Great memories – Wreckers Slab

◦ I had a great day on this clip mb with my pal Pete Greening he lives in Cornwall and we spoke about great days climbing history has always enthralled me especially involving Tom Patey. He arranged a days out for me when I was with my granddaughters in Cornwall. Lexi was very young and enthralled by us packing our gear she was also worried. It shows how selfish we can be.

◦ Tom Patey during the late 50,s was at this time he was seconded to the Marines as a doctor in Cornwall.

◦ He enjoyed many of the wonderful sea cliff granite climbing that the area is famous for.opening a few routes with local climbers in the Late 50. This route though it has a reputation for loose rock and grass is a classic it scares a lot of leaders away yet I loved it.

Grassy but fun

◦ Wreckers Slab The route

◦ 115m, 3 pitches.

◦ Classic Patey Vs 4b

◦ Rockfax Description:
One of the longest, most alluring and serious VS climbs in the West Country, Wrecker’s Slab is nevertheless the most attempted of its genre on the coast.

◦ The huge, slim slab rising from the beach on the far right-hand side of the cliff has very little in the way of technical difficulty but should not be underestimated as the rock is poor, protection spaced and the situations serious.

◦ Start at the base of the slab just right of the overhangs.
1) 4a, 35m. Make a couple of tricky moves to easier ground and work out leftwards along an easy-angled section of slab to the arete. Climb a loose corner groove just right of the arete to a good peg and then move up and right on more loose rock to a foot ledge stance and peg belays plus good nut belays 5m above.
2) 4b, 45m. Climb directly to the overlaps and pull through them onto the slab above. Ascend the slab to a belay at a pillar on a grass terrace.
3) 4a, 45m. Climb up past the pillar to the easy-angled upper wall and follow this on its left side to the top of the slab and belay

◦ A short scramble along a ridge is needed to finish. © Rockfax

◦ UKC Logbook Description
An amazing cliff, one of the best adventureous routes in the country. Make it a must to climb, what a fantastic day out. Oh and make sure you don’t throw all the hand holds down to your belayer.

◦ T. Patey, J Deacon. K Lawder 1959.

On arriving at the climb an airy scramble I was looking up from the beach the climb looked intimidating. Loose a grassy with loose holds I got use to it though it made you think. Pete was in his element and looking after me. It’s a climb that will stay with me great companion looked after me and despite his van alarms going made it a great-day. Thank you Pete.