Hollow Knight: Silksong — Unlock and Use the Cling Grip (Wall Jump)

Cling Grip is Hornet’s wall-jump ability in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It lets you stick to vertical surfaces, bounce between walls, and scale shafts that are otherwise out of reach. Once learned, vertical routes open up quickly and many early detours become accessible.

Cling Grip is classified as an Ancestral Art. You obtain it by interacting with a shrine (idol) in Shellwood after a mandatory fight, and the move behaves much like the Mantis Claw from Hollow Knight.

What Cling Grip does

Cling Grip changes how you navigate tall rooms and narrow arenas by letting you attach to and leap from walls with precise control.

Stick to sheer walls briefly to stabilize positioning mid-climb.
Leap away from a wall to cross gaps or chain upward jumps quickly.
Climb by alternating wall contacts, turning long vertical sections into short sequences.
Reposition during combat in tight rooms to line up clean aerial or downward strikes.

How to get Cling Grip (Shellwood route)

You’ll find the Cling Grip shrine in Shellwood, beyond the Sister Splinter boss. The path below keeps your respawn close by and sets a direct route to the idol.

Rest at a bench in the western section of Shellwood to set your checkpoint near the route.

Move east into a tall room and climb through successive platforms toward the upper exits.

Cross the chain-hung platforms and continue heading east into the next rooms.

When you encounter an elevator, ignore it for now and enter the room to the right.

Use the platforms inside to reach a higher ledge at the far end of the room.

From that elevated point, proceed left to reach the Sister Splinter boss arena.

Defeat Sister Splinter to clear the blockage and open the onward path.

Follow the now-linear corridor ahead, navigating a short platforming sequence.

Interact with the Cling Grip idol at the shrine to bind the Ancestral Art and unlock wall-jump.

Note: Multiple guides confirm this Shellwood location and the post–Sister Splinter shrine. If you arrive at an elevator hub on your approach, the correct path branches right before you ride it.

How to use Cling Grip

Wall-jumping with Cling Grip is simple and rewards rhythm. The key is to commit to one action per contact: stick, launch, then reattach.

Move into a vertical wall to make Hornet attach briefly. This stabilizes you for the next jump and prevents accidental slippage.

Press Jump to launch away from the wall. Use this to cross small gaps or gain height.

Aim for the opposite wall and touch it to stick again. This gives you a moment to reset your angle.

To climb a single wall, hold toward the surface and tap Jump repeatedly. Chain your jumps to ascend quickly without sliding.

Tips and applications

These habits make climbs faster and fights cleaner once Cling Grip is unlocked.

Think in short bursts. Treat each contact as a quick pause to re-aim, then jump again promptly.
Use corner entries. Hitting the corner of a ledge from a wall jump often lands you safely on top.
Create space in tight arenas. Stick to a wall, drop slightly, then leap diagonally to reposition for a safe needle strike.
Scout vertical detours. Any tall shaft passed earlier is a strong candidate for a hidden pickup after you have Cling Grip.

Key facts

Quick reference details drawn from verified sources.

Category: Ancestral Art (ability for Hornet).
Location: Shellwood, in a shrine reached after defeating Sister Splinter.
Acquisition: Interact with the Cling Grip idol to bind the art.
Function: Wall stick, wall launch, and chained climbs; comparable to Hollow Knight’s Mantis Claw.
Progression: Required for certain vertical platforming segments and hidden routes.

With Cling Grip bound, revisit early vertical shafts and narrow side rooms—you’ll pick up items and shortcuts you couldn’t reach before. A steady jump rhythm and deliberate wall contacts turn daunting climbs into quick hops.