The Cube Circuit

The Cube Circuit is the first set of boulders encountered after the end of Shek O Headland Road and includes a fine collection of Blocs, Walls and even a little cave like cellar.

The Cube

1) Warm Up Wall * V1
A pleasant line up the right side of the wall.

2) Straight Down the Middle * V2
The centre of the wall, just using the horizontal breaks (avoiding the problems either side).

2a) Dyno-mite * V4
An eliminate of Straight Down the Middle, starting in the lowest horizontal break and dynoing to jugs at the top of the wall.

3) Left Arete ** V2
The left arete.

4) Corner ** Vb
The corner crack.

5) V0
The hanging groove.

6) V0 * (sds).
The right arete of the wall.

7) Plumbline ** V3
A fun problem for the tall and a nightmare for those vertically challenged! The centre of the wall via small crimps and gastons.

7a) Plumbline Eliminate * V4
Start as for Plumbline to reach the mid-height crimps. From here leap to the top of the wall. Committing but not as hard as it looks…

7b) Blocked Plumbing (sds) V2
Another eliminate combining holds on Plumbline and Blockbuster. Start as for Blockbuster Direct (sds) and then climb the arete staying on its right side to combine the crimps of Blockbuster with the Plumbline gaston hold, launching for the top from these. Not particularly worthwhile…

8) Blockbuster Direct (sds) ** V3
The arete from a sit down start.

9) Blockbuster *** V2
The classic of the area. Start in pockets in the centre of the wall, beneath a small roof. Move right to the arete and finish up this.

10) Enigma ** V6
So called because it may take you a little while to crack the code!. From pockets beneath the roof head up the small ‘holds’ on the right of the wall, between the groove and Blockbuster (see photo below).

11) Enigma Left * V5
Start on the flat jug beneath the roof and climb the thin seam / groove. Very shouldery

12) Short Circuit * V2
So called as it by-passes all the difficult climbing on this face.
Start on the flat jug beneath the roof before using the undercut to reach out and left for good holds above the lip. From here stretch up and left for reasonable side pulls before cranking through to good holds on the top of the block. The obvious flake and small ledge on the left are allowed for feet at this grade.

Andy Lau’s Bloc

The small bloc located at the right side of The Cube contains a couple of short but fun problems.

1) Jap Girls Don’t Date Lepers V5
The short steep wall is attacked on grainy slopers.

2) I Love Andy Lau (sds) ** V3
This problem, much like the ageing film star, is of relatively little significance. The steep arete has a tricky start and an insecure finish.

The Cellar

1) Cellar Dweller (sds) * V4
Start at a small ledge and side pull, with footholds on the block and deep under the roof, and follow the corner above.

2) Cellar Dweller Ext. (sds) ** V6
Climb further into the cellar and start with hands on a good hold (the foothold for normal start) and feet even deeper down within the cave (not jammed in the cracks out left, which makes it way easier). Make tricky moves to join Cellar Dweller and then follow this.

3) Project.
An obvious line in the middle of the wall and contender for HK’s hardest.

4) Lok and Load *** V7
From a crouching start at the good undercut/lay away aim up for a poor side pull before launching out left to the top. Only really two moves (plus a belly flop over the top), but packs a hell of a lot of effort into those moves.

5) Locked and Loaded (sds) *** V8
The sit start to Lok and Load adds only one move but a whole new degree of difficulty. For full value, one pad max (two for those with short arms but anymore and you’re practically doing the crouch start…)

6) Short and Sweet (sds) *** V1
The short overhanging corner line.

7) Angels Delight (sds) ** V3
Start with hands matched on the thin flake right of the corner and feet bridged in the corner. Lunge for the break and finish on good holds above this.

8) Stuart’s Slap (sds) * V6
Start as for the previous problem, but this time eliminate all intermediate holds and launch straight for the top of the wall.

9) The Traverse * V1
Start at the right end of the cellar and traverse the break left to join ‘Short and Sweet’. Pass over this to the juggy top holds and follow these left to the corner. Finish up this. A good warm up.