Rock Climbing at Dancing Ledge

Dancing Ledge

Link to map of the area DMM Climbing Gear

Please click on the photo's to enlarge.

Dancing Ledge is part of the great Swanage expanse of limestone situated about 10 to15 minutes walk from Tom's field. See the UKCrags Swanage web site for a general description of the Swanage area. The best guide book is either the Climbers Club Swanage and Portland by Nigel Coe which has about everything but more suited to sport climbing is the smaller and cuter Dorset Rock Fax by Pete Oxley who has claimed some 400 climbs in the area. You may be interested to know that there are still quite a few routes still to be claimed particularly in the lower grades. They just need a bit of patience.

(Left) Photo's show the upper part of the quarry where all of the sports climbs are situated. (right) The lower level and rock beach where there are many good climbs and bouldering problems.

DMM Climbing Gear

The rough guide below shows the back wall starting from the western side near the bricked up cave. There is about fifty climbs from 5a/4+ to 6c/7c, for which we describe some of the lower grade classics. Starting at the bricked up cave which used to have a couple of interesting routes before it was bricked up and de-bolted.

Ideal World. 5b/6a. Srraight up, starts real easy until the broken off block (see climber left) and a difficult sort of mantle shelf.

DMM Climbing Gear

Date With A Frog. 5b/6a. A must do climb. Start just to the left of the small roof, great moves to the crux and a thin crimp just below the lower off staples as the angle relents. Climber just above the crux in the standard frog stance.....

Empty Promises ... 5b ..6a. The wall just under the right side of the roof. Slightly interesting with a couple of good moves, a good introduction to this grade and type of climb.

Carol's Little Injection.

5b ..6a.

A bit of a bulge to start with then left and then right after a rest.

Disco's out, Murder's in 6a ..6c. Climb the low roof without ease, and find another difficult move just above. Finish on the bolts of Daylight Robbery 6a .. 6c which takes the groove on the right of the low roof,

Rambling Moses Weetabix and the Secona Park Seven.

5c/6a ..6c A great route worth it's star. Some say it's 6a, maybe low in it's grade. This was one of the first routes put up on this back wall cica June 87. A difficult move halfway up the central wall leads to easier ground and a rest.

War Of The Wardens 5a .. 4+. This is the easiest climb on the back wall but is getting harder by the day. You can comb your hair in the polished shine of many climbers tracks. A feeling of unease grips you throughout the climb even when clipped. A good power sander should sort this one out, coarse grade.

Cold Steal 5c .. 6b. A difficult left slanting crack under a left hanging ledge. The move for the second bolt takes a bit of grit. I suspect a small crimp has broken off out on the left wall.