Foxhole Cove

Sean Cullins on Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove

Contents
Gower

GR SS 551 872

TIDAL STATUS

Foxhole Crag itself is non-tidal. The lower crags 2½ hours either side of low water.

BOLTING POLICY

No bolting except at Foxhole itself. At Foxhole - 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.

PREAMBLE

Foxhole Cove is the small bay between Watch House East and Heatherslade Bay itself. Foxhole itself is a superbly steep crag, basically the roof of a large cave, tucked back well back and above the sea at the back of the cove. It contains some of the best sport routes on Gower. The crag does seep after prolonged rain, but otherwise it performs good umbrella service. It is always possible to climb in or out of the sun by selecting the correct wall. There are a number of smaller areas and the easy routes on Wrinkle Slab and Grey Slab, well worth seeking out.

ACCESS

GR551872 Note that this is not the Fox Hole marked on the OS map. From the B4436 follow the offshoot into Southgate and continue to the National Trust Car Park by a roundabout at the end of the village (GR554873). Park here and follow the private road along the cliff top westward (right when looking out to sea) until opposite Number 9. Go down and left to the top of a gully. Scramble carefully down this taking care not to miss the path leading left across the top of the cave otherwise you will arrive at the base of the crag rather too quickly. Follow a poor path down for 50m, which comes to the cave entrance of Foxhole itself. The lower crags are reached by scrambling down in front of the cave. Deep Cut is to the west (right looking out to sea), Wrinkle Slab and Grey Wall to the east.

DESCENTS

Most routes at Foxhole itself have lower offs. However, some are in poor condition and benefit from a rope backup which can be lowered from stakes in the slope above. Great care should be taken when fixing the rope. It is believed this situation will be rectified before long. Descents for the other crags are by easy scrambling.

THE ROUTES

Bill Gregory flashing Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove

1. Cunning Little Fox - Fr.5
   Easier warm up/intro to Foxhole on the left hand side of the crag. Start just left of the black slab, tending leftwards initially before rocking over onto the slab/ramp. Head straight up to the belay, then try something a little more overhanging on the main crag.
   
   
2. Never Out-Fox the Fox - Fr.5
   Start on the grass bank, and begin up the black slab. Move up the slab and use massive holds to progress up a groove, make use of smaller holds to reach the distant belay.
   
   
3. Vulpix - Fr. 4+
   A pleasant exercise in bridging up the cleaned runnel.
   
   
4. Basil Brush - Fr.4
   Long,steeper and better than it looks.16.69m.
   
   
5. 'Unholy Alliance - Fr.6a+
   On the left wall of the crag, outside the cave proper, is a steep tower. Take a vague flake line up this. Was a bold trad route. 12m
   
   
6. Marmalade Skies - Fr.7a+
   A bit of a squeeze up the steep orange wall.12m
   
   
   
   
7. Connard Canard - Fr.7b
   The wall to the right of Unholy Alliance proves harder than it looks and is tricky to on-sight. 12m
   
   
8. Goose In Lucy - Fr.6c **
   Down to the right of Connard Cannard, just inside the cave, are a couple of finger pockets. Gain and use these to work up to a bounce to get the conglomerate ledge. Finger traverse 1m to the left then climb the steep wall above on superb undercuts and jugs. 12m
   
   
9. Surplomb De Ray - Fr. 8b
   A very steep route to the left of Pioneers of the Hypnotic Groove. Climb straight through the overhang via a very hard bouldery sequence to eventually gain the tufa jug at the intermediate belay of Hypnotic Groove - continue all the way to the top of the crag. 18m.
   
   
10. Pioneers Of The Hypnotic Groove - Fr.7b ***
    A stunning route climbing the angle of the cave at 45 degrees all the way up. Looks improbable, but the holds are massive! BB at the lip of the cave. 25m
    
    
    

    Simon Rawlinson on Surplomb De Ray.
    
    
    
11. Un-named - Fr.8a
    The overhanging wall to the right of Pioneers Of The Hypnotic Groove. Follow the bolt runners to a jug half way up the wall and swing leftwards boldly to reach the slab above. Lower off the following route. 14m
    
    
12. Palace Of Swords Reversed - Fr.8a+ *
    Follow the BRs to where the lines diverge. Take the right-hand line with some very powerful moves off small pockets to gain good conglomerate holds and the slab. Lower off, or move right to finish up Foxy Lady. 15m
    
    
13. Chicken Licken - Fr.6c+
    Climb the overhanging wall just left of the arete marking the right end of the lower cave roof. 10m
    
    To the right is small left trending wall at right angles to the cave and left of a prominent groove.
    
    
14. No Epoxy Au Oxley - E3,5c (6b+) *
    A partial girdle of the crag. Start up the crack of the now bolted Hooker to gain a slab. Traverse easily left across the slab to gain the now bolted extension of Pioneers etc. groove which is followed to a BB. 35m
    
    
15. Gypsy Eyes - Fr. 6c
    As per Epoxy Au Oxley then take the headwall left of Little Miss Lover. 34m
    
    
    

    Chris Wyatt gurning up the Foxy Lady
    
    
    
16. Little Miss Lover - E4,6a
    As for No Epoxy Au Oxley but when halfway across the traverse, 2m after the conglomerate holds, pull up the impending wall to good holds and a hidden PR. Follow a steep crack to the top. A lower off rope is required. How many repeats? 25m
    
    The following three routes have had their starts swapped round for convenience. The grades are not really affected. They start on the pillar which leads up to the right end of the traverse slab.
    
    
17. The Hooker - Fr.6c+ **
    A furious layback up cracks on the left of the pillar. Move 2m left and up to a PR and fight up the difficult impending headwall. 21m
    
    
18. Foxy Lady - Fr.6c+ **
    an intricate start in the center of the pillar leads to a good rest at the right end of the traverse slab. From here pull up on steep rock to a final thuggish move which can be done quite stylishly with the use of a right heel. 25m
    
    
19. Joy De Viva - Fr.7a **
    Start in the groove to the right of the pillar. At the top of this move right by a long reach to a good conglomeration - then move up with difficulty to jugs. Keep moving before you burn! Excellent sustained climbing. 20m
    
    
    

    Bill Gregory climbing Power Struggle
    
    
    
20. Turkey Lurking - Fr.7c *
    Hard to follow. As for Power Struggle to a point 3m below the top. Blast leftwards, all very difficult to read, to eventually finish at the top of Foxy Lady. 30m
    
    
21. Power Struggle - Fr.7b+ *
    On the right wall of the crag is another big hole/flake at 4m. Gain this via the handrail on the right, move powerfully up and left to finish direct. 15m
    
    
22. Ducky Lucky - Fr.7a+ *
    A sharp but worthwhile route to the right of Power Struggle. 12m
    
    
23. The Day The Sky Fell In - Fr.6b+
    The last groove on the right-hand wall of the cave. 10m
    
    
24. Welcome to the World of Trad - VS,4c
    To the right of the main crag is a slab with a diagonal, right to left, crack. Follow this and continue to belays on a block slightly to the right. 12m.
    
    

Dan Cook on The Hooker

There are now many many links up's at the crag, probably more than the described routes. These are useful as a training resource for those devotees bored of lapping the same old lines. However, they are not all described here and are best identified by talking to locals.

Deep Cut (Dark Side of the Moon Zawn)

This is the narrow east-facing zawn at sea level, below and west of Fox Hole proper. It has an overhanging northfacing wall, which takes time to dry out and a low angled slab. Some of the first few routes have almost certainly been done before.

1. Cleftomaniac - Fr. 4
   A steep start, or wide bridging, gains entry to the clean slab which is climbed to the left of the bolts. Watch your back when lowering.
   
   
2. Leopard Prints - Fr. 4?
   Climb the pleasant slab just right of the corner"
   
   
3. The Power Of The Leopard Skin Warmer - Fr. 4
   The left side of the slab above the zawn. 12m.
   
   
4. Talbot’s Peugeot - VS,5a
   Start at the extreme left side of the overhanging wall. Layback up the arete to finish above a prominent roof. 10m
   
   
5. Mind Of A Talbot - VS,5b
   The vague diagonal scoops to the right of Talbot’s Peugeot. 7m
   
   
6. Antipodean Hero - HVS,5a
   The first real line. Climb to the prominent roof right of Mind Of A Talbot. Reach over this, move right to a sharp flake and finish direct. Awkward. 8m
   
   
7. Malice Down Under - HVS,5a
   A worthwhile route up a line of square jugs to the right of Antipodean Hero. 8m
   
   
8. Maurice In Undies Land - E1,5c
   The wall to the right of Malice Down Under, PR. 8m
   
   
9. The Illywhacker - E4,6a *
   Climb the centre of the north wall directly on small holds past twin PRs. The crux is at the top on the crozzly rib and a fall could be interesting, depending on the level of the pebbles. 8m
   
   
10. Roygoi - E5, 6a
    Bridge up the cleft at the right-hand side of the wall for 2m, then move onto the wall and rock up for a finger flake. Follow a thin crack, to finish just right of The Illywhacker. 8m
    
    
11. Requin - HS
    Climbs the leftmost groove at the back of the zawn. 8m
    
    
12. Coral Corner - Fr. 5
    Climbs the stepped hanging slabs to an exciting finish. Walk round to rescue your clips from the lower-off.
    
    
13. Deep Cut Slab - HVD
    Worthwhile. On the slabby side of the zawn is a diagonal runnel. Start where this touches the ground and balance up it to gain a sloping indentation. Get established on this, then climb directly up the slab above to finish. 12m
    
    

Wrinkle Slab

This brown slab is below and east of Fox Hole proper, where the rocks start to open out.

1. Direct - D
   Climb the centre of the slab. 12m
   
   
2. East Corner - M
   Climb the corner bounding the slab to below an overhang which is turned on the left. 12m
   
   

Grey Wall

This is the eastwards continuation of Wrinkle Slab, starting with an arete.

1. West Edge - D
   The left arete of the slab.
   
   
2. West Side - D
   Takes the slab to the right of West Edge. Many variations are possible. 12m
   
   
3. Cleft - VD *
   In the middle of the slab is an obvious “4” shaped sentry box. Climb this and the delicate slab above. 12m
   
   
4. Ramp - HVD
   An artificial climb squeezed in between Cleft and East Corner. 12m
   
   
5. East Corner - M *
   The obvious corner bounding the slab on its right-hand side. 12m
   
   

Some 100m to the east (right) is Great Corner, described under the Heatherslade Page

FIRST ASCENTS

4. Rhiannon McCarroll 17th April 2017
5. D.McCarrol J.Bullock 05/03/2013
6. M.Crocker, J.Harwood 01.05.1994
7. D.McCarrol J.Bullock 02/03/2013
8. G.Gibson 01.09.1998
9. R.Thomas, S.Coles 11.05.1996
10. Simon Rawlinson 20/Jun/2010
11. R.Thomas 6pt 00.00.1994, FFA G.Ashmore, S.Coles, J.Tracey 19.04.1996
12. G.Ashmore 08.09.1996
13. R.Thomas 19.07.1996
14. R.Thomas 00.00.1994
15. Stuart Llewellyn
16. M.Crocker 01.05.1994
17. J.Bullock, R.Thomas 00.06.1990
18. J.Bullock, R.Thomas 00.05.1990
19. G.Gibson 05.07.1997
20. E.Travers-Jones 10.08.1996
21. M.Crocker, J.Harwood 01.05.1994
22. R.Thomas 10.08.1996
23. R.Thomas 18.05.1996
24. Gwyn Evans, Gareth Tucker, Rob Howells 01.06.2005

Deep Cut (Dark Side of the Moon Zawn)

1. Bethan McCarroll and Danny McCarroll April 2017
2. Steve Rusling and Bethan McCarroll Jan 2017
3. Rhoslyn Frugtniet march 2010
4. G.Ashmore solo 19.08.1996
5. G.Ashmore solo 19.08.1996
6. R.Thomas 19.08.1996
7. R.Thomas 19.08.1996
8. R.Thomas 19.08.1996
9. A.Long 00.00.1991
10. M.Crocker, J.Harwood 28.02.1998
11. J.Talbot 00.00.1962
12. Conor White and Bethan McCarroll May 2016.
13. J.Talbot 00.00.1962

Wrinkle Slab

1. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
2. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959

Grey Wall

1. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
2. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
3. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
4. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
5. J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959