Avon Gorge

A true city crag, the Avon Gorge is only a short walk from Bristol City centre, making it just about the most accessible climbing in the UK. Towering faces, on both quarried and natural rock, provide some mega multi pitch routes, as well as lengthy single pitches. Climbing here is mainly trad, but there are some excellent sport crags also, with new routes emerging regularly.

Grades

Trad: Beginner to Expert
Sport: Intermediate to Expert
Bouldering: Beginner to Expert

Cheddar Gorge

Cheddar Gorge should by rights be one of the UKs most revered and popular climbing areas. The setting is stunning, approach times are minuscule, and the climbing is sublime. The problem here is access. Whilst it is subject to yearly review, the general gist is that most of the routes are only climbable during the winter months, meaning most people’s experience of Cheddar is of chilly fingers and baltic breezes. That said, if you’re lucky enough to get a sunny, dry day with no wind, Cheddar will knock other areas out of the park. Sport and trad are the name of the game here, with a variety of route lengths from single pitch right up to 5-pitch monsters over 100m in length.

Grades

Trad: Intermediate to Expert
Sport: Intermediate to Expert

Fairy Cave Quarry

A relatively recently-developed area, Fairy Cave Quarry is a slab lovers’ paradise. Managed by the BMC, lines here are long trad single pitch, and descent is by abseil off a series of trees and stakes. Rarely busy, climbing here is sheltered thanks to the high walls of the quarry acting as a wind break.

Grades

Trad: Beginner to Expert

Best of the rest

Portishead Quarry - A small selection of quality trad slab lines, along with some harder sport routes.

Goblin Combe - Single pitch trad with a Lord of the Rings vibe. A decent variety of lines, in a beautiful wooded setting.

Brean Down - Seaside sport and a few trad routes. High grades, but rewarding climbing.