South West Climbs

A selection of fine rock climbs from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Jersey. 500 routes from 40 main areas are selected in this guide, and finding the cliffs, which is no simple matter in the complex topography of the south-west, is greatly eased by clear location maps. Route descriptions are supported by diagrams or photo topos, and many are illustrated with action photos.

The focal point of the area is the magnificent granite climbing of the western tip of Cornwall, which offers routes of all grades set against a splendidly turbulent ocean backdrop. The quartzites and lavas of Cornwall's north coast offer major climbs with a sterner character. Further east, the Culm Coast of Cornwall and Devon border have climbs with curious sculptural appeal, and to the south the cliffs near Torquay and Swanage are surprisingly testing with an almost Mediterranean ambience.

Add the remote charms of Lundy, the tors of Dartmoor and Bodmin, the sheltered faces of Avon and Cheddar and the granite cliffs of Jersey and the Scilly Isles and the diversity of the area becomes apparent.