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Shire Combe To Watch House East
GR SS 544 874 to GR SS 549 873
Contents
[hide]TIDAL STATUS
1 hour either side of low water to non-tidal. See individual crags.
BOLTING POLICY
No bolting except for Watch House Crags.
At Watch House Crags - Retro-bolting permissible with first ascensionist’s permission. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible. New sports routes allowed.
PREAMBLE
This is a complex stretch of coastline running from Shire Combe at the south-east tip of Pobbles Bay to West Cliff Beach. Shire Combe is the large tidal feature easily visible from Three Cliffs and contains a good selection of routes on slabby rock. To the east of Shire Combe are a series of small, mostly tidal crags, containing some good routes for those in search of some solitude.
Access and orientation is not easy. For the first time visitor, walking along the non-tidal path contouring eastwards from Shire Combe and past Anemone Wall, eventually dropping down onto the beach just before Watch House East is recommended. The area is dominated by the prominent fin of White Edge. If White Edge can be located successfully from the top (not easy), it is worth noting that Ravenscliff Gully and Watch House East are most easily reached by following the path running down the east flank of the edge.
ACCESS
From the B4436 follow the offshoot into Southgate and continue to the National Trust Car Park by a roundabout at the end of the village (GR554873). Park here and follow the private road along the cliff top westward (right when looking out to sea) until a wide path breaks off left, just before its end at Number 18 (The Watch House). Follow this path for 200m until an iron stake is seen on the left (and opposite a water tower well over to the right).
Continue along the cliff top for 70m until a rocky ridge runs down and left, where the aspect of the underlying slopes changes from south to south-west. Scramble down here to reach a wave-cut platform. Shire Combe is the crag resting against the headland, Anemone Wall is the smooth cracked slab 100m to the east. The other crags in this area can be reached by following the path back eastwards. Watch House East itself can be more efficiently reached by walking onto the beach (2 hours either side of low water) from Fox Hole (see Fox Hole) and this is an easy way back out to the car park for those who have made the full crag trip.
DESCENTS
All the crags other than White Edge and Watch House Crag are reached by scrambling down from the lower level coastal path, rendering descent information superfluous. White Edge can be descended to its east (right),
