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Deborah's Overhang Area
GR SS 43305 86312
Contents
TIDAL STATUS
Deborah's Overhang and the The Tooth Fairy Area are non-tidal. The Knave and Seaspit Small Cove are marginally tidal. TV Zawn 2 hours either side of low water.
BOLTING POLICY
Retro-bolting permissible with first ascensionist’s permission. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible. New sports routes allowed. No bolting allowed at Seaspit Small Cove.
PREAMBLE
An area with few routes but impressive rock in incredibly relaxed surroundings. Deborah’s Overhang and TV Zawn are wildly overhanging sports crags but have serious seepage problems. The Knave and The Tooth Fairy Area are vertical traditionally protected crags of some interest. The Seaspit Cove is perhaps the most worthless crag on Gower.
ACCESS
The crags can be approached from Rams Grove as for the Three Sisters. However the crags are best approached from Paviland. As for Paviland to the dry valley where the sea becomes visible. From the stile at the landward end of the valley, cross a stile on the right (west) leading up to a higher level. Pass over two further stiles to reach a dry valley with a rotten pinnacle visible on the far side. Drop down this valley to reach an extensive broken, non-tidal area.
Deborah’s Overhang is obvious on the right when facing out to sea and the Tooth Fairy Area is the continuation wall to the west running out to an arete, blocking further view. TV Zawn is directly below the Tooth Fairy Area. The Tooth Fairy Area can be reached by a precarious and dangerous scamble from the main cliff. A safer approach is to take the gully as for the Paviland Approach mentioned (as for Three Sisters) and contour round to the left. The Knave can also be reached in this way. At low tides it is possible to walk along the exposed rocks from TV Zawn. Seaspit Small Cove is reached by a 250m eastwards scramble from the Overhang Area.
DESCENTS
Descent from the Knave is by walking down the slope on the landward side. Descents from the Tooth Fairy Area are by srambling up to the top of the ridge and then by walking down a terrace in either direction. Descents from TV Zawn are from lower offs as they are from some of the routes on Deborah’s Overhang itself. Other routes at Deborah’s Overhang and those at Seaspit Small Cove are by walking off right (east) from the top.
THE ROUTES
This is the mini-Paviland, forming the headland between Deborah’s Zawn and Deborah’s Overhang. There are two routes on the seaward face, starting from a shallow niche at the horizontal break, 8m left of the upper left-hand end of the sloping platform that leads to the underside of the blowhole on the eastern flank.
1. Beyond The Swell 17m E1,5b
Climb the slab to the left side of an obvious pedestal below the line of roofs at 7m. Reach over the roof for a jug and continue with care to ledges at a break. Finish up a tricky little groove in the leaning headwall.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
2. Between Two Storms 17m E1,5b
Climb the pleasant initial slab to a brown scoop right of the pedestal. Pull up slight cracks in the bulging roof to better holds above. Swing left, move steeply up to rattling ledges then exit on the right.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
Above the upper left-hand (west) end of the sloping platform is a smooth grey slab, at which point the crag turns to an easterly orientation before the blowhole. The following routes start from the sloping platform.
3. Not That Condor Moment 10m VS,4c
From the base of the smooth grey slab, climb up to and over a bulge onto highly textured rock. Bear steeply rightwards to finish at the top of an unclimbed left-to-right gangway.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
4. Knave's Slab 10m S
The smooth grey slab running diagonally rightwards, exiting with caution.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
Round towards the landward side of the Knave, almost facing Deborah's Overhang itself, are two more routes.
5. Nothing Is Forever 15m E3,5c
The left side of the grey diamond-shaped wall. Start below a line of weakness 3m from its right edge. Climb the wall up a difficult left-facing groove, to reach a leftward-rising break. Swing right to climb the headwall.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
6. Jack O' Diamonds 15m E3,5c *
Starting from the lowest part of the grey diamond shaped wall, pull boldly up onto the wall and continue to the left rising break. Stretch into the hanging groove to gain jugs and proceed steeply to the top.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
The Tooth Fairy Area
This is the white wall forming the west flank of the Deborah’s Overhang area.
1. Dentist's Chair 18m E3,5c
Climb the groove on the left (south) side of the tooth to a small overlap, step left into the main groove and follow this to the top.
A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 24.10.1987
2. Open Wide Please 18m E5,6a
A bold and sustained pitch up the centre of the tooth, 4m right of Dentist's Chair. Trend left up the bulging wall into an open groove and follow this with difficulty until easier climbing leads to the top.
A.Sharp, P.Lewis 24.10.1987
3.Gnasher 17m E5,6a
Start at the foot of the obvious left-facing flake crack in the centre of the tooth. Climb the crack to its close at a leftward-rising break. Finger traverse left along the break for 2m, then take the pockets and flakes straight up over a slight bulge, PR, to bigger holds and the narrow terrace.
M.Crocker 31.05.1998
4. E By Gum 15m E5,6a *
A new form of substance abuse for carrot crunchers and other southerners. Start 2m right of Gnasher at the base of the pink wall. Reach an obvious left-facing fin and continue slightly left to a bulge. Pass the bulge using a jug on the right and proceed up the incipient groove to a broken terrace and the top of the tooth on the left.
M.Crocker, J.Harwood 26.04.1998
5. Scurvy 10m E3,5c
From a point 2½m right of the right end of the underlying ledge, climb up to the obvious pocket at 4m. Pull up and trend right to flakes and a loose exit onto the terrace.
M.Crocker 31.05.1998
Deborah's Overhang
1. State of Grace 45m E4,5c,6a *
The second pitch takes the large roof on the left of the crag and is characterised by two large holes.
- 21m Climb a shallow groove below the left-hand (west) side of the roof to a big ledge. PB.
- 24m Move left off the ledge and follow pockets past two holes to good belays well back, TRs.
A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 08.03.1986
2. Debauching Deborah 20m E3,6a Fr6c *
In the centre of the crag, is a clean white groove leading to a platform below the roof. Start on the false beach immediately below the groove at vague ramp. Climb this to a slab and wander up to the cave. From the cave pull left into and go up the white scoop and arete to a BB just below the roof. Abseil.
R.Thomas 00.00.1997
3. Deborah 21m E3,6b Fr6c+
Start on the beach directly below a large hole and right of the start of Debauching Deborah. Climb the roof, 2BRs, harder than it looks, to a ledge, then easily to a roof. Traverse off right to finish.
A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1985
4. Hydraulic Lunch 15m E7,6c Fr8a *
The old aid route through the right-hand side of the main roof proves painful and difficult! Ten mono cranks on old bolt holes lead to a jug and a pull on an evil sloper round the roof. A left hand little finger crank gains the chain.
J.Talbot, B.Talbot - Deborah's Overhang 00.00.1966
FFA G.Ashmore 03.05.1996
At east end of the overhang are two routes. The first one starts immediately right of the end of the roof.
5. Three Minute Hero 18m E5,6b Fr7a+ *
Make dynamic moves up past a good Friend. If successful, clip some bolts, gain a hole and the easy upper section. A belay can be found on the rocks behind the terrace.
A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1985
6. Ground Control 15m E4,6b
The crack and groove 3m right of Three Minute Hero.
A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1985
TV Zawn
This is the zawn immediately underneath the main Deborah's roof. To reach it scramble down from the false beach to the real beach and turn right. It is more extensive than it would appear from the outside, and contains a number of routes and projects. The routes are described as approached, i.e. right to left. The last two lines are projects.
1. Voyage Of The Zawn Treader 8m HVS,5b Fr5
The first bolt line through the roof. Once over the roof (crux) sidle leftwards to finish up New Zawn.
G.Ashmore 15.11.1996
2. New Zawn 8m E2,5c Fr6a+
The roof and subsequent slab to the left to a lower off.
G.Ashmore 15.11.1996
3. Going Down On Deborah 10m E3,6a Fr6c
The roof to the left and subsequent wall, prove an awkward and rewarding struggle.
R.Thomas 07.11.1997
4. Down Under Deborah 12m E4,6a Fr7a *
The groove to the left.
R.Thomas 17.07.1999
Seaspit Small Cove
250m east of Deborah’s overhang, this ‘crag’ has a 12m wave of rubbishy orange rock.
1. Kithara 12m E3,6a
Start 8m left of the prominent groove line, below an undercut at 2m. Pull up and move steeply rightward to reach a small spike above the bulge. Reach up to the left-rising break and finish up the easier upper groove.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
2. Ne Pas Equipe 12m E4,6a
Start 4m left of the crack and groove. Work through a bulge on undercuts to gain the left-sloping break. Move up into a grey groove with a pink patch overhead. Follow this to gain the top via a jug.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
3. Staple Riot 12m E3,6a
Traversing the left rising break from 2m left of the crack and groove, TRs. Finish direct after 6m. A bag.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
4. Spit Grafitti 12m E2,5c
The crack and groove.
M.Crocker 30.10.1998
