Cheddar Gorge Rock Climbing

The tallest inland limestone outcrop in the UK, a busy tourist attraction, a cold, deep, gloomy gash in the landscape... Cheddar Gorge can be described in a multitude of ways, but there's no disputing that it is one of the UK's best sport climbing destinations. Where else can you find 4-pitch bolted routes, such a range of grades, or such a spectacular situation as the awesome routes on Sunset Buttress?

It hasn't always been this way. Before 2005, access was very limited, with climbing all but banned in the gorge. Routes relied heavily on old, rusted pitons, faith and luck for protection; loose rock was the norm and vegetation was well on its way to reclaiming large swathes of the gorge walls. That all changed with the Cheddar Gorge Restoration project. Thanks to the work of Martin Crocker and other local activists, and with the support of the BMC, a new access agreement was negotiated, old routes were cleaned, and thousands of bolts were placed to turn a rather esoteric destination into a vibrant sport climbing area.

The access agreement is still complicated and fragile, and ivy is still threatening to take over the less-frequented regions, but it is orders of magnitude better than in the past.

A few of the old traditional routes have retained their bolt-free status. Particularly notable is Coronation Street, one of the most famous climbs in the UK. This 5-pitch route ascends High Rock which, at about 100m in height, is the tallest inland limestone outcrop in the UK. The first ascent was broadcast on national TV and was quite a spectacle at the time! It is still not a route to be underestimated, hard in the grade with retreat becoming very difficult after the third pitch traverse. Many parties have been benighted while struggling with the crux fourth pitch (or even before).