Anstey’s Cove has some of the best and toughest sport climbing in Britain and its climbing style and rock is in good contrast to that found on Portland and at Swanage. During the late 1980s this small area around Torbay became a popular forcing-ground with many top climbers visiting to try and repeat the hard routes, more often than not with a frustrating lack of success. Since this time the desperate additions by Ken Palmer have kept on appearing at regular intervals and repeats of the hardest lines are rare. Those who are intimidated by the famous big grades of the gnarly routes of the Ferocity Wall should not be put off. The adjacent Empire Wall and Cocytus Area offer a good number of smart easier routes.
As on Portland, the climbs are staple bolted. Only 10 or 12 quickdraws and a 50m rope are needed although an abseil rope is required at Long Quarry Point. The few lines that are not fully-bolted are the quality traditional challenges like Devonshire Cream and The Mitre but these have some fixed gear so just a single rack of wires should suffice.

Photo: Cocytus (E2 6a) at Anstey's Cove © Mark Glaister

ROUTES

18 trad routes (HS...E6) 43 sport routes (6a...8c) 3 dws routes (7b+...8a) Graded List of Routes List of First Ascents

Buttress (click for routes)	No. of Routes	Route Type	Sunshine or shade	Approach walk	Other	Page
Empire of the Sun Wall The wall overlooking the approach path has a few traditional routes on its left-hand side. The...	14			8 mins		308
Mitre Buttress The weirdly-structured and well named Mitre Buttress provides a handful of absorbing and...	12			8 mins		309
The Upper Wall The Upper Wall is the short wall above the Ferocity Wall.	3			8 mins		310
Ferocity Wall The continuously-leaning and colourfully-streaked Ferocity Wall is one of the UK's most difficult...	15			8 mins		310
Upper Cliffs No description as yet.	3			10 mins		365
Cocytus Area Down the slope from the Ferocity Wall is another fine buttress consisting of a series of grooves...	12			10 mins		312
Long Quarry Point Long Quarry Point is the vast disused open quarry at the northern end of Anstey’s Cove. There are a...	5			10 mins		313
		What do these symbols mean?

Might and Main
"Brutal start to a high first bolt. A scarey run out section. Very nice moves. Fe..." 30/Jun

Empire of the Sun
"There is a new first bolt" 26/Jun

The Lynch
"Brutal, utterly utterly brutal..." 06/Sep

The Waffle Supremacy
"Unfairly maligned in my opinion, this is an excellent route, slightly spoiled by..." 13/Jun

Big Jim
"Nice little route with a powerful start and delicate upper section." 10/Sep

Rawhide
"Now re-geared and cleaned (two huge blocks came off it), it's not a bad route, i..." 12/Jul

Empire of the Sun
"An awesome route. Good holds when you need them, but still best done rapidly." 04/Jun

Just Revenge
"Well...maybe power isn't my thing, but this felt considerably harder than Return..." 27/May

Search for comments