BC by Caroline Stockdale
Bryan Caldwell on Tom Moore’s Traverse. Photo Caroline Stockdale.

The Walsingham Nature Reserve (aka Tom Moore’s Jungle) is in Hamilton Parish on the northeastern edge of Harrington Sound.

Access

Follow the road round the sound before turning off at a signpost for Tom Moore’s Tavern. Park at the Tavern.

The Jungle is an amazing place and packs a lot of interest into its relatively small area.
Wind your way round small tree- enclosed dirt paths, passing mangroves, sea water filled caverns, deep dry caves and weird limestone formations. The Jungle gives an impression of what Bermuda must have been like to the first settlers (before it became the most densely populated country on the planet).

The main interest for the climber is centred on the Walsingham Pond near to the Tavern. The west End of the pond features a pair of buttresses of immaculate aeolian limestone around 7m high.

Tom Moore himself is famed for his poetry and is considered to be Ireland’s National Bard. Unfortunately as he did not wax lyrical on the quality of the deep water soloing at this venue, he will never be remembered as a climber.

Tom Moore’s Traverse Buttress

TOM MOORE’S TRAVERSE 5.7 20m

This Deep Water Solo follows a left to right line traversing a barrel- fronted buttress of immaculate white limestone. It provides the best introduction to Deep water Solo’ing in Bermuda and is absolutely superb. Follow the path from Tom Moore’s Tavern into the Nature Reserve, walk anti- clockwise close to the shoreline until the path brings you to the start of the traverse. A line of perfect pockets draws the climber round the buttress until a slanting, ascending line in the prow provides a fitting finish for this amazing route.

(FA unknown)

TOM MOORE’S ARETE 5.9

Follow the traverse to the base of the overhanging arete and climb this to top out. Steep and very good.

Grant Farquhar & Davie Crawford 22/3/09.

CG by CS
Chris Burville approaching the overhanging arete on Tom Moore’s Traverse. Photo Caroline Stockdale.

Tarzan’s Wall

Tarzan Wall topo by Davie Crawford and Timothy Claude.

This is the attractive crag directly across the lagoon from Tom Moore’s Traverse Buttress.
Bushwhack like you love it on a faint path leading off the main path. Stick fairly close to the shoreline (machete optional). A short rocky slope leads down to the waterline at the end of the crag and this is the start point.

The traverse line left from here forms the route Tarzan. All routes start via Tarzan.
Superb, solid, clean limestone characterises this compact, but excellent crag.

There is a submerged ledge lurking below the initial easy part of the traverse but the rest is safe above very deep water. Lines are described from Right to Left.

TARZAN 5.7 30m

Start on the far right hand side at the ramp and traverse the lower part of the wall.

Davie Crawford 22/3/09.

CHEETAH 5.8 30m

This mid-level traverse is a sidekick to TARZAN with the start being to the right of Kerchak. Climb up the arete and then traverse left across the middle, until reaching MANGANI where you top out. This route can also be reversed, but remains the same grade. Timothy Claude 5/April/16.

KERCHAK 5.9 7m

This excellent DWS route, with its large freehanging stalactite, is without doubt the classic line of this buttress. Follow the Tarzan traverse as far as the stalactite. Ignoring the chafing of your loin cloth, accept the challenge of the hanging fang. Climb it to a steep interesting finale. Top out with your best Tarzan war cry! Jump off into deep water or downclimb (same applies to all routes below). Davie Crawford 22/3/09.

JANE’S ADDICTION 5.9 8m

The route begins to the right of KERCHAK on the overhanging rock; traverse left from the overhang to KERCHAK and then finish as of KERCHAK. Sam Mir 5/April/16.

LORD OF THE TREEFROGS 6m

Check for bees and then swing both ways up the red streak. Me Tarzan, You Treefrog.

Grant Farquhar 22/3/09.

KALA 5.7 6m

This deceptively steep line gives very interesting climbing up the recessed groove on Tarzan’s Wall. Charlotte Best 22/3/09.

MANGANI 5.9 6m

Near the left end of the traverse is a wall with a very small stalactite hanging from it. Start below this and climb a steep and direct line to the top. Excellent. Davie Crawford 22/3/09