UKC

Climbs 162
Rocktype Sandstone (hard)
Altitude 180m a.s.l
Faces NE

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South Wales Sandstone yet again © Mark Salter

Crag features

The Gap is one of the original and best known of the sandstone climbing areas in South Wales, although nowadays others have overtaken it in popularity. Sitting high on a hill overlooking the A470 Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil road, it has a nice open aspect and plenty of routes at all grades that are well equipped. The majority of the routes are wall climbs, with the hardest featuring sustained sequences on thin edges. There are plenty of routes in the lower 6s including a few smart crack-lines.

If anyone has any issues with any of the fixed gear please let me know so it can be identified and sorted.

Approach notes

Visible from the A470, but hard to find. Take the 3rd exit (Ystrad Mynach) on the Abercynon-Mountain Ash roundabout, then 1st left at the next roundabout towards Quakers Yard. Just before the first set of traffic lights(pedestrian crossing) take a narrow left over the river Taff, follow the road up a hill until you pass back over the A470: turn immeadiately right along a single-track road. Lower Quarry is soon visible on the left. There is ample parking directly below the lower quarry although it is beggining to get pretty rough due to 4x4 and motocross use.
 

Update this Crag
Last updated on 14/Aug/2025

Restricted Access

Endangered Yellow Wagtails are currently nesting on Butt Hole Scoundrels - Fr. 6b+ (Line 3 on SWCW). Please avoid climbing in the Scoundrels Cave area until the end of September, and keep an eye out for others until then. 

They migrate from Africa to the UK around March till September, so will hopefully be on their way by October.

from 01/06/2025 to 30/10/2025

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Last update: 20/06/2025  

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There looks to have been a pretty massive rockfall between 'Shackles of Love' and 'Ring of Confidence'. Don't know when it happened but would recommend avoiding routes thereabouts until it's settled down. A large column of rock (possibly the E2?) looks to have fallen off and exposed a groove which will make for an interesting climb once it's cleaned up a bit.
PaulJepson - 07/Dec/20
Tried climbing here early April 19, late afternoon it was dry but very cold. Kept sliding off footholds. Will hopefully get to climb this in a little hotter weather.
Deeman00 - 24/Apr/19
Very nice crag, the routes seem hard for the grade but it maybe down to the bolts being so far apart that it feels a bit scary. Must return for the epic 6b line up the centre crack.
springfall2008 - 21/Apr/17
A ‘microwave oven’ sized block, at approx ¾ height, between routes ‘Shackles Of Love’ and ‘The Frightening Looking Flake’ came off whilst someone was climbing on it on Sunday 3rd July 2016. Please carefully check any loose looking rock in this area, as the rest of the overhang has a sizeable crack above it. Please see route page for photos...
jumpingjimminy - 07/Jul/16
Bone dry as of Sunday 25th March
Dan_Carroll - 25/Mar/12
Would say this is more of a summer venue. On a dry day in early March, 80% is still wet as many of the walls never see any sun. On upper quarry, some of the routes have no lower off, so beware.
J1_TOV - 03/Mar/12
Bring a clip stick . Many of the the first bolts are very high - presumably to deter vandals. Otherwise a great day or 6 out
chris wyatt - 27/Jun/11
The area marked 'Right Wall' on this page is wrong, it should read 'Left Wall'. The right wall climbs don't appear here at all.
Stone Muppet - 13/May/11
The comments about the bolting by Dai Edwards are now out of date. Much of the crag seems to have been rebolted and several new lines added.
richardr - 15/Apr/09
Just recenetly returned from a great day at this craig, my one comment would be though to take plenty of cams and not to reply on the on situ bolts as we found out and left me with a few scraps on my arms but a worth will vist, also take in the local pubs where we got very druck after a hard days climb.
Dai Edwards - 30/Sep/03
A brilliant area surrounded by stunning scenery with lots of climbing variety, the natural area has some easier climbs than the quarry, but none are too easy. A good day out.
Jonathan Butters - 30/Mar/03
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