UKC

In this, the first of a five part video series called 'Hand Picked' from Marmot, we see Neil Mawson in action on his favourite routes at Pembroke, Wales.

What are they, and have you climbed them all..?

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=5824

In reply to UKC Articles:

Lovely video, hard not to love Pembroke

I look forward to the next in the series

In reply to UKC Articles: Lovely to see a video with routes I can have a go at. Great film of Pembroke, I can't think why I haven't been yet. Need to get on it,

In reply to UKC Articles: Love it. Been thinking about going to Pembroke for the best part of a couple years now!
Only minor quibble would be the flickering half frame transitions, I find them painful to watch.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Pembroke is great but those video effects almost make me sick.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Nice to see a video of accessible routes, or ones you've done.

I wonder if these really are Neil's favourite routes, or whether they're just the 3 most famous at E1/2/3? Good routes though!

In reply to puppythedog: I'm ready when you are James.

In reply to GridNorth: Can we climb there over the winter or will it need to wait for spring?

Wish he didn't make Pleasure Dome sound so hard.

In reply to puppythedog: Climbing should be possible on a good day when the sun is out, the winds not blowing and the sea is not running too rough. Unfortunately those days can be rare between November and March.

In reply to Owen W-G:

Bit of a myth the 'top end E3' thing. If you're wall-fit it's not high in the grade at all, since it relies so heavily on fitness. It's not hard 5c, and there's not that much 5c. It's just that if you're not fit enough to recover at the half-rest in the middle of the crux section, you fail. Fitness will see you cruise that route, it's got massive holds for the most part except for a section on very positive crimps. Train for it, then it'll be a romp.

In reply to UKC Articles: I really don't know why people rave about the arrow, it's ok i suppose but theres so many other E1's in pembroke that are better.

Thought they could have made a bit more of being the leap as well, it's a pretty unique place down there and amazing, weird, still and quiet.

Liked the video though in general.

Cheers
Dave

In reply to Owen W-G:

It's not! Did it recently after putting it off for ages and was surprised at just how amenable it actually was - mostly easy climbing but a bit uphill and quite intimidating so PMA required. As Jon says, if you're wall fit and used to Pembroke climbing it's fine - middle of the grade but no more.

In reply to Pagan:

The E3s that I thought were proper hard were Gravy Train (class route!) and Swordfish (even more class). I've seconded Sunlover and found that nails too, and Zepellin has a very hard crux. PD was definitely easier than all these, just a bit harder than Ghost Ship and Space Cadet, so middle of the grade as you say.

In reply to Jon Stewart:


Class, definitely, but surely low in the grade - just two tricky moves and the rest great jug hauling.
If you want "proper" E3 (and true class) go and do Wavelength; very different but as hard and just as brilliant as Pleasure Dome.

I thought Arrow and Beast from the Undergrowth were predictable but overrated choices - loads of better E1's and E2's!

In reply to Robert Durran:

Cruxy yes, but I thought quite a long crux sequence. The only one of the classic E3s I nearly fell off, but everyone's different.


Will do! Great crag that front bit of Bosh Head.

In reply to Robert Durran:
Great to hear someone else raving about Wavelength as it's not often mentioned, I thought it was a superb route in a good position and certainly hard E3 - although maybe affected by falling off on the first attempt due to arriving at the crux to discover it was soaking wet! I must get down there again and get on Gravy Train (amongst many others still on the list).

In the same vein a good (and starred) but maybe slightly undersold E2 is Planet Waves - although this one again took two visits as on the first it started raining just as I finished the first pitch, fortunately careful flicking with a couple of slings brought the ab rope in reach to prussik out.

In reply to Robert Durran:


I know its fashionable to knock the Arrow, but I don't think I've climbed a better E1 at Pembroke.

In reply to GrahamD:

Wishful Thinking, Rock Idol or Heart of Darkness/New Morning would be the popular suggestions, I guess?

jcm

In reply to GrahamD:

Strait Gate, Rock Idol, Wishful Thinking, Lucky Strike, Bakers Door, Sealhunt, Ultravixens, Snozwanger.

In reply to Jon Stewart:
Be clever and Sinecure.

In reply to James Oswald:

Oh yes, forgot they were in Pembroke. Certainly better than The Arrow (which I was forced to admit was good).

In reply to UKC Articles: Manzoku on Stennis Head is possibly a little better than the Arrow.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Come on, I know you don't like St. Govan's but Snozwanger, Baker's Door and Ultravixens better than The Arrow? Sounds like you're desperate to dislike it because of its location rather than taking an objective view on its quality (or lack thereof).

Wouldn't disagree with your other suggestions but Heart of Darkness/New Morning is still my favourite.

In reply to James Oswald:

Barcud's a beautiful crag but the climbing on it is boring as hell. The Arrow might not be as aesthetic as Sinecure but at least its got some variety!

In reply to Pagan:

You might have a point with those ones, it's just that I enjoyed them more because they were better positioned and had more character.


I thought Sealhunt was as better, much more interesting climbing, but the combo route has I guess a bigger and more classic feel. It was raining when I did Heart of Darkness, which might have influenced my view a bit.

In reply to Jon Stewart: I'm really not sure that Baker's door is E1. I seconded both Baker's Door and Keelhaul one day last month, and I found Baker's Door the more challenging of the two as a second.

In reply to Pagan:

Have you tried Mean Feet for variety? Or Kitten Claws? Can't think of many people who would call those boring.

In reply to remus: Or indeed Ethos.

In reply to Pagan:

Heart of Darkness is wonderful but is ruined by New Morning.

I thought that the Arrow was alright and it wasn't difficult to be on and off it before anyone else was at St Govan's.

In reply to remus:

Not done Mean Feet, but I don't think the selling point of Kitten Claws is variety!

I think the Barcud routes are both boring (as in repetitive crimping) and exciting (run-outs or crap tiny gear) at the same time.