Carn Gowla, St Agnes Head, North Devon & Cornwall

Submitted by: Barry Clarke
Crag: Carn Gowla St Agnes Head (p 279)

Outland

Date of ascent: 07/11/2016
Length/grade/stars: 28m VD
Climbers: BJ Clarke (solo)

Start location:

Follow the path down from the Coastguard Station towards St Agnes Head. When 20 metres short of the blocks forming the Head itself; scramble down leftwards (facing out) to high tide level. Continue leftwards (facing in) until the ledges end and the rocks steepen, belay here.

Pitch descriptions:

1. 10m Traverse leftwards just above high tide level to reach a comfortable hidden ledge below a black and white groove.
2. 18m Climb the black and white groove to a shallow cave. Step left and finish up a left-slanting corner. A straightforward climb in a tremendous position!

Song at Twilight

Date of ascent: 11/11/2016
Length/grade/stars: 24m VD

Start location:

150 metres right (facing out) of St Agnes Head itself is a smaller headland gained by descending grass and earth slopes. The cliff below the headland is rather broken but is crowned with a short yellow ridge at its top. Keep right (facing out) of the short yellow ridge and scramble down little rocky bluffs to gain grassy ledges and slightly further the slabby cliff top. 30 metres right (facing out) of here an attractive dark buttress is clearly visible. Walk rightwards along a terrace towards this buttress, until a shallow horizontal cave is reached (cairn!). From here abseil directly down a groove, which limits the right-hand side (facing in) of the buttress, to small ledges at high tide level; start here!

Pitch descriptions:

Move up and left for 7 metres to gain a clean-cut groove in the right edge of the dark buttress. Climb the groove with pleasure to ledges and the top.