Lundy Rock Climbing

Lundy is a small granite island in the Bristol Channel, three miles long, half a mile wide, with roughly twenty residents. It also holds some of the most committing trad climbing in southern England — over 250 routes from VDiff to E6 on solid granite cliffs that have been climbed since the 1960s. Getting there takes a two-hour ferry from Bideford and you can’t leave until the next boat. Climbers tend to like that.

What to expect

Multi-pitch trad on island granite, mostly on the west coast cliffs — Devil’s Slide is the famous slab route, three pitches of HVS that draws climbers from across the country. The Devil’s Limekiln, the Constable, and the Old Light cliffs offer routes at most grades. Approaches involve coastal walking and occasional abseil access. The rock is genuinely good — cleaner and more reliable than most UK sea-cliff climbing.

Practical notes

The MS Oldenburg sails from Bideford or Ilfracombe two-to-three times a week. Day trips are possible but pointless — book a stay in one of the Landmark Trust properties or the campsite. Accommodation books out months ahead in summer. Bring everything — the island has a small shop and a pub, no climbing gear. Best season May to early October. Helmets non-optional; the cliffs above and beyond climbed routes can shed loose rock.