UKC

Whilst there are many 'great' grades in Pembroke, E1 has to be one of them. Once you enter the extremes not only does the number of routes you can climb increase dramatically, but so too does the quality, with some of the best E1s that the UK has to offer. 

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I appear to have done them all! 

These are all great routes although do I question if climbs like The Arrow and Cool For Cats need any more puffing. Good to see Scoop Wall and Madman’s Point featured, catching up with the Wired guidebook at last!

As all right-thinking people know, the goldilocks quality is two stars: expectations are not excessive, the route won't be worn-out, and you're unlikely to need to queue. Here are some other good south Pembroke E1s - only a pedant would point out there is nothing north of Milford Haven - that are more than 20 minutes from a car park:

Stackpole Cracks (E1 5b): Rockfax gives this one star and it has had only 28 logbook records since 1972. It’s steep, well-protected and really really good. 

Calisto (E1 5b): A very soft E1, going on VS if you're tall, but not a wire-every-5’ route. The ‘Wind’ routes on the same crag are well worth doing too. St Govan’s East is only just 20 minutes saunter from the parking, so could be a good choice on a cold morning.

Snozwanger (E1 5b) or Blowin' in the Wind (E1 5b). Up a lovely arete, not too hard. Not usually bird-banned (check the RAD) and out of the firing areas.

Go Slo (E1 5b) and others on the east face of Mowing Word. A good venue to have in mind if it’s a hot afternoon.

Run Wild (E1 5b) on Buckspool Down. A gymnastic overhand followed by an unlikely looking slab. Would have been a shock when it was HVS for anyone expecting a Pembroke soft-touch. Non-tidal and sheltered from the worst of a big sea (check before you abseil). 

Happy to oblige!

Shiraz (E1 5b)

Sinecure (E1 5b)

… and actually one that should probably be E1 and is easily good enough -

The Pear (HVS 5b)

Thanks for the recommendations some I've done some of those, some were on my radar already but added the others to the list.

There is no denying the very best classics often deliver but I think this can be a good strategy particularly on busy weekends especially as 2 stars in Pembroke is often equivalent to 3 stars in many other areas of the UK. On that note here are a few other recommendations from myself:

Ace in the Hole (E1 5b) is really good, in a lovely setting, I did it at near high tide but with a much carmer sea than the photo in the definitive guidebook. 

Good Luck, Mr Gronski (E1 5b) (next to lucky strike) with hero jugs is brilliant should be anyone's hitlist.

Barad (E1 5b) got to have something in the north and this a great little adventure.

Bloody Brilliant (E1 5b), a lovely rising traverse in a hidden but accessible zawn full of lesser known routes including Bohemian Bubblebath (HVS 4c) & Blond Bombshell (E2 5b) which are likely to be popular classic in the future. The zawn is a short walk from Scoop Wall (with Magic Flute included in the article and the incredible Mutley (E3 5c) for the E3 leader) but many of the routes are non tidal. Basic topo on ukc and route descriptions in the free online supplement on the CC website. Normally accessible and bird free when there are restriction on the Castlemartin range.

If there are too long ques for Rock idol but you have grades in hand pop round the corner for an amazing jug fest on Amazon (E3 5c) or cool jamming and jugs The Rip (E2 5b) best started from the reef at low tide, or have a fun time on Lydstep Point Maze (HVS 4c)

If heading for the classic E1 B-Team Buttress (E1 5b) the nearby Malice Afterthought (HVS 5a) makes a great warmup and the amazing Startruck (E1 5a) at the nearby Blockhouse buttress must be one of the biggest roof you can get at the grade.

Anyway am looking forward to seeing the new Rockfax guide and probably seeing some good photos and new perspective on some areas to inspire another trip. The sample pages look great : https://rockfax.com/climbing-guides/books/pembroke-and-gower-trad/

Wishful Thinking should surely be on the official top 5 list! That said, good as the Pembroke E1s are, they aren’t a patch on some of the routes at E2 and above…

I deliberated this, but knew that if I hadn't included them then their omission would also be remarked upon. You're also coming at this article from a different perspective than someone who's new to the area. I was acutely aware I could write a list of a whole load of E1s that sit at the more adventurous and esoteric end of the spectrum, which would likely appeal to experienced enthusiasts, but be a bit weird for those who've never been before. What I've tried to do is strike a bit of a balance between the two, then leave the Forums to do what they do best and suggest a whole load of extras.

It’s ok, there’s an E2 article on its way - and an E3, E4 and E5 one too. I got a bit carried away 😂

Anyone would think you've got a book to sell ..... 🤣

I'm with Graeme though, I would hope to see Mutley (E3 5c) in the E3 one.

Massively agree on all the routes I've done from Graeme's post. Probably means I should add the rest of them to the list. 

The first E1 I did at Pembroke was Beyond the Azimuth (E1 5b), and I still think it's better than most of the others mentioned!

Rightly or wrongly, I've focussed this series exclusively on the south. There's so much to choose from that I didn't want the north coming across as an afterthought, which it inevitably would have. There's definitely an article to be written on the north though - I'm just not sure that I'm the person to write it!!

It's not, but there is something at Penally in that particular list - any guesses what?

noticed you are one of the few who have logged an ascent ofGladiator (E3 5c) in the same area, that's next on my list (for the area), I hope it's as good as the the photo of Trevor makes it look! Star Shot (E3 5c) also looks really cool and underrated. I had couple of trips last year in May/June during bad tides and firing and it was really nice to explore some of the other crags in the Penally area instead of just going to Mother Carey's Kitchen

Maybe edit the title to be "... in South Pembroke"?

Keeping North Pembroke as the best-kept secret. I like it.

There are a lot of crags in the North but I suspect most traffic is restricted to a couple of crags which have a higher concentration of known quality route. I think Neil Foster has explored away from the slabs a fair amount, but there must be others, and it would need someone who has done that to write a list or it could be dominated by the many quality E1 routes at Carreg-y-Barcud with Sinecure (E1 5b), Be Brave (E1 5b), Beeline (E1 5b), & The Great Valerio (E1 5a) all being good in addition to Beyond the Azimuth (E1 5b)

The previously mention Barad (E1 5b) would make the cut but what else in the North would? There must be a few hidden gems out there...

Would you say Beyond is better than Be Brave (E1 5b)? If so, why? I'm always interested in how people come to their climbing preferences. 

I reckon Barad is one of the best E1s I have done anywhere, there's a lot of climbing on the main pitch, it's all excellent, the gear is great and it feels like a very solid adventure without taking a huge amount of effort to get to it!

+1

It's one of those unforgettable adventure routes that would fit nicely into Hard Rock. 

It better be gladiator... If it's the scoop I'm not listening!

Would love to see this - could Steve Quinton be coaxed? He looks like he's done everything there.

I arrived at the slab at the end and spent a good minute or so panting on it before sorting out my anchor.

We did Heart of Darkness the same week, Barad was a cleaner and better variation on the theme, but definitely throws a bit more excitement at you.

Without wishing to give the game away, I've just had another look at the article and noticed that the E3 I included within it has just been downgraded. I need to decide what to do now - whether to remove or replace it, or leave it as it is.

Obviously a sign that there's room for Mutley (E3 5c)

Probably a niche question but have any of these classics avoided the polish?

Army Dreamers (HVS 5a) probably deservef three stars once upon a time, but was to my mind utterly ruined by the traffic. 

They're mostly holding up ok, somehow. None of the others is nearly as bad as army dreamers.

The Arrow, Lucky Strike, Rock Idol.

What stopped you from writing about the best undiscovered E1s in the area, instead of routes everyone knows about because they're in endless lists of Top 10s? This feel like an article that has been written many, many times over the years. 

As per a previous comment, I’ve tried to strike a balance. We ultimately write articles for the majority, not the minority, but I’ve tried to include a few lesser known classics (eg Wishful Thinking, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, The Magic Flute etc…).

As for it having been written many, many times before, part of the reason I wrote this was because when I Googled it I was surprised to see that there was nothing out there already. Maybe there is in On the Edge, but that’s a moot point for the modern generation.

Either way, as I said before - the thread can act to add a load of other more esoteric routes into the mix. On that note, let me know what I’ve missed 🙂

Your question isn't addressed to me, but here's my 5p. Be brave is just another crimpy slap like you tend to get at Carreg y B. or on Culm sandstone, it can be hard to tell them apart. Beyond is a unique set of moves about a rising crack which you're never quite sure if you should have your hands or your feet in. It's got a great series of moves. 

Full Tilt (E1 5b)

Having done Rock Idol many times, and recently again too, it doesn't even come close to routes like Jack the Ripper in Stac Pollaidh or Diamond Face on Old Man of Stoer. Or Sarclet Pimpernel in Sarclet. Or any E1 in Pabbay/Mingulay. I mean I can go on... sorry to be the party pooper but calling it possibly the best E1 in Britain is a bit rich, maybe Wales and England, but certainly not if you include Scotland in Britain

I certainly think it’s a contender, but also acknowledge it all comes down to personal opinion - and there’s no rights or wrongs in light of that. It’s also an intentionally hyperbolic statement, so not one I’d necessarily take too seriously 🙂

To further illustrate the point regarding personal preference, whilst I enjoyed Sarclet Pimpernel, it was infinitely forgettable compared to the VS just beside it (Groove Armada), which I thought was a far superior route. I felt the same way about Diamond Face too. 

I’m not saying either was bad, because they’re not - they’re great; it’s more that I wasn’t as taken with them, whereas every time I’ve done Rock Idol I’ve just thought ‘wow’ and not been able to stop smiling throughout.

Well yes but everybody already knows that the best climbs in the UK are in Scotland. I assume that we all just take that as given, and silently insert a "except Scotland" every time a climb in E&W is claimed to be the best in the UK.