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ANSTEY'S COVE

[Cocytus (E2 6a) at Anstey's Cove, 7 kb]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 sport afternoon sun downhill
8 mins
seepagedry in rain308
Mitre Buttress
The weirdly-structured and well named Mitre Buttress provides a handful of absorbing and...
12 sport lots of sun! downhill
8 mins
dry in rain309
The Upper Wall
The Upper Wall is the short wall above the Ferocity Wall.
3 sport afternoon sun downhill
8 mins
dry in rain310
Ferocity Wall
The continuously-leaning and colourfully-streaked Ferocity Wall is one of the UK's most difficult...
15 sport sun from mid-morning downhill
8 mins
dry in rainwindy310
Upper Cliffs
No description as yet.
3 trad sun from mid-morning downhill
10 mins
365
Cocytus Area
Down the slope from the Ferocity Wall is another fine buttress consisting of a series of grooves...
12 sport lots of sun! downhill
10 mins
dry in rain312
Long Quarry Point
Long Quarry Point is the vast disused open quarry at the northern end of Anstey’s Cove. There are a...
5 sport early morning sun up+down
10 mins
abseiltidal313
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Latest Comments
ANSTEY'S COVE
American Express
"THIN but all the holds are there...good route just a pity it doesn't go on longe..." 19/Jul

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 top50

The Lynch
"Brutal, utterly utterly brutal..." 06/Sep top50

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 top50

Just Revenge
"Well...maybe power isn't my thing, but this felt considerably harder than Return..." 27/May top50

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