UKC

Due to a couple of my regular partners being conveniently located for the Wye Valley I've found myself climbing there more in the last couple of months. I feel like I have a fair idea on what are the best trad lines, but am not so sure with the Sport - having done a few routes now I am often mystified by the star distribution (some unstarred lines have seemed excellent to me and one or two starred offerings pretty unmemorable - The Gruesome Toothsome*??). So was wondering what people recommend in the F5 - F6b range.

Is Tintern worth a visit (I've read all the dire guidebook warnings)?
Routes at Wynd Cliff and Black Cliff quarries any good?

Wye Sports routes I've enjoyed to date have included:
Pink Punter F5, Fat Controller F5, Darkside F5, Morning Winpenny F5, Muddy Waters F6a, A Little Stiff'ner F6a+, Heady Days F6b+ (all at Ban-y-Gor)
Movin' on up F6a, Still nice and Sleazy F6a+ (Woodcroft Quarry)
Agamemnon F6c (Wintour's Leap, North Wall)

Most interested in suggestions up to 6b as then I might have a shot at the lead, Heady Days and Agamemnon were good, but shamefully top-roped as they are beyond my current leading grade.
Any suggestions appreciated, thanks.

Ivan

In reply to The Ivanator:
There are some good routes at Tintern quarry if you choose carefully. The routes around burning embers are all pretty solid, as in they don't feel like they are about to fall down.
Crystal walls - Diamonds and Dust, and Broken Glass are good, both 6b+.

The routes on the opposite side of the quarry to where you enter have some good bits but are more mixed in terms of quality of both the climbing and the solidity of the rock.It's worth reading comments in the log books. It's a place for your belayer to wear a helmet and to beware of loose stuff heading in their direction.

Wyndcliffe quarry is also worth a visit. It's quick drying and the routes on the lower level are short but good quality.

In reply to The Ivanator:
Tintern Quarry would be a great crag for you to visit, loads of routes in your target range, easy walk in, sheltered, can be shady or sunny, lots of new shiny bolts and lower offs, don't be put off by the stuff you read, it's a good crag especially for what you want to do...

In reply to The Ivanator: Cheers for the replies so far, have been pondering Tintern for a while now - I can cope with loose rock within reason, but I have my doubts about the aesthetics of the place, is it a truly dismal hole? Guess I'll have to try it and find out.
Some routes that appeal to me are
Lotus Wing, So Gross and No way Out at Ban-y-gor;
& The Unkindest Cut of All, Dinosaurs Don't Dyno, Pocketful of Kryptonite, Dust Devil and Top Cat at Tintern.
Any thoughts on these or better ideas?

In reply to The Ivanator: The original routes put up at Tintern Quarry on the Jurassic Wall were good, on solid rock. Later routes are best avoided.

Wyndcliff Quarry is well worth a visit. The sport routes are good, and catch any sun that's going.

In reply to The Ivanator: Any thoughts from other Bristol area gurus that frequent these waters? ...Mark?? Brian??

In reply to Unknown Climber:

Tintern Quarry - I enjoyed the two recommendations above on Crystal Wall - Diamonds and Dust, and Broken Glass. F6b+ felt about right for them. They're a little chossy at the top, but good routes on the whole. I'd give them 1*.

Many of the other climbs I tried there were absolutely awful, and extremely loose. Bring a helmet to belay with!

It's a quarry, and it's ugly, but it's disused and overgrown with vegetation - in some lights it can look picturesque, I think.

In reply to RockSteady: ugly, disused and overgrown with vegetation - in some lights can look picturesque, I think.

...bit like myself then!

In reply to The Ivanator:

You called

Wyndcliff Quarry is a top convenience crag, ideal if you don't have long, or you're chancing it in unsettled weather. Or spend the whole day there and tick millions of routes! If the clouds open you can be off the rock and back in the car in a few minutes.

It's probably wise not to have overly rigid expectations regarding grades - some of the starts are thin and bouldery, and may feel disproportionally hard. A clipstick is useful, as some of the first bolts are quite high.

Upper Lift:
Not the Arete 6a, THE END 6a+ and Sometimes I Won't Thrill You 6a+ are worthwhile, as is the newer route Chepstow Killer Appliances 6a+ (see 2012 supplement for this). Better In than Out 6b+ would be a good little redpoint project, as would the retrobolted Shin Gi Tai Direct 6c+ (see supplement) - it's soft touch, probably only 6b+, so get in there quick while the grade still stands!

Lower Lift:
One Tooth Short of a Smile 6a+ (max 6a if you use the bigger holds just right, prob 6b if you don't) and Still Stuck on You HVS 5a (like a 5+ sport route with the first bolt missing - need a couple of wires) are both quite good. Finishing Touch 6b is good but has a very technical start: hard to onsight.

In reply to RockSteady:

I reckon I've climbed about 50 of the routes there, on various buttresses, and didn't find any of it particularly loose, so long as you stick to the routes and lower offs it's ok....as quarries go, I like it, an interesting shape and it has scale to it, it's a hell of a lump out of the ground...I think Tintern Quarry gets an undeserved bad press, its probably got the best selection of low to middle grade sport routes in the area....

In reply to The Ivanator:

Nobody's mentioned Dust Devil (2) at Tintern yet, as far as I can see. Great route!

In reply to Brian and the Happy Trundler: Brilliant thanks for the tips, especially good to have the low down on Wynd Cliff with Autumn coming on and the need for quick drying suntraps likely to be paramount ...oh hang on that's just the same as summer really!

In reply to bpmclimb: I've done Dust Devil 2 and although I haven't logged a comment. (unusual for me) I do however remember it being pretty good. It looks like its going to be very sandy, but it isn't. There was no loose rock either