of the routes can be accessed via MMT but except in one case the soloist would have to top out (straightforward though scary) and there would be the psychological penalty of an extra 6-16ft fall at low tide. Generally the rock below and including the bulges at 45ft is wave-washed and trustworthy, though reaching the re-belays may require caution. Abseil down the steep headwall for 45ft; to your L (facing in) is a good ledge (In The Mood finishes here) at the foot of a R to L slanting chimney (this provides a possible escape route). To your R is a vague rib below which the keel of This is My Church plummets into the sea: all of the routes between In The Mood can top out to this. Alternatively, it is 4a/4b on questionable rock to get across from here to the belay ledge. If you want to do all of the routes (more or less) onsight, then diagonal down R from the re-belay, clipping into an in-situ nut, which gets one down easily to Magical Mystery Tour (MMT) before the overhanging rib of In The Mood. Or ,from either re-belay abseil down Ian’s solo using the in-situ nut and PR to keep you in. In any case you’re going to need to know what you’re doing, and carry jumars!!!

In The Mood XS 5b 30/45ft S0 #
Short, punchy, and gets you in the mood. Climb the overhanging rib, traversed by MMT at fairly high level, using a crack on its L to a white ledge with a big jug. Descend Rwards to MMT or carry on over bulges to a ledge where your rope will be if you abbed in. FA Martin Crocker 16.9.98 (onsight solo)

Let it Go XS 5c *45ft S1 #
The soaring red corner L of the rib. Now you’re in the mood…….let it go! Climb the corner direct past a difficult little overhang and either swing R onto the arete or press on direct to regain the re-belay. FA Martin Crocker 16.9.98 (soloed after inspection)

This is My Church XS 6a/b ***45ft S1 #
The definitive line of the keel: awesomely steep and pumpy with hard climbing right to its top. Fr.7a+/7b. Sprint up the opening groove and gain twin jugs above and R of the PR. Grope diagonally R for a mono’ above a bulge, and crank up and out on flakes and pockets up the arete of the prow, eventually to rock up onto a white ‘shield’ of rock at the top. Congratulate yourself….you held it together! FA Martin Crocker 16.9.98 (top-roped above ‘twin jugs’ before soloing)

Cod is a DJ XS 6a *50ft S1 #
Quirky and varied , this is the jagged arete between two bottomless corner-chimney-caves left of the prow. Extremely enjoyable. Layaway the sharp initial arete past a projecting block hold to a rest-you’re gonna need it! Pull straight over the small roof above to gain a horizontal crack, which leads ‘scrungily’ (a Dorsetism) into a corner-crack and easier climbing to the chimney ledge re-belay. FA Martin Crocker 16.9.98 (soloed after inspection)

Cave of Dark Deeds XS 5b 50ft S1 #
Lovers of greasy dark holes will wet themselves over this one. Climb fairly easily up into the recesses of the large semi-circular cave left of the jagged arete. Ooze Rwards across a smooth slab, until a precarious rather-to-high-for-comfort move into a corner gives access to the re-belay. You can chill out and jumar out now, unless of course……FA Martin Crocker 16.9.98 (onsight solo)

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