Top Tens - South Wales

Yes, there are routes in S.E. Wales, some of them are even worth doing!!! The climbing in this area ranges from exciting to over-equipped bolt ladders on limestone or sandstone, there is everything from abysmal to awesome (this applies to the crags and the routes!). It is simple to drop in en-route to Pembroke, or why not be daring and visit the area in tis own right. Here is a listing of the best routes from this relatively unknown backwater.....

Gower peninsula | SE Wales Sandstone | SE Wales Limestone

These selections are the consensus of opinion from several local activists and new routers - so if you don't agree with the list then it isn't all my fault!.

For any constructive comments or for consultation regarding climbing in these areas.... please mail to: Simon Coles

The Gower
The Gower has many fine and varied routes, there are areas littered with VDiffs and Severes, and crags consisting entirely of Extremes and yet more cliffs dedicated to sport climbing. The crags are mostly in amenable and mellow positions, set in one of the most beautiful coastal areas in Wales.

Here is a list of those considered to exceptional for the area; that is to say that these aren't the only good routes on these crags. Cliffs like Lewes Castle, Yellow Wall, Pennard, etc.. are positively covered in three star routes.

• Isis (VS 4c), Fall Bay Buttress

• South West Diedre (HVS 5a), Fall Bay Buttress

• Seth (+ Lazy Sunday Afternoon finish) (E2 5b), Fall Bay Buttress

• The Adultress (E2 5c), Rhossili

• Transformer (E3 5c,5c), Yellow Wall

• Plot 13 (E4 6a), Jackys Tor

• Masterpiece (E6 6b) Giants Cave

• The Ring (HS), Paviland

• Assassin (HVS 5a), Juniper Wall

• East Ridge (VD), Great Tor

• Scavenger (VS 4b), Three Cliffs Bay

• Skive Direct (E1 5c), High Pennard

• Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove (E6 6a - F7b), Pwll Du/Foxhole

• Senser (E7 6b - F7c+), Pwll Du/Foxhole

SE Wales Sandstone
The climbing on sandstone in south Wales generally means bolted routes in quarries of varying quality, with the standard outlook being the industrial wastelands of the valleys. However there is the occassional pleasant setting and one or two natural sandstone crags and buttresses. These quarries can be large,The Gap has over 80 routes and Llanbradach has routes reaching up to 150 ft!!

The nature of the rock gives rise mostly to steep wall climbing on edges and generally the grades are in the extremes.

A definitive guide to all the sandstone is available (price £6.00 for 106 x A4 pages!), by mailing Goi Ashmore. The proceeds of this guide go towards the re-equipping of crags and routes. There are now more than 600 routes on the sandstone, the equipping of which has been down to a handful of local activists.

Anyway, should you be fortunate enough to be in the area, then the following routes are the ones you want to go for....

• The Gap
  • Sleeping Dogs Lie (E3 5c - F6b)
  • Encore! Magnifique! (E6 6b - F7b+)
  • Mad at the Sun (E6 6c - F7c)

• Cilfynydd (Navigation Quarry)
  • Fly Me to the Moon (HVS 5a)
  • The Owl and the Antelope (E2 5b)

• Cwm Dimbath
  • If You Go Down To The Woods Today (E4 6a)

• Mountain Ash Quarry
  • Valleys Initiative (E5 6a - F7a)
  • Cointreau (E5 6b - F7a+)

• Cwmaman Main and Cwmaman West Quarries
  • Propaganda (E5 6a - F7a)

• Coedely (Gladys Quarry)
  • The Uninvited (E4 6a - F6c+)

• Abbey Buttress
  • Crack Basher (E2 5c)

• Sirhowy (Quarry Mawr)
  • Skanderbeg (E5 6b - F7b)

• Penallta
  • Alley Crack (Severe)
  • Scabs (E3 5b)
  • For Sportsmen of the Epoxy Clips (E3 6a - F6c+)

• Cwmcarn Quarry
  • Red with Rage (E5 6b - F7a+)

SE Wales Limestone
There exist in South Wales a few spectacular limestone cliffs, which contrast in character quite radically. Sport climbing may be found at Dinas Rock, which is in an awesome setting and is covered in starred routes in the E3 - E6 range.

Witches Point, which is on Southerndown beach (Ogmore), is in an equally pleasant setting and has a greater range of grades than Dinas, with an equally favourable distribution of stars.

At the other end of the adrenalin scale there is Ogmore Main Crag, where the adventure routes are extremely wild and nerve-shattering. Doing a route here will often be one of the most memorable experiences of your climbing career.

• Dinas Rock
  • El Camino Del Roy (E3 6a - F6c)
  • Spain (E4 6a)
  • Berlin (E5 6b - F7a+)
  • Still Life (E6 6b - F7b+)
  • Harlem (E6 6b - F7b+)

• Witches Point, Ogmore
  • Hanging By A Thread (E3 5c - F6c)
  • Edge-Hog (E6 6b - F7b+)
  • Staple Diet (E6 6a - F7b)
  • Masada (E7 6c - F8a)
• Ogmore (Left Hand Crag)
  • Flash Harry (HS 4a)
  • Pinnochio (HVS 4c)
  • Pluto (VS 4c)
  • Exposure Explosion (HVS 4a,4b,4c,4c,4a,4a,5a)
  • Fire (E4 5c)