2. NZ
  3. South Island
  4. Southland
  5. Borland Valley
  6. Borland Valley South Branch Crags
  7. The Watch Tower

The Watch Tower

(8 routes)

The obvious tower on the left as seen from the road.

Type: 
Wall
Aspect: 
North West
Walk time: 
10 mins
Access: 

Park up when the road side crags come into view. Walk up the bank and down to the left most pylon. Here a cairn marks the start of a flagged track up through beech forest to the base of the Watch Tower.

Reference Title Grade Length Quality Bolts Gone Natural pro Link to edit content
Real Journeys 25 ,24 ,23 68m
2.01
 20bolts
The left most route on this wall. Climb the slabby face over the small overlap (crux) past three BR's before moving up and left through the ledge system to a double bolt anchor in a corner.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12518m5No
 

The left most route on this wall. Climb the slabby face over the small overlap (crux) past three BR's before moving up and left through the ledge system to a double bolt anchor in a corner.

22423m7No
 

Step left and climb the groove with difficulty to a ledge, either climb the face or gain the flake on the right and continue straight up to where the wall steepens then use a system of flakes and underlings to get to a double bolt rap station.

32327m8No
 

Climb straight up the wall to the the third bolt before traversing horizontally right to gain the left facing corner system and overlap. Climb the corners and the small roof then move right along a system of horizontal flakes, continue straight up to a horizontal edges and breaks exiting around the left end of the large roof to a grassy ledge and rap station
Tony Burnell, 22nd March 2014
Energetic Disassembly 23 18m
2.01
 5bolts
P1, Starts 5m to the right of Real Journeys. Undercling start off ledge. Thin moves gains a big ledge. Mantle and traverse the break left and up on easier ground to the anchor and start of MSC.
Adam Herbstritt, March 2014
A Midsummer Calling 28 27m
2.01
 10bolts
The exposed route above Energetic Dissasembly. Climb the short corner, step right and pull onto the face and out to the arete. A hard sequence and clip gains a rest and easier but athletic climbing to a great finale'. A few ascents should clear off a bit more of the moss on the upper wall.
Owen Davies. Jan 2015
Secrets 24 22m
2.01
 9bolts
Right most route on the real journeys wall. Technical slab leading to overhanging flake. Great climbing but needs a dry spell.
Joe Ward , Feb 2015
The Autumn Tower 26 ,22 50m
3
 18bolts
Climbs the full length of the gently overhanging golden wall facing the gully.
#EwbankAlpine (Technical)Alpine (Commitment)Alpine (Mt Cook)AidWater IceMixedBoulder (Hueco)LengthBoltsTrad
12630m18No
 

Start above the landscaped belay area. Thin moves lead out to the arete which is climbed until a small overlap. Delicate moves and guns out to the double anchor at 30 metres. Epic

22220mNo
 

Move off right from the hanging belay and blast straight up the headwall.
Owen Davies. March 2014
Low Voltage 23 15m
2.01
 7bolts
Climb The Autumn Tower to the fourth bolt before following the crack that cuts off diagonally right across the lower face of the wall to end by the bush. Left hand extension is a closed project. Right hand extension is an open project described below.
Owen Davies. Feb 2014
Eurovision V6
2.01
V6. Below the Whachtower are three large fallen boulders, just to the left of the track approaching the crag. The lower boulder has this stunning line. Start both hands in the lowest part of the crack. Use the diagonal features to move up right to the protruding nose on the lip. A lower start is yet to be done.
Joe Ward, Feb 2015
End of the world party project 29
0
Open project 29+. Right hand extension to low voltage up the cool crystal dyke. Pay no mind to the red ownership tape on the first bolt. Have a crack. Don't get lost. Bolted by Simon Bischoff.
UUID: 
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