FISHERMAN'S LEDGE

Fisherman’s Ledge is one of the most popular and important areas at Swanage. There is a wide variety of climbing to be found including deep water solos, big trad routes, scary headpoints and bolted roof climbs. For the deep water soloist, Fisherman’s Ledge (or Conner Cove as it is also known) is the place to be at the height of summer. Armed with only a beach towel and a supply of old boots and chalk bags, the climber can tackle some crazy solos or pull off an amazing 20m swallow dive. The main soloing areas are the Funky Wall and the Conger Cave. The trad climbing of the Squid and Limited Edition Areas offers another attraction. Hereabouts are some classic routes that follow impressive lines above a solid and accessible platform. Further on is the awesome Palace of the Brine, home to some of the best and most spectacular roof climbing around. On the middle walls of Conner Cove are a series of high standard and often very bold trad routes - thin moves with minimal gear and without any deep water below. The rock is heavily weathered and yields some amazing pockets and gritstone-style slopers in places. On the whole, the finishes tend to be more solid than nearby cliffs which is very welcome if you are soloing or headpointing.

Routes

97 trad routes (D...E7) 5 sport routes (7c+...8b) 3 dws routes (E4...E5) Graded List of Routes List of First Ascents