Avon Route Guide

The New Quarry

There are allegedly some half-decent sport routes here (though the classic Bitter and Twisted, F7b+ has suffered from extreme polish). Dinosaur Beach is Avon's easiest sport route, and there are some mixed-ethic routes at the right hand end of the crag, which may be suitable for those wishing to push their grade into E2. However, it should be pointed out that most of the New Quarry consists of crumbling choss. Some of the crumbling choss also bears more of a resemblance to Roquefort than, err, rock (ha ha). Climb carefully. (As far away from here as possible...)

Agua Colorado E2 5c	[Read the disclaimer now!.....] OK, I know, I should have done this years ago, but finally this Avon classic makes it to the website. This is surely the best approach to climbing at Avon... Go and do an E1 on grit. No, really, go and do an E1 on grit. On return, look for something a bit more meaty than your usual Avon VS fare. This route leaps from the pages of the guide book, and upon approach, literally leaps from the rock face (well bits of it anyway). So, ignoring the concrete slabs and rubble at the base of this 'picturesque' route, set off. You get to a little ledge at about 15', above which a bulge forces you to lean out. You place some gear here, a wire behind the loose block you're leaning out from... maybe a small wire in that crack you can't see round the bulge. "Bomber"..."Might as well be at St Werburgh's"... Ascend the borehole. At the crux, you should go up with your right hand, but for added interest, go with your left. Just for a laugh - I'm fairly sure the left hand side has no holds. Now you're at a decent height, wobble a bit... tell your belayer you're off... try to undercut with your toes to stay on and... you're off!. Now, you would expect to bounce on the rope... Instead, if you placed those wires badly enough, they'll rip, allowing your arse to hit the concrete below with enough force to stop you sitting comfortably for a month. No need for an abseil descent, just a 4 hour hobble up Bridge Valley Road - or if you're feeling feeble, a blue-flashing-light-taxi ride to casualty. Enjoy. JB [failed with 1 long fall]
Dinosaur Beach * F6b	Quite an interesting route, and certainly steeper than most of the rest of Avon. It takes the curving corner on the left hand end of the New Quarry. Tricky moves lead off the deck to a bolt. Shortly after this is a sort of rest, enjoy it, as it's the last there is. Big, but slopy and polished holds then lead to the next bolt (clipped in a deck out position), and you start to feel pumped. By the time the next bolt came I was mega pumped and it was just a case of slamming the quickdraw home as fast as possible. The slappy crux moves then lead over an overlap to a two bolt lower off. Overall the moves aren't bad, but it suffers from the anonimity of all sport routes. OW (on-sight)
System Z E1 5a	A stunning route - varied and continually interesting. As exciting for the second as for the leader since they will be dodging the falling rocks. If you are belaying wear a helmet (or preferably two). Better still untie while your leader is climbing and quietly run away. This was about the scariest climb I ever did in the gorge and I was only seconding. IW (2nd)
Just this Once E3 5b	This has recently been reclimbed with a direct start at 5c, avoiding the horrible looking groove to the left, via climbing the wall below with 2 bolts as protection. The original description had the interesting line "boldly climb the crack", now come on we all know cracks provide good gear, and can't be bold. However this crack forms the one side of a huge, loose and detached block, which vibrates each time you attempt to place gear. The (mental) crux comes at the top of the crack where you must step out onto the block, and exit onto a slabby section. A solid knifeblade here should calm the nerves for a while, until you realise the next 20' to the belay consist of more crap rock, so be be careful with what you pull on! Ab off the belay shared with No Strange Delight with shaking hands just as it starts to rain! As the route's name implies, it's not worth doing, unless you you want to soil your trousers! AS (on-sight)
No Strange Delight * E3 5c	According to Martin Crocker this is 'low in the grade E3', perhaps if you have iron fingers this is true, but I thought it was desperate. Easy climbing leads up the lower wall to a bolt - pass it on the left (tricky) and continue uneventfully past a peg to the next bolt, which is not a 'grip clip' it's just a long way above your last gear [Bear in mind that this reviewer is over 6' tall, shorties beware! - JB]. After this it gets hard. Gain the flake via small crimps and continue on tinies and poor footholds up the crackline, passing a bolt and peg along the way. Just when you think you can't get any more pumped a long move over a bulge lands you on the belay (double bolt). Now time to deflate those arms! OW (on-sight)
Stammheim * E2 5c	One of the most popular climbs in the quarry. The crux lies low down and is protected by two bolts. The gear remains solid for the whole climb with good pegs and a couple of excellent wires. Not particularly brilliant climb but worth doing. Not hard for E2 [Some people may disagree - see the graded list in the Avon guide! - JB]. CS (on-sight)
Van Dieman's Land E3 5b	This route takes the lose looking groove to the right of Stammheim, and features sustained climbing in a mentally taxing position. Reaching the obvious peg is easy enough, though the closer inspection will do nothing to improve your confidence in its holding power. Sustained moves above this, on dusty and suspect rock lead to awkward bridging to be able to clip the (rusty) bolt, about 20ft above the peg. A rather dusty Friend 1.5 and crap Rock 3 are available just before the bolt, but neither looked any good. After the bolt, sneak slightly rightwards, and up, to a crap peg, just before stepping back left to the SINGLE bolt belay, just below the mud bands. AS (on-sight)
Night of the comic dead E2 5a	Technical climbing in a serious position. A good nut 20ft up provides the first gear, then a well hidden bolt at 40ft the next! The moves up into the groove are the most interesting, though the whole diamond shaped block may be unstable! (About 5 tons of rock!) Standing on top of this decide which peg to clip, though probably none would take body weight! The move up into the scoop, above and to your left should be done delictely as there's lot of lose dinner plate sized flakes to knock onto your belayer. (Note, both you and your belayer should wear helmets, and use double rope in case one of those flakes manages to cut your rope!) Once in the scoop a single bolt is available for belay/lower off. Low in the grade, and NOT recommended! AS (on-sight)
Pastiche * E1 5a/b	Remarkably unremarkable. Rather dull climbing with interest provide only from the general lack of any half decent gear. Try not to fall off! Soft touch. CS (on-sight)
Heartbeat City * E2 5b	A classic New Quarry route taking a non-line over the shattered bulge in the center of the right wall. A few rusting pegs, in-situ thread and some wires give reasonable protection. Again, worth doing but only when you've done everything else!! Low in the grade. CS (on-sight)
Sugar and Spice * E2 5b	More aimless climbing but with spaced protection (on the easy bits), some neat moves and a nice muddy traverse at the top. Don't fall off before the first bit of gear (35 feet) or you'll land on the metal fence. This would hurt a lot and is best avoided. Soft for the grade. CS (on-sight)
End of the Line? E1 4c	This route comes straight from the New Quarry silly grade appreciation society and is highly recommended for those of a nilistic state of mind, looking for a distraction from exams!! Start just right of the fence, and climb 35' of loosish blocks to the first gear, a crap peg, another worrying 6' lead to a bomber wire, and a few more moves to the belay. Not the best of routes, but a stimulating lead requiring you to spread your weight across all seven points of contact, knees and groin included! AS (on-sight)
Private and Confidential E2 5b	This route is worth a star or two, it's a bit short but packs lots of variety into it's 40' length. A steep groove to start, some wide bridging above, and a cunning pull over an overhang to finish. The second peg looks crap, but can be backed up with a couple of good nuts. AS (on-sight)
God E3 6a	This route is given F6b+ in the Avon guide, but the top section is run out enough to warrant a trad. grade. The crux bulge is dynamic and awkward to read, though you've got a bolt right next to you. After that it's 15' of poorish rock to the belay. Worth doing, but not that brill. AS (on-sight)