UKC

Hi everybody,

I recently learnt to trad climb in the Peak District on a learn to trad course. I’m able to lead up to severe

im taking a trip to Portland to do some sport climbing in a few weeks time. I’d love to consolidate what I’ve learnt on the course by also doing some beginner trad routes near Portland. I’m moving to Ethiopia in September and this will be my last chance to practice trad skills before I go

I know how to abseil but I’ll be with a friend who doesn’t and has never tried trad climbing (so they would just be seconding). We will have a car.

Can anybody help a newbie out and recommend any easy trad routes within an hour driving distance of Portland?

thank you very much in advance

To be honest, Portland is not really the venue I'd be thinking of, for beginner trad.  The guide suggests there are routes below VS but they are few and far between.

Subluminal at Swanage has some V Diffs and Severes but access is by a short abseil, so you have to climb out.  Not ideal for non-climbers, especially with the risk of abbing into the wrong but and finding you can't climb out.

Thanks for your reply Dave, I really appreciate it. I only need a handful of routes in order to get some practice in, do you know the names of the routes at Portland that might be suitable?

I will check out Swanage too. To clarify my friend is a competent sport climber and belayer, just never tried trad. Maybe I’ll teach him to abseil then we could go to subliminal 

thanks 

Here’s a starter for ten:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/wallsend_north-266/eternitys_tooth...

A loose, unprotected trad climb that’s had no ascents logged since 1989. What could possibly go wrong? 

This climb will be nothing like the ones you’ve done in your intro course in the Peak. Same with the ones on Swanage. It’s just a more serious place to climb. 

Ok, so that’s probably not the one I’m after then.

happy to go further afield if necessary 

I would say try Subluminal, The abseil is short, easy to rig and down to a big ledge. Good skills to learn in any event. Have a practice building anchors before you go, there are several stakes Perhaps a practice abseil also, smallish tree is all you need.

Once you are down on the ledge there are a good half dozen routes within the grade with a couple of escape routes that are easier.

Portland is a non-starter for trad. You have two options, neither are perfect for different reasons:

Dartmoor has many short outcrop trad. routes on generally solid rock that can have decent protection and good belays, so ideal for your purpose. Unfortunately the crags are roughly a two hour drive from Portland:  

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/haytor-205/zig_zag-32592  

Your other option is to seek out the occasional suitable route at Swanage. To get to the start of routes you will probably have to abseil. In some places it is possible to make easy but exposed scrambles down, with high consequences if you loose your footing. At Swanage the base of routes are usually close to the water and some sea states (tide, waves) will make belaying and climbing hazardous. It is hard to advise on the suitability of these routes as we don't know how you or your partner feel about this kind of thing.

Seacombe is accessed by a short abseil or an easy scramble down, many people would be OK with the scramble but we don't know if you would. 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/seacombe-1240/far_from_the_madding...

Cattle Troughs, has an exposed scramble down or low-angle abseil:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/cattle_troughs-251/grottle-31451  

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/cattle_troughs-251/chockney-14481  and others in the vicinity

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/cattle_troughs-251/fallen_block_cl...

Subluminal, as Dave and Paul, suggest above has a short but steep abseil to access the routes. There are a couple of VDiffs but if you abseil down to the wrong part of the ledge you have to climb a minimum of Severe to get out. The routes will be polished and if your escape route turns out to be wet you could be in for an epic. Chances are there will be others around to point you in the right direction but it's best to not rely on this.

The Lower Ledge area: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/dancing_ledge-256/

Lovely spot, not the world’s best climbing, but that doesn’t exist in the form of newbie friendly routes in Dorset.

I would suggest Cattle Troughs is a much better bet than Subluminal.  Its an easy scramble in (and out).  Subluminal VDs and Severes will feel very physical and, to be honest, not that good.

Its probably not what you want to hear, but trad for beginners at Swanage and Portland is in short supply and what there is tends to be committing.

Down at Dancing Ledge there is a 10m wall with around 20 routes from Diff - VS. Not sure how well protected they are but I think there are bolt belays at the top. They are slabby so not too strenuous. You can always do the sport routes down there if you dont fancy it and theres a little natural swimming pool if it's too hot for a swim.

Topos here:

https://img.ukclimbing.com/i/305973?fm=jpg&time=1518618950&s=db9828...

https://img.ukclimbing.com/i/305948?fm=jpg&time=1518613789&dpr=1&am...

I would have suggested Fallen Block but not having been to Portland for many years I'd not realised the bolters have more or less completed their work there.  Retro-bolting V.Diffs; is nothing sacred?

Apart from that then at Swanage the Cattle Troughs area is gentler than Subluminal. Dorset sea cliffs may well be found to be steep and intimidating on a first visit so start easy would be my advice. And watch wind and wave.

I think what Gerry may be alluding to at the end of the comment is there are occasionally unexpected waves at Swanage which have in the past washed climbers (and fishermen) off of some of the rocks. So be sensible and safe. I should say I've climbed there lots in the past and have not experienced such waves........ I guess its all about luck though. 

I'd also like to mention that on a hot sunny day, these crags can be like an oven. You'll be wanting shade at Portland if its August sun.  Swanage is harder to escape the sun.