General

Bumcliff Bay (BCB) is a sheltered cove on the southwest tip Lamma of Lamma Island, with small granite walls and blocs liberally scattered around the coastline and providing a number of fine (if somewhat highball at times) lines. The area is only recently ‘discovered’ so plenty of potential for new stuff still abounds.

Approach

Only the foolhardy will attempt to approach on foot… The location of the Bay means that by far the most sensible option is to hire a speedboat and get yourself whisked down to the bat in relative comfort and ease. Although a little on the pricey side (expect at least $200 to $250 per head depending on numbers), the ride from the main ferry pier on Yung Shue Wan takes about 15 minutes and gives some great views of the west side of Lamma Island, including the rarely visited and imposing cliffs of Munt Stenhouse.

Depending on sea conditions, the speedboat will typically drop you on the right side of the bay, where a few offshore boulders provide shelter for you to jump across to some nice flat ledges. From here an easy scramble takes you around the coastline (head slightly inland to navigate around the small zawn and waterfall at the back of the bay – or just jump it if you’re feeling brave) to your chosen blocs. Most development to-date has focused on the left side of the bay.

Blocs

The Cheeks

The biggest of the free-standing blocs provide a number of fine highballs, often with slightly intimidating top-outs as the lips tend to be smooth as a baby’s butt…

1) Unclimbed

2) Unclimbed (sds)
Sit start at the jug left of the large crack. Layback up to the large pocket and then make long moves left to gain the hanging crack. Finish up this.

3) Hold on to Your Butt (sds) ** V3
Sit start at the jug left of the large crack. Layback up to the large pocket and then continue laybacking up the arete above, straying right into the crack at the top to make the finish a little more secure.

4) Unclimbed
One for the crack masochists amongst you. Wedge yourself inside the wide crack and squirm your way up this to an insecure and committing finish.

5) Unclimbed
Follow the crack through the center of the small face on the right side of the large crack.

6) Unclimbed (sds)
Sit start beneath the low roof at a positive left hold and using the lowest part of the right arete. avoiding all use of the wall to the right of the big crack (which makes the line about V2 if used), lift off and find a way to get established in the smaller crack splitting the narrow wall above. Once established, follow this more easily to the top.

7) Ask Before You Enter ** V1
Climb the obvious flake to the ledge and then scramble up the wall above.

8) Pepto Bismo *** V1
Follow the line of large checkenheads up the wall, trending left in the upper part (but staying off the big ledge) once things start to get a bit thin.

9) Turtle Heads *** V3
The direct finish to the previous route is a bit of a frightener. Limit yourself to the two large and two small chickenheads on the right of the wall, staying direct to finish where Pepto Bismo strays off to the left.

10) Unclimbed
The obvious thin finger crack and flake on the right of the face.

If you head through the tunnel you’ll be rewarded with a few undocumented potential lines on the back of the blocs, although the rock on this side seems a little more weathered and crumbly.

11) The Sphinx(ter) * V3
Starting at a positive hold on the right arete, yard your way up and onto a good ledge at the base of a groove. From here, committing moves up the arete lead to a worrying (and sphincter clenching) top out.

12) Squeeze * V0
Squeeze your way into, and then up, the chimney between the blocs.

13) Ba-Donka-Donk ** V3
From positive holds directly beneath the overlap, work your way up the flying arete above making good use of positive holds either side, as well as the arete itself. One of the few problems hereabouts that has very positive holds to top out on.

14) Proctoloctor ** V1
Jam your way up the crack in the corner between the bloc and the small cliff to the right (or layback if you lack that specific set of skills).

15) Unclimbed
A tenuous and terrifying looking line up the open rounded groove on the left side of the cliff.

Peachey Blocs

The Peachey Blocs provide some slightly more sensible sized lines above generally good landings (although some of the top-outs will still get the heart rate going)

1) Unclimbed
The left arete of the face

2) Unclimbed (sds)
Site start on the right of the face, using the horizontal break beneath the roof and the vertical crack on the right bloc and avoiding all contact with the two footblocs below. Crank up the arete to gain a large horizontal ledge. From this, work your way left across the face until it is (potentially) possible to gain and finish up the left arete.

3) Peaches (sds) *** V5
Climb the right arete of the face, starting as for the previous line but continuing directly up the arete from the ledge to an extremely insecure finish.

4) Unclimbed
Scramble up to the ledge before continuing up the right arete of the slabby face above.

5) Unclimbed
Climb the obvious groove

1) XXX * V1
Climb the right arete of the face.

2) Unclimbed?
Follow a series of thin gritty crimps up the narrow slabby wall.

3) Intergluteal Cleft (sds) ** V4
Start on positive pockets beneath the roof, working your way out the left side of the overhang to gain the broken wall above.

3a) Intergluteal Cleft Variant (sds)** V5
As above but without the use of the wall at the back of the roof.

4) False Bottom (sds) ** V3
Start on positive pockets beneath the roof, but this time work your way out through the right side to eventually gain the flake on the wall right of the main overhang.

4a) False Bottom Variant (sds) ** V5
As above, but once again minus the blocks beneath the overhang.

1) XXX V1
Climb the black streak and thin wavy groove on the left side of the face.

2) Bummed Out * V1
Climb the groove

3) Everything’s Peachey * V2
Start at the base of the groove but quickly break out right to follow crimps up the wall to the right.

4) Heads Down, Bums Up * V1
Climb the curing flake in the middle of the wall.

5) XXX V2
Start to the right of the flake and climb the slab, avoiding both the flake to the left and the arete to the right.

6) XXX V1
Climb the curving flake on the righthand wall.

7) Unclimbed
Start on crimps of questionable stability and make thin moves to the compelling jug above. Finish easily above this.

1) XXX

2) XXX

The Plug Blocs

The last few blocs are situated on the slopes in the back of the bay, just before reaching the waterfall zawn.

1) Buttplug (sds) * V5
Start sat on the uphill side of the jutting roof. Lift off and then work your way around the lip until a full 180 rotation has been made. The blocs beneath the overhang are obviously out of bounds (this problem basically requires you to campus whilst holding an L-sit position so get those ab’s fully trained up)

2) Skid Marks (sds) * V3
Sit start matched on poor holds just right of the arete. Make difficult moves up to the break before topping out directly above.

1) Sun’s Out, Bum’s Out * V1

2) V3
Start on the undercling and work your way right into the groove before finishing through the right side of the small roof.

3) V3
Start in the break to the right of the scooped groove. Climb the arete above.

Other Blocs

Currently nothing has been climbed on the coastline to the right of the drop off point. Initial exploration of this area suggests much less potential than the other side of the bay, but there are still at least a handful of fine looking lines up for grabs.