UKC

If they were to do a revised re-release of the timeless Classic and Hard Rock books with the inclusion of Pembroke, which routes would you like to see in there and why?

In reply to Blake:

Sea Tube

In reply to davidbeynon:

Just looking at it now... looks mental

In reply to Blake:

It is really good fun but you need the right mindset.

I sent a friend who normally climbs about 7a up it last year. Don't think I have ever heard so much swearing

In reply to Blake:

Pleasuredome. Interesting hard climbing in a very interesting position. A long pitch needing thougtfull rope work, strength, stamina and a cool head.

In reply to Blake:

Deidre Sud for Classic Rock and Deep Space (or one of a thousand others) for Hard Rock,

Chris

In reply to Blake:

Blue sky. An exciting and commiting abseil into a rareish for s pembs multi pitch climb on great rock in an exposed position.

Inner space. A wiered and exciting climbing experience. Taking you to places you don't expect to go on an hvs.

In reply to Blake:

Armorican for Classic Rock maybe?

In reply to Blake:

Out of my limited Pembroke experience Blue Sky gets my vote with apologies to Diedre Sud and Armorican.

In reply to Tony Jones:

And Red Wall, Porthclais.

In reply to Tom Valentine:

Good call.

In the same general area, there are few easy routes more photogenic than Apex Arête (VD)

In reply to mountain.martin:


Also too hard. In reality Hard Rock is about E1 max. Pembroke is already featured in Extreme Rock.

In reply to Tom Valentine:


I think you would struggle to write a Classic/Hard Rock essay on Red Wall, to be honest. And the essay is at least as important as the climb in those books, which were never about being a 'best of' compilation

In reply to Blake:

Big bad Barad (E1 5b) (E1 in latest guide, but still ideal Hard Rock territory).

In reply to GrahamD:


They managed it for Birchen...

In reply to Simon Caldwell:
Think my mini epic on Red Wall could be extended into an entertaining essay, my log notes:

Solo O/S
Abbed in with Mini Traxion intending to do a protected solo, stupidly dropped mini traxion in the sea when rigging up at the ledge! Stripped down to pants and attempted free diving retrieval of the device to no avail. So did the route as a proper solo instead - lovely climb, I was relieved that it was very mild for a Severe, positive holds all the way.

...a full description would probably end up more comic than the standard Classic Rock essay!

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Well I suppose Birchens is Grit whereas Red Wall is sort of harder shale with nowhere near the history. Have to admit I haven't got Classic Rock so I'm less familiar with it than Classic Rock and I'd forgotten Birchen was there. I still maintain red Wall is a good climb but it isn't really very interesting.

In reply to Blake:

In character with the books, I might propose Gnome on the Range for Classic and maybe Lucky Strike for Hard (although the latter is maybe too obvious)

In reply to GrahamD:

I can't remember anything about Red Wall other than getting to the start, which was definitely quite interesting!

In reply to Blake:

Church Rock off Broad Haven beach is great fun. Best approached by swimming of course.

In reply to GrahamD:

Fair point Graham, was forgetting hard rock only went up to about e1.

Could stick in manzoku at stennis head, a great pitch at a more correct grade, but the position isn't as good as it is not directly above the sea.

In reply to David Barlow:

I did some routes there (inc some new ones) a couple of years ago. I would say it is worth it for the experience but not so much for the climbing. You need a higher than average enthusiasm for guano and choss. Fortunately I do

In reply to mountain.martin:


Was going to say that Pleasure Dome is too hard for Hard Rock, but you got there first.

Of those I've done I'd plump for Rock Idol. Not done Lucky Strike yet though, or Barad.

Of course the one you really could write an essay about is Preposterous Tales!!

Martin

In reply to mountain.martin:

Errrr.....Hard Rock has many routes in excess of E1 all the way up to E4, and aid lines too. Pleasure Dome, great but Preposterous Tales definitely.

In reply to philhilo:

Ah, looks like memory is failing me, and others, then. I should look through it again.

In reply to The Ivanator:

If only someone else would check it out, Cordelia in the same area of cliff but much more isolated, would blow your socks off.

In reply to GrahamD:

Red Wall stands on its own strengths as a perfect rock climb of similar length to many a gritstone classic featured in Classic Rock.
It typifies the sunny side of North Pembroke climbing, is really quite photogenic and its alleged lack of history doesn't mean a lot to me.

In reply to philhilo:


I don't think that's true. There may be routes in Hard Rock that now go at E4 but they are described with points of aid in Hard Rock. E2 though certainly, possibly the odd E3 (Big Groove?).

Martin

In reply to Martin Hore:

I suspect if Graham had written, 'In reality Hard Rock is about E3 max' rather than 'In reality Hard Rock is about E1 max', we might be less confused.

Mick

In reply to Blake:

Hard Rock: Heart of Darkness with the New Morning finish. What. A. Route! Also Riders on the Storm and Rock Idol.

Classic Rock: I'd include Diedrie Sud, Blue Sky and also Myola. Amorican just misses the cut because it's essentially the same move x20.

That's six for the area which is less than it deserves.

In reply to Blake:

Haven't done it myself, but people that have rave about 'Underneath the Arches' at Mewsford.

In reply to Le Chevalier Mal Fet:

I don't remember the overlap move being the same as the moves that had preceded it.

In reply to Tom Valentine:

Yes, that's true, but apart from the last 10' it's pretty samey

In reply to The Ivanator:


I won't argue with E1! Good, unusual atmospheric route.

In reply to Blake:

I reckon Bow-Shaped Slab (HS 4b) would be the one for Classic Rock.

In reply to Blake:

Just had a good read of these... its an area i've climbed at quite a few times, but i don't personally feel like i've become intimate with Pembroke - I reckon I'll make a ticklist with all of these routes on and go and do em all! thanks so much for the input every1, have to keep you posted.

In reply to philhilo:

I'll concede E2 for Hard Rock, climbed in original style. Surely the harder routes are their free grade ? But E1 and E2 at Pembroke are at the lower end of the Extreme Rock range so for Hard Rock it would be good to fit in something in the HVS/E1 range.

In reply to Mick Ward:

I'll grant you E2....

In reply to GrahamD:

I'd say Rock Idol for Hard Rock and Deirdre Sud for Classic Rock.

In reply to GrahamD:

OK, just checked my 2nd edition grades as printed in the back and there are 9 E2s, 1 E3, yes Big Groove and 1 E4 Great Slab. Extreme Rock has a bunch of E1s and up but does include Pembroke.

In reply to philhilo:

I have extreme rock right here, the pembroke routes are:

- the star gate and the space face routes - careys
- mythical monster, quiet waters, witch hunt - huntsmans
- surprise attack and the mewsford routes - mewsford