Seagull Cave

Location

Park in Reap Lane and follow the obvious track past a barn on the right to the cliff top coast path.  Turn right and follow the coast path for approx. 250m until a path is found leading over the cliff edge.  This path has recently been upgraded by the local climbers.  The path takes a right hand bend and enters a gully.  Follow this down steps past Windy Dig to the base of the gully and then head left (South).  After a few metres, rather than following the main path, take the minor path which leads up onto a ledge along the base of the cliff forming the outer wall of the gully you've just descended.  The entrance is the obvious rift at the end of this ledge.  There are bolts and often a traverse line in place (maintained by local climbers) leading straight to the cave entrance.  Those of a nervous disposition may like cows tails.   

Description

Inside the entrance the earthy floor of the rift slopes downwards levelling out after approx. 20 m (a 20 m handline can be used for comfort).  Continue at floor level until a 3 m drop is found.  This has been bolted by persons unknown.  The pitch is best avoided by traversing ahead on good ledges for a couple of metres and then working downwards to reach the floor.  Remember this point for the return as it's possible at the base of the drop to head back in underneath the pitch head for a few metres to a boulder blockage.  Ahead the rift eventually reaches a boulder choke.  Immediately before, climb 6 m directly up over large insecure looking boulders, some my like a 10 m handline or belay for this climb.  At the top, a 4 m pitch down into what appears to be a blind hole leads to a crawl under the right-hand-side of an enormous flake.  This pitch is an extremely arduous free climb on the way out; it is greasy and there are little in the way of hand / footholds.  A sling & 10 m rope can be used to provide a handline / belay using a dubious looking natural flake at the top as an anchor point.  From the base of the pitch, crawl underneath the huge flake to regain the rift which can be followed through a couple of narrowing's to reach a final choke.  Dropping down a narrow slot ahead shows a view of too narrow rift ahead.  A greasy 5 m climb up a couple of metres before the end leads to a wider section with few solid hand / foot holds (though there are plenty which 'come off').  Ahead the rift looks a passable size but would need gardening to make safe.  Any further progress would require a high level traverse - clearly nobody has tried this before.

Trip time: approx. 1 hour to the end and back.

Kit

20 m handline for entrance slope.

2 x 10 m handlines for rift climbs.

Survey