Lark's Edge

40 min
Morning sun
Short dolerite buttresses
Acknowledgement
by Peter Jackson, originally published in Craglets.
Introduction
Although Lark's Edge is a small crag, it possesses some excellent little climbs. The location beside the sea is quite exquisite, although it might not be such a great place when the swell is up! If you really went for it, you might do all you want to in a single visit - but then again, how many people do ten or fifteen routes in a day?
Access
To get to the crag requires a 30km (30min.) drive and a 40 min walk - which itself is quite scenic. Leave Hobart and drive toward Clifton Beach. ~100m before the beach turn left down Bicheno Street and follow the road to a right turn at the "Cape Deslacs Coastal Reserve" sign, ~ 1km past the last hump. Drive along the gravel road for ~600m until a gate is reached at the N Clifton car park.
The first 300m of the walk to cape deslacs NE edge has 2 options:
Either: find the walking track 20m NW of the car park, and follow this to the NE edge of cape deslacs.
OR: Walk gently uphill for ~10mins to another older car park on the left. From its furthermost point at the bottom, walk through the trees to join a major track coming in from the left. Turn right, walk to the coast (great view down a steep hill the a rocky beach below)

Follow the field track atop the chossy clffs northwards. Stay on the seaward side of fence lines. Go for about 1.5km, and note an inlet down right - the cliff descent is a further 10 minutes (you can glimpse the cliffs in the distance at this point). Descend among old grey stumps and casuarinas, drop downhill to Lark's Edge.
Camping
No camping here.

Crag Steward

Rock climbers please contact the Cliff Steward (southarm@climbersclubtas.org.au) if you have any queries or concerns regarding social or environmental impacts of rock climbing at this crag. Do not email regarding general travel, seasonal advice, or lost property - this is not the Steward’s role. If you have important safety information to communicate (e.g. risks due to recent and large rock falls) please also consider updates on thesarvo forum, facebook group and/or online guidebooks as appropriate. Please copy in cct@climbersclubtas.org.au if you feel you have a high level concern which may imminently impact the crag or climbing community.

Non-climbers, other users, land managers: please also contact cct@climbersclubtas.org.au if you have important climbing related queries at this location.
The first climbs are on the detatched block. BR on top for TR
★ 1.Dawntreader8m15 
The east face of the leaning block. Go up, moving left to the arête and the finish.
Marcel Jackson (solo), Nov 1989.
2.Anchor Blade8m16 
Climb the right-hand edge of the leaning block which faces the cliff. Step up with difficulty then follow the arete to the top. Very poor protection (none!).
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
3.Schweppes8m16 
The inside wall of the leaning block. Climb the face trending right towards the top. Small wire protection is possible but of doubtful quality.
Hamish Jackson, Nov 1989.
4.Bushmans Hanky8m9 
The West facing side of the leaning block, around the arete from Schweppes. Climb the chimney and use main face for protection.
Max Hopwood, Jan 2017
5.Lost Sock10m10 
The chimney at the North Western corner opposite the leaning block. Chimney up, remaining at the entrance to gain ledges halfway up. No protection.
Max Hopwood (solo), Mar 2017
6.Escape the Snake Guardian10m13 
The deep end of the North Western chimney as for Lost Sock. Walk into chimney and to the end. Squeeze chimney up until head becomes constricted, then move left and finish as for Lost Sock. No Protection.
Max Hopwood (solo), Mar 2017
★ 7.Aiken Drum10m9 
Very pleasant. Start immediately right of Anchor Blade and across the gap leading to Schweppes. Climb up on rounded holds to an easy angled crack.
Jacksons (solo), Nov 1989.
8.Postscript10m18 
Climb the face and crack 2m right of Aiken Drum.
Marcel Jackson (solo), Nov 1989.
9.Aussie Butler10m16 
Rather deceptive. Start about 3m right of Postscript. Climb the overhang and continue up the crack moving left at the top.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
10.Aussie Butler Variant10m19 
Start as for the original line. Climb the incipient crack on the left to finish at the same point.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
The following climbs are on the Main Wall. There are five bolts atop, which now make top-roping and topping-out a dream.
11.North East Arete10m14 
The nose right of Aussie Butler. Worthwhile despite the alarming looking rock. Scary to lead but enjoyable on a top rope. Surmount the bulge and stay on the steep juggy arete.
Phil Robinson May 2020
12.Wall Street10m14 
A climb on steep and alarming rock which may well collapse! After Aussie Butler the cliff base turns a corner. Climb the face, tending R at the top.
Hamish Jackson, Nov 1989.
★★ 13.Nexter12m21 
Almost brilliant - steep face climbing with small wire protection for the top crux (BR added with FA permission 2024). Start 1m right of the chimney and ascend the thin crack in the wall.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
★ 14.Strongbow12m21 
The shallow left facing corner 3m right of Nexter. Climb up on good holds, then finish up the left facing corner (crux). 4BR added with FA permission 2024.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
15.Ozone12m22 
Steep climbing up a proud section of rock, but squeezed between easier climbs. Start 1m right of Strongbow. Climb the face to the small roof, pull around this, then continue up to the horizontal break and a good runner. A long crank allows the hole to be reached and hence the top.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
16.Thug12m22 
The obvious hand-crack. Climb with difficulty around the overhang, then more easily up the crack above.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
17.Clubfoot12m20 
Start as for Thug. Climb right across the sweep of grey rock beneath the overhang then pull onto the face above. Continue up easily to a short wall finish.
Peter Jackson, Nov 1989.
★★ 18.Stairway to Heaven12m19 
Great fun with a crux finish. Start at the corner right of Clubfoot. Climb the easy corner, then move left of the overhang to a long reach finish.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
19.Ngalibanga12m18 
Start just right of Stairway to Heaven. Ascend the finger pockets and the face, then finish out right of the roof.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
20.Keko12m19 
Sustained face climbing just right of Ngalibanga.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
★★ 21.Little White Lie20m17 
This diagonal weakness is the easiest and longest climb up the main face. Highly recommended. Start up the right tending crack, 4m R of S T Heaven. At 3m height take the left leading diagonal crack to surmount the ledge (crux). Cross Stairway to Heaven and continue up and left to finish up the last 3m of thug.
Jai and Shumita September 2013
22.Leyland P7612m17 
Start on the face just right of Keko. Climb up to join the right trending crack at one third height. Continue on to a small jug and hence to the top.
Evan Peacock, Jan 1990.
23.Little Mary12m15 
The small corner with twin cracks.
Peter Jackson, Nov 1989.
24.Freezinhot10m19 
Start immediately right of Little Mary. Move up easily to the horizontal break, then to a large jug on the right arete. Reach high for a sloper, then the top.
Evan Peacock (solo), Jan 1990.
25.Dog on a Cold Wet Slab8m8 
The easy boulder 1m right of Freezinhot.
Evan Peacock, Jan 1990.
26.Sunset Over Carlton10m16 
Climb the line up the face just to the left of Scuba Diving, with runners in the incipient crack to the right.
Colin Reed, Jan 1990.
27.Scuba Diving10m14 
The obvious crack at the back of the big pool.
Evan Peacock (solo), Jan 1990.
28.Megasweet10m21 
The face immediately right of Scuba Diving. The line is decent but protection is less so (RP's out right).
Evan Peacock, Jan 1990.
All other routes are well beyond the big pool. The first is on Strine Wall.
29.Strine10m20 
Climb up on small holds to a horizontal crack, then on to the top.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
About 100m north along the coast are the Compact Walls. They are slightly smaller than the main one, and are located just before the large 'island' platform (the Big Sucker). Access to the bottom of the climbs can easily be made by descending at either end of the wall or by scrambling along at sea level.
30.Black Lace8m18 
Climbs up the unlikely looking twin cracks.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
31.Pox8m12 
The layback/hand crack up the left-hand side of the pillar.
32.Crinkle Cut8m16 
Start 10m right of Black Lace and 2m left of Barbed Wire Love.
Peter Jackson, Nov 1989.
33.Barbed Wire Love8m21 
A single small wire placement at the thin horizontal crack ensures ground fall potential in the upper reaches after the middle layback crux.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
About 50m right of here is a bouldering area. Further on still, on an isolated buttress and the last routes.
34.Birds Nest Revisited10m17 
The left-hand route. Climb easily to the small roof, then proceed up the loose blocks on dubious gear.
Marcel Jackson, Nov 1989.
35.Chordate10m18 
The strenuous crack up better rock to the right.
Peter Jackson, Nov 1989.
 
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