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Gelli

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South East Wales Sandstone

Chris Gilbert - Down Under (Fr.4+)

GR SS 982 945

BOLTING POLICY

Quarried sandstone, the more the merrier.

PREAMBLE

Now regeared will prove popular.

A bit of a flog to get to (10 mins uphill) but catches the late sun and has commanding views down the whole of Rhondda Fawr.

Lots for the Fr. 6a+ and below climber. A few remaining trad routes for the jaded which fitted the description on the "1989 tin" but who knows which "2012 tin" they belong in?

The rock is excellent and compact on the left side of the crag, more brittle on the right. The breezy elevated situation minimises the "midge factor"

If you wan't to top-rope your mates up the routes with fixed anchors kindly follow the accepted protocol and minimise wear by using your own quickdraws until the final go,those who climb outdoors have to learn how to thread an anchor sometime. Feel free to add or discard/replace worn lower offs.

ACCESS

From the M4 Jct.34 take the A4119 highway to the Rhondda Valley arriving at Tonypandy. Do not go into the town but follow the road past the retail centre turning left on the B4223. Pass Glyncornel outdoor centre following the signs for Gelli. Park outside the Gelli Community Recycling Centre then walk left up the track past the sultry goats and well hung donkeys.

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Gelli

DESCENTS

Old fence posts for some of the trad routes. Sport routes have Lower Offs.


THE ROUTES

Gelli left

Described from left to right facing the crag

  1. Jockey Club - Fr. 6a **
    Even lefter side, not drawn on topo. 9 m

  2. Horses Bolted - Fr. 6b **
    The wall past the small roof joining the lower off of previous. 9 m

  3. Fools On Horses - Fr. 6a+ *
    The left side of the short black wall at the start of the crag. 9 m

  4. Free Lunch - Fr. 6c
    Line of glue-in bolts. 9.69m.

  5. Stable Boy's Breakfast - Fr. 6b **
    Results of a broken drill bit. 8 m

  6. Green Arete - VS, 4c*
    The obvious green arete. A bold airy route. Belay on posts. 11 m

  7. K.E.S - HVS, 5a **
    Slabby wall right of the arete. Another classic bold must for true climbers. Historic "special" PR near top. 11m.

  8. Kestrel For A Knave - Fr. 4
    The right side of the slabby wall. 11m

  9. Joey's Full Pint - Very Open Project
    Life's too short, sometimes you have to leave the very best for those more deserving. Dig your way up the corner. 11 m

  10. Mr Farthing - Severe
    The crack, jolly bad show not to play with your nuts and clip the handy bolts. 10 m

  11. Miss Halfpenny - Fr. 4
    Contrived, attempts to climb the red tower, step out of the righthand crack then up the arete. 11m

    To the right is another wall

  12. Feeling Lucky - Fr. 6a *

  13. Wot No Metal - E1, 5c
    The Y-crack just right of the arete. 9 m

  14. Little Treasure - Fr. 6a+
    Scooped wall. 9 m

  15. Toil - HVS, 5a
    Faint crack just left of grassy crack, resist the temptation to step into it. 9 m

  16. My Little Pony's On The Job - Fr. 5+ *
    Climb the left edge of the next wall which is right of the grassy crack. Avoid the crack until just below the top. Shared belay on the right. 10 m

  17. Galvanised - Fr. 6a+ **
    Curving crack on wall right of grassy crack, move left to belay or use belay above ledge at Fr. 6a. 9 m

  18. Lost In Time - Fr. 6b+ *
    Forgotten when the old hanger was relocated. Left of the now obvious Pine, first hanger spins hard bouldery start. 9m.

  19. Hoarse Trader - Fr. 4+
    The arete right of the pine tree. 10 m

  20. Marinated Goat Cheese - Fr. 4
    Start from the grassy steps a little further right. 9 m

Red Walls

Down and right is a red wall and an adjacent slab

  1. Squeezing The Curd - Fr. 5
    The short wall at the left side of this section, continue up Marinated Goat Cheese or walk off. 4 m

  2. The Babcock Test - Fr. 6b
    Short but sharp, avoid stepping into the bounding cracks. 6 m

  3. Titanium Man - E1, 5b
    Steep crack R of grassy chimney. Now dug out. 9 m

  4. Straight From The Frog's Mouth - Fr ?
    Closed Project. 9 m

  5. Cigarillo - Fr.6b *
    Crack just to right, shared belay above the grass slope. 9 m

  6. Tobacco King - Fr. 6c+ *
    Wall to right then grassy slope to shared belay. 9 m

  7. Down Under - Fr. 4+ **
    Start at the bottom left side of the slab stepping R, finish more steeply L of the arete. 15m

Recessed Wall

The next wall is set back and and above the quarry floor

  1. Working To A Budget - Fr. 4+
    Two stepped walls just left of the tree stump. Fully equipped despite breaking the budget. 13m.

  2. Hung Like A Donkey - Fr. 6a
    Left side of wall next to sycamore tree (stump), avoid the crack to the left. 14 m

  3. All Talk - Fr. 6a+
    The left side of the wall aiming for the short crack, make a trying move up using a finger jamb then step left to shared belay of Hung.... 15 m

  4. Talking Hoarse - Fr. 5+
    Gain and follow the faint groove. 15 m

  5. Little Taff - Fr. 6a+ *
    Thin crack on the left side of wall, belay above small strip roof. 12 m

  6. Stubborn As A Mule - Fr 5
    Once rubbly crack now cleaned and equipped.Only one carabiner on the belay so either(most inconveniently) leave your own or use belays on adjacent climbs 12 m

  7. Hoarse Whisperer - Fr. 6b *
    A seriously hollow start but good climbing nevertheless. A trying crux at half height and pumpy thereafter. 12 m

  8. A Little Something I Prepared Earlier - Fr. 6b **
    Wall to right immediately left of grassy corner crack, double "twizzle" belay. 12 m

  9. Something That Came Up Much Later - Fr. 4
    The corner bridging out to a belay on the grass ledge. 12 m

  10. Unearthed - HS *
    Crack in sidewall then groove above ledge. Shared belay in place just below the top. 12 m

Gelli Right

On the next wall to the right

  1. Ladyboy's Cage - Fr. 6a
    Can you escape the cage? Do you want to escape the cage? If you try to escape will it make the ladyboy angry? Why are you wearing tight red pants? The left side of the wall via prominent flake to shared belay chain. 8m

  2. Worzel Budgie Spunker - Fr. 6b+
    Delicate yet brutal route following the crack up and rightwards. Shared belay chain.

  3. Talking Shop - Fr. 6a
    The vague arete after gaining the left end of the ledge. Take care not to try and use the rubble on the left. 12 m

  4. Hoarse Breather - Fr. 5+
    Gain the large flake on the ledge, continue on spaced jugs to the shared belay chain of Talking Shop. 12m

  5. Snorting Horse - E1, 5a
    The diagonal crack starting up Talking Shop and finishing at the belay of Empty Talk. Be strong don't clip the bolts. 12 m

  6. Worzel Cloaca Sniffer - Fr. 6a+ *
    Gain the ledge, continue to the flaring crack and pod, single bolt lower off. It is possible to go right and lower off Empty Talk at a slightly harder Fr. 6b. 12 m

  7. Empty Talk - Fr.6a *
    Gain the large graffitied ledge, continue steeply to the belay on the tower. 12 m

  8. Gilding The Lily - Fr. 6a *
    Gain the right side of the ledge. Pull up on big wobblies and lay away off the small blocky roof to gain two magnificent pockets in the wall above. 12 m

  9. Polishing The Turd - Fr. 5
    The most apt route name in a generation and a classic triumph of extreme cleaning. Shares belay on the left. 12 m

  10. Ice Station Gelli - Fr. 6a+ *
    Starting from the floor right of the graffitied ledge. Toughest at the start. 12m.

  11. One In Her Eye - Fr. 6b+ **
    Immediately left of the grassy step with a tricky move at 3rd bolt and pumpy headwall. 12m

  12. Send In The Specials - Fr. 6a+ *
    Step left from the grassy step at the right side of the wall. 12 m

  13. Hole In One - Fr. 5+
    Direct from grass step via several large pockets. 10 m

    Follow the track up and right

  14. Donkey Work - Fr. 6a+
    The short, steep wall rising out of a small bay where the track leads up on the right(staples). 8 m

Chris Gilbert - Empty Talk (Fr.6a)

First Ascents

GELLI LEFT

  1. Roy Thomas G.Ashmore Aug 2012
  2. R.Thomas N.O'Neill July 2013
  3. R.Thomas G.Ashmore 2013
  4. Ollie Burrows Hazel Watchorn 22.05.2013
  5. R.Thomas G.Ashmore Eugene T. Jones 2013
  6. Gary Lewis 1989
  7. M.Learoyd R.Thomas 1989
  8. R.Thomas(solo) 17/06/2013
  9. open project
  10. R.Thomas 17/06/2013

R.Thomas 17/06/2013

  1. R.Thomas Ed Rees 29/05/2012
  2. Roy Thomas G Royle 1989
  3. Mick Learoyd R.Thomas 1989
  4. G. Lewis 1989
  5. R. Thomas R.Phillips R.Leyshon 22/05/2012
  6. R. Thomas G. Royle 1990
  7. R.Thomas G.Royle 1990
  8. R.Thomas Ed Rees 29/05/2012
  9. R.Thomas Ed Rees 29/05/2012

RED WALLS

  1. R.Thomas Nick O'Neill 2012
  2. R.Thomas Nick O'Neill 2012
  3. G. Royle R.Thomas M.Learoyd 1990
  4. Closed Project
  5. M.Learoyd, R.Thomas 1990
  6. M.Learoyd, L.Foulkes, R.Thomas 1990
  7. R.Thomas, M.Learoyd, G Royle, L.Foulkes

RECESSED WALL

  1. R.Thomas(solo) 26/05/2013
  2. R.Thomas G.Ashmore 22/05/2013
  3. R.Thomas D. Emanuel 2012
  4. R.Thomas D.Emanuel 2012
  5. R.Thomas, L. Foulkes, M.Learoyd 1990
  6. R.Thomas, R,Leyshon, R.Phillips 03/05/2013
  7. R.Thomas, N.O'Neill 20/05/2012
  8. R.Thomas, M.Learoyd 1990
  9. R.Thomas, E.Rees, D.Emanuel 29/05/2012
  10. R.Thomas, solo 1989


GELLI RIGHT

  1. D.Emanuel Ed Rees 2012
  2. D.Emanuel 2012
  3. R.Thomas, R.Leyshon 20/06/2012
  4. R.Thomas, R.Leyshon 20/06/2012
  5. R.Thomas G.Royle 1989
  6. R.Thomas, R.Leyshon 25/07/2012
  7. R.Thomas, N.O'Neill 20/05/2012
  8. R.Thomas, G.Ashmore 24/04/2013
  9. R.Thomas G.Ashmore 15/05/2013
  10. M.Learoyd, G.Lewis 1990
  11. R. Thomas, N. O'Neill Aug 2012
  12. R.Thomas, G.Royle 1990
  13. G. Lewis, M.Learoyd 1990
  14. R.Thomas, R.Phillips, R.Leyshan 22/05/2012

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