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Minchen Hole to Hunts Bay
GR556868 to 562867
TIDAL STATUS
1 hour to non-tidal. See individual crags.
BOLTING POLICY
See individual crags.
PREAMBLE
From Heatherslade, tidal rocks run all the way round to Hunts Bay. As well as the sea level crags, there are a number of non-tidal caves. Two of these caves would be of national climbing significance. Bacon Hole with its 50m roof, which would provide one of Europe's most impressive sports venues, but climbing is currently banned. There are also a couple of smaller caves, where climbing is permitted and Bosco's Area provides a fair number of good routes in a venue that comes into its own on a hot summer day.
ACCESS
1. Minchen Hole to Spring Zawn Approach Park in the NT car park at Southgate (see Fox Hole for details). On foot, follow the cliff top road running east from the car park. Follow this road, then strike out southwards towards the highest mound in the local area at the top of the third gully along. Follow a footpath down the west side of the mound, to meet the path running along the cliffs above high tide level. Follow this path eastwards (left) for 200m, to arrive at the (very) obvious entrance to Minchen Hole. Scramble across the gully (do not enter the cave) and scramble out to the far side to reach Marble Arch after 100m followed shortly by Prawn Zawn and Bowen's Parlour and Spring Zawn further on.
2. Bosco's Area
As for the Minchen approach, but continue along the cliff top path to reach a minor road on the left (Bosco's Drive GR558870). Strike seaward to a bench and follow a path diagonally down left towards sea level. Two promontaries can be seen heading out to sea. The left (east) promontary has a quarry at its landward end (Golden Wall). Head towards this promontary to find a short pinnacle. Either abseil in from this pinnacle or follow a path down the west side (right when facing seaward) and scramble east round the headland (only possible 2½ hours either side of low water). This gives access to Bosco's Wall, Gulch and Bosco's Cave. To get to Golden Wall scramble easily down the west side of the promontory to reach the high tide ledge below the wall. To get to Bucketland, cross the beach eastwards from Boscoes 1½ hours either side of low water. Note that most routes have lower offs and so either leave the abseil rope in, or make sure that you do not get cut off by the tide when leaving the crag.It is also possible to gain Bucketland by scrambling west from Bacon Hole.
As for the Minchen Hole approach, but walk down the cliff top road to Hunt's Farm on the left after about 15 minutes (GR564873). Turn down the valley bellow Hunt's Farm until at the level of the path near the edge of the coastal turf. Turn right (facing seawards) down this and follow the path until it starts to rise up. Skirt down and left and descend easy rocks to gain a plaform below the crag. Bacon Hole is 100m further round to the west.A much shorter approach avoiding the tedious trek from Hunt's farm(although parking costs nothing here)is to take the path down past Bacon Hole to the same platform. The path descends from the headland close to the sign informing of the seasonal problem with Choughs
DESCENTS
See individual crags.
CLIMBING BAN
Bosco's Den (although not the much more extensive Bosco's Wall, Gulch and Cave) is currently banned for climbing. Please avoid it in order not to jeopardise access to other crags. (The Den is the deeper high cave approached by a fragile conglomerate false ceiling with presumably many sacrosanct archaeological/natural historical treasures within.)
