Home > The Guide > Hornsby and the North > The Great North Cliff

Another pleasant crag surrounded by bushland but in the middle of suburbia. The crag faces west, so is better on summer mornings and winter afternoons. It's located down in a shady gully, however, so it could be cold in winter and relatively climbable in summer.

The crag tends to be quite wet, and the rock in amongst the vegetation isn't the best. There is some good bouldering (mainly traverses) at the southern end of the cliff. The existing routes were put up between 1995 and 1998 and there is some potential for new routes.

To get to the crag, park at the northern extremity of Elouera Road in Westleigh (near Westleigh Drive). Follow the Great North Walk signs down between the houses and the pumping station for about 350m until you hit the main Great North Walk track (there's a sign just here). Either rap in off the DBBs in front of the sign, or descend at either end of the cliff. The southern descent (to the left) is easiest.

Some of the climbs at the crag have "enhanced" holds, against the wishes of the original developers. If you're putting up a new route, please don't chip any more holds.

Climbs described right to left (south to north), facing the cliff.
 
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Lust Object 9m 22 Start: About 70m north of the southern descent. A tricky start leads to a pleasant slab (RBs). Lower off the top RB (the roof above is as yet unclimbed). Adam Cavanough 1990s	PS 5m 11 Start: Marked. The corner 10m left of LO. Up the corner.
Geckoville (Open Project) 10m 25? Start: 8m left of PS. Thin and balancy.	J ?? ?? Start: Marked. Left of G. Chipped.
How's it Hanging? A Bit to the Right 20m 22M1 Start: Left of J. Aid past first BR to pocket, then continue up (BR and cam) past ledge (BR and RB) to rap chain. Adam Cavanough 1990s	How's it Hanging? A Bit to the Left 22m 19M1 Start: As for HiHaBttR. Follow HiHaBttR to first ledge, then move up and left past a tree and a BR to the top. Double BB belay. Adam Cavanough 1990s
Thin Lizzy 10m or 20m 23 Start: 15m left of HiHaBttL. Head up wall (cam and 2 RBs) to chain. Either belay then rap (put a long sling on the next RB to protect the second on the crux), or continue straight up the wall above (10m grade 17). Variant finish (17) heads diagonally right (RB) and up. Adam Cavanough 1990s	JG ?? ?? Start: Marked. Left of TL. Chipped.
The Lizard King 12m 24 Start: Left of JG. Climb wall (FH and cam), then move left (cam) and up (RB and BR) to chain lower off. Adam Cavanough 1990s	SV ?? ?? Start: Left of tLK. Chipped.
George of the Jungle 20m 20/24 Start: Left of SV. Stick clip FH, then up to ledge (using the tree only scores a 20). Continue up wall (BR and RB) to next ledge (BR). Climb final wall (BR) to top. Cam belay. Adam Cavanough 1990s	Rampant 12m 23 Start: 10m left of GotJ. Climb wall past 4 RBs. Lower of last RB or move left to belay (mid to large cams). Adam Cavanough 1990s
The Brown Hornet 19m 21 Start: Marked. About 40m left of R. This climb is located directly below the Great North Walk sign. Wet after rain. Up wall (2 RBs, cam) and through the break in the roof to the ledge as for SF. Continue left and up to double BBs. Adam Cavanough 1990s	Super Friends 23m 19 Start: 5m left of tBH. Wet after rain. P1. 16m Up (2 BRs) to roof. Traverse right (cams) to break in roof. Up to belay ledge (BB and large cam). P2. 7m Move left and up (2 BRs) to double BBs on top. Adam Cavanough 1990s

There's some traversing boulder problems just right of M1.

Monkey 1 20m 18 Start: About 25m left of SF, above the lower cliff line. Located about 20m right of the northern descent route (where you climb down the first tree). Pretty worthless. Up the easy slab to RB. Head right (RB) and up through overhang. Adam Cavanough 1990s

Monkey 2 20m 15 Start: As for M1. Pretty worthless. Up M1 to RB, then move left (RB) and up to top. Adam Cavanough 1990s

Sport Cave
This large, south facing cave houses the following five sport routes, amonst the best routes at the crag. These routes remain dry in the rain, and the cave is shady during summer. The routes were apparently put up by Barry Jones in 1986 or thereabouts, but appear to have been (sparsely) re-equipped with new RBs and double RB lower offs since then.

A 11m 24? Start: At right hand end of cave. Heads up and right, tackling the steepest territory in the cave.	B 13m 26? Start: 3m left of A. Straight forward start, then head right.
B, Left Hand Variant 13m 24/25? Start: As for B. Up as for B, then split left.	C 13m 24/25? Start: 4m left of B at undercut wall. Up undercut wall using some deeply chipped pockets. Staright up through bulge and past a ramp and through the to top of the cave.
D 9m 22 Start: 7m left of C, at far left end of cave. Up slab then out steep rooflet. Up great flaky arete to top.