The Top Rocks

(23 routes)

The Top Rocks have a number of quality short climbs of varying difficulty and some testing boulder problems. Please stay on the reserve side of any fences and respect residents’ privacy.
Boulder Problems
Goliath, Start left of Creaky Tree, traverse right, keeping low, to BOG and ascend.
Creaky Tree, Climb up to bolt.
The Spit, Traverse left from Lop to finish just past Old Man Of Hoy.
Sloping Shinney, Traverse left to fi nish past Epiphyte Massacre.
Bob, Ascend the overhanging arete just left of Bob.
Old Man of Hoy, Climb to first bolt.
Also, the boulders near the entrance track offer various short problems.

Type: 
Wall
Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Sunshine Daydream 23
0
Sam Russek, 2012
1 Creaky Tree 21 8m
1.02
1bolts wire representing trad
The rounded arete with one hangerless bolt. Crux is getting off the ground. Tree belay.
Paul Hersey, 1992
2 Pump Loonies 21 8m
0
1bolts
Just right of Creaky Tree. Originally soloed, but a bolt was later put in for sanity reasons. Fingery.
Paul Hersey, 1993
3 Madness and Mayhem 22 8m
1.02
2bolts
Technical and sustained moves past 2 bolts and over a bulge. Belay chain.
Hugh Nicholson, Paul Hersey, 1993
4 I Hate Spiders 14 5m
0
A shallow scoop at the right-hand end of the same face. More of a boulder problem, but listed because it is an easy access route.
5 B O G 15 5m
0
The bulgy arete with no protection. Has a good sequence of heel hooks to avoid any dynos. Usually started with butt on ground (B O G).
6 The Friend 14 6m
0
Starts next to the fence, climb past a horizontal break and shallow vertical grooves to the ledge. Chain belay.
7 Sweet 16 15 6m
0
wire representing trad
Obvious crack left of The Friend. Natural protection. Finishes at same ledge.
8 Lop 16 6m
1.02
1bolts
Good footwork needed to get to and past single bolt, and onto the ledge. Tough if you’re short.
Gavin Harrison, 1988
9 Old Man of Hoy 22 9m
1.02
2bolts
The rounded arete with two bolts. Small but positive holds. Belay/abseil chain.
Richard Dale, Paul Hersey, 1994
10 Sloping Shinney 14 4m
0
A slabby boulder problem, just right of the tree. Top-rope bolt.
11 Epiphyte Massacre 16 5m
1.02
wire representing trad
Just left of the tree on the same slab. Nut placements if needed, step right at top to find belay bolt.
Hamish Pirie, 1996
12 Hugh’s Hump 15 8m
0
2bolts
Hugh loved this grubby bridging problem so much he soloed it. Since had two bolts and belay chain added. Hump up both walls to gain the top.
Nga Madness 17
0
Sam Russek, 2012
13 Killer Prawns 14 7m
0
wire representing trad
The shallow groove with natural protection and an abseil chain.
14 Poopsy’s Climb 17 8m
0
3bolts
Just left of Killer Prawns, climb the wee edge-arete thingee with 3 bolts (one without hanger). Use Killer Prawns abseil chain.
Simon Bruce, 1996
15 Killapaul 23 7m
1.02
2bolts
Start as for Poopsy’s Climb, but swing left up the prominent overhanging arete. First ascent involved a groin hold at the crux, so could be a good idea to pre-clip the bolt. Finishes at the second bolt. Pretty pumpy.
Paul Hersey, 1996
16 Living on a Razor Edge 20 8m
0
2bolts
Layback the wide crack to gain the rounded arete. Climb past 2 bolts, sliding left to a shallow ledge. Threaded sling for pro, then straight up the vertical grooves. Tree belay well back.
Paul Hersey 1996
Bro Cracked It Bro 24
0
17 Mosquito Eating Man 14 8m
0
wire representing trad
Just left of Living On A Razor Edge, bridge up past bulbous ledge to chain belay. Use the same threaded sling as previous climb for pro.
18 Bob 15 9m
0
wire representing trad
Left of Mosquito Eating Man, step off the small rock, and follow shallow grooves up arete to same belay point. Natural protection (hexes and nuts).
19 Pervert 14 8m
0
wire representing trad
Starts on the opposite side of the arete, bridge up groove to arete and finish as same for Bob. Nut placements near top.
20 Sunrise Slab 15 5m
0
A couple of solo/toprope options on this slab to reach the ledge. Belay bolt.
Attribution: 
PaulHersey
UUID: 
6ade9a17-5adf-48a2-9d0c-3765eaddd9f9