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Bashers Harbour
Photos: Better Days E2 5b | Lucid Orchestra E7/8 6c
Guidebook: West Cornwall (The Climbers' Club 2001)
(The following is The Edwards original description of this area)
"The cliff can be described as similar in architecture to the well known West Penwith cliff Carn Barra. Grooves, aretes, cracks and steep walls form this granite sea cliff. The rock is generally very good, with one or two routes requiring care on softer granite ( these are only to be found on the already established routes ). This does not detract from the area, but adds to the overall appeal and interest. These routes will also clean up substantially once they are climbed on. Most of the climbs described here are all on very good rock and force very powerful natural lines.
We predict that this crag, like Carn Barra, will become one of the hot spots for visiting climbers, and just as Carn Barra initially was, Bashers is at the moment environmentally unspoiled. We would have liked to have left in place a system which would have protected this area for the future eg lower offs and absiel points, but was unable to This was due to the policies of some local climbers and the BMC access and environmental office.
For belays and abseils we have followed the established method approved by the BMC and Environmental Office - this is to use steel stakes as belays and abseils or to use ropes hanging over the edge of the cliff as lower offs or Belays. Unfortunately this will no doubt end up with much of the cliff top being reduced to a waste land. This happened at Carn Barra , Isis and I now understand also Trewavas , where, because of the extensive erosion which has taken place (due solely to the climbing damage) there is to be a working party organised to repair that cliff. Can we be so arrogant as to seriously think that we can put right all the damage we have done on these lovely areas? Surely it would have been better to have avoided it in the first place. I know that all the flowers and plants on Isis buttress which were stripped from it will never return. Can we bring the trees back on the climbs at Tremadoc, Llanberis or the ones on Milestone buttress etc.. Must we always wait until someone complains and threatens our access? I am sure that climbers will enjoy these great climbs at Bashers and would, I am sure, like to know that they were treating the area as best they could, leaving behind something for future generations? We do have the chance , at Basher's , to put in place something which will reduce the amount of damage we do. But do we have the will to take that step?" Rowland Edwards
The routes were mostly climbed in Summer 2000
Bashers Harbour ( left to right )
Fire in the Sole E7
6b
T this route takes the edge of the right wall of the cave. Spectacular and
unrelenting climbing on excellent rock. FA Mark Edwards & R Edwards
Hawks Crack E5/6
6a
Climb the overhang and two roofs to exit through the groove on the right,
an obvious line right offering good bold climbing and on good rock. FA Rowland
Edwards, Mark Edwards & William Perrin.
Pipeline E5 6b
The obvious corner dominating this section of the cliff. Excellent and unrelenting
climbing with good protection and rock. FA Mark Edwards, Rowland Edwards &
William Perrin.
The Chicken Run E6
6b/c
Technical and powerfully bold direct start to Pipeline. Small cams very useful.
The rock is perfect. FA Mark Edwards & Rowland Edwards
Spanish Raid E6
6b
Another strong and bold line. Takes the obvious hanging prow up its seaward
edge. Spectacular climbing on good rock. FA Mark Edwards, Rowland Edwards
& William Perrin
The Long Stretch E4
5b/c
A very bold line, poorly protected upper wall. Follows the two disjointed
fault lines right of the already established climb "the Flake". FA Rowland
Edwards
Zig-Zag E3 6a
Bold with good climbing. Follow the fault line breaking right and the left
onto a slab to reach a corner on the left to the top. FA Rowland Edwards &
Mark Edwards
Two Way Stretch E2
5b
Starts below the steep corner crack right of the fault line. Climbs crack,
flake and slab to exit via corner on left. FA Rowland Edwards & Mark Edwards
Gecko E2 5c
Steep climbing with a classic corner finish up the steep wall via flakes corners,
and a slab leading to the overhanging corner and wall above to finish. FA
Rowland Edwards, Mark Edwards & William Perrin
Deception E4 5c
Excellent climbing and sustained at this grade. Climb the obvious groove,
right to a short corner. Then right to a series of grooves to the roof. Move
left on the flake to another roof and then back right to a crack in the slab.
FA Rowland Edwards William Perrin.
Lotus Eater E4
6a
Another excellent route route up steep slabs. Climb the corner then left to
ledge, then up to a overhanging groove and finish up the slab above. FA Rowland
Edwards & Mark Edwards
Quartz Dancer E4
6a
Another top quality route. Start as for Lotus Eater and climb the overhanging
corner moving right along a break and up rightwards to a small roof. Over
this and climb back left on the slab to finish up a crack. FA Rowland Edwards
& Mark Edwards
Raptor E3 6a
The first section of the route requires wild moves to reach the ledge. Once
established climb the overhanging crack on the left to steep slab. Climb direct
and move left from a small ledge to finish up a crack in the slab. FA Mark
Edwards & Rowland Edwards
The Endeavor E3
5b
Start up the next bay below a sloping overhang with a square ledge higher
on right. Climb the steep corner left to ledge. Bridge up moving left onto
a slab and climb disjointed crack to top. FA Rowland Edwards & Mark Edwards
In the Fast Lane E3 5c Right of "South Without Scott" Climb the obvious crack left of Footless and continue up right side of arete to the top. FA Rowland Edwards
Knight Move Severe
4a
A handy escape route. As for Footloose and climb chimney up right side of
slab to below headwall, move left to arete and finish up this. FA Rowland
Edwards & Esther Edwards
California Dreaming
Excellent climbing with wild moves to reach the upper groove. Starts as
for Double or Quits to the sloping ledge and stepped corner on right to large
roof. Traverse back left to the arete and pull over small roof into groove
for the top. FA Rowland Edwards & Mark Edwards
Better Days E2
5b
A brilliant climb for the grade in a spectacular position. As for California'
to half way point and then break off right to follow hanging undercling flake
to the right arete, and up to the top. FA Mark Edwards, Robert Southall &
Tony Thomson Photo
One Two Zero E3
4b 5c
Quality climbing up the slab right of Double or Quits. stars up the D & Q
corner to break right under large roof ( belay possible ), break out right
and make a rising leftward traverse to left arete and the top. FA Rowland
Edwards & Bill Birch
Agamemnon E3 6a
5b/c
A more strenuous route than its neighbour (above). Climbs the right corner
to first overhang and move right past a peg then round the arete into the
hanging groove, Belay. Climb the groove/ corner and step left to make a rising
traverse to the upper roof. Move left to exit to the top. FA Mark Edwards.
Rowland Edwards (Alt leads)
Lion Heart E2
5b
Takes the obvious corner at the base of the overhangs left of Catch a Falling
Star area. A perfect Yosemite style "open book" corner with perfect protection
to lower-off point, or continue for Whispering Gallery. FA Mark Edwards &
Rowland Edwards
Whispering Gallery
E6/7 6b/c
The top pitch to Lion Heart. Exciting climbing with rock that will "settle
down" with traffic. Less protectable for the second. From the belay of Lion
Heart make a rising traverse across the overhanging wall to join Catch a Falling
Star, finish up this. FA Mark Edwards & Rowland Edwards
Lucid Orchestra
E7/8 6c
Astonishing climbing up a "big line" feeling on the overhanging wall right
of Lion Heart. Hard moves gain a very thin crack and follow this to reach
a shallow groove, Up this to climb powerfully up the wall above to reach moves
right under the roof into Catch a Falling Star, finish up this. FA Mark Edwards
Photo
Cakewalk E3 6a
( Note: Could be the same route as Pennies >From Heaven. Although the description
in the CC guide is completely different ). Climb the steep wall on the left
to the overhang by long pulls leftwards until it is possible to climb right
to reach a vertical crack. Follow this. FA Mark Edwards & Rowland Edwards
??Pennies from Heaven E3 6a. "We could not find the climb of this grade. A climb of this grade could not be found which would follow the description in the CC guide. If the line near to that which is described is followed, as described in the CC guide, the climbing is both very powerful and very bold indeed, far harder than the grade recorded in the guide. The line was top roped but not lead due to insufficient time and bad weather. "
Fireblade E3 5c
Excellent crack and face climbing and a more logical start to reach the upper
crack mentioned in Pennies from Heaven. Climb the shallow groove right of
the overhang, over a small roof . Traverse left to the crack and up this.
FA Rowland Edwards
Uphill Racer E3
5c
An excellent climb with good protection. start as for Fireblade to the small
roof. And follow the grooves cracks and slabs to the top. FA Rowland Edwards,
Ian Blake & Egbert Dozenkal
St1100 E3 5c
A very good climb up ledges and corner until a move left into a groove, crack
and final slab. FA Rowland Edwards
Gold Star Crack E2
5b
Starts in the next bay right and below an obvious pinnacle. Climb the steep
wall to the base of the shallow groove. Climb the groove to the top of the
pinnacle and then the wall on the right to the top. Take care with the rock.
FA Rowland Edwards
The Arrow E2 5b+
Start as for Gold Star, and climb the groove on the left of the pinnacle to
its top, finish up the wall on the left. Take care with the rock. FA Rowland
Edwards
Please get in touch if you have any further information on this area, or if you repeat any of these routes!
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