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New Crag
Contents
PREAMBLE
An easily accessible beginners crag located within a wooded strip formerly occupied by the Oakdale colliery.
The climbs are generally on the slabby side of vertical, well bolted and equiped with in-situ quick lower off krabs for convenience.
The surrounding trees offer some seclusion from the suburban background and can even keep the climbs dry in showery weather. However, the numerous flat hand ledges collect leaf litter and fine particles washed from the earthy slopes above and a brushing is essential on most climbs after the winter has passed, you have been warned.
DIRECTIONS
The crag lies on the north-west side of the Oakdale residential estate, north of Blackwood Town centre.
Follow the A4048 until you reach the roundabout on the eastern side of the Calzaghe Bridge (obvious as it has a large statue of a man made out of washers). Head north from this roundabout for 1 km. The industrial estate is on your left and crag is on the right opposite the fist unit.
There are numerous parking options but on first aquaintance it is advised to park in the overflow carpark in the industrial estate opposite, on Old Coal Avenue, and follow one of the indistinct paths through the trees to the crag.
Grid Reference : ST 18458 98837
X : 318458, Y : 198837
Latitude : 51.682348, Longitude : -3.1808342
Nearest Address: Rhiw Syr Dafydd Hill, Oakdale, NP12 0
ROUTES
Described from left to right
Oak Tree Buttress
- Finn's Projectile Fart - Fr.6a+
The left hand crack, swinging right at the top to a tree lower off (T.L.O.). [3B] - 47 Souls - Fr.6b+
The centre of the barrel shaped buttress with some long reaches. T.L.O. [4B] - Double Denim - Fr.6a
The thin crack, swinging left at the top to a T.L.O. [4B] - Gent of Gwent - VS, 4b
The right hand crack and arete. Abseil from a high tree or more sensibly the single bolt L.O.
Left Hand Bay
- Danny Boy - Fr.6a
Left hand face and short blind cracks. B.B. [4B] - Pulvisophobia - Fr.6a
The left side of the overhang and continuous crack. B.B. Shared with Danny Boy. [3B] - Peniculusophobia - Fr.5
Right hand crack passing a square cut sentry box at half height. B.B. to the left. [3B] - Bryophytephobia - Fr.5+
Wall left of the green corner. B.B. [4B]
To the right of these routes is a green, right angled, corner and a narrow retaining wall. This wall contains an open project, 'Blennophobia', which has been partially cleaned and drilled, as well as the following route. - Miss Sexy - Fr.5+
Twin cracks in the centre of the wall. B.B. [4B]
Right Hand Bay
- Project
Just right of the left hand retaining wall. [B] - Mr Bimble - Fr.5+
Twin blind cracks in the left of the bay. T.L.O. [4B] - My Real Dad - Fr.6b
Sandstone bulge with historic iron-work. T.L.O. [4B]
There are now two open projects. The twin cracks in the upper wall are partially cleaned off and will probably go trad. The arete formed between the cracks is also partially cleaned off and bolt holes have been drilled. - Super-fly - Fr.5
The wide forked lightning crack in the centre of the bay. [4B] - Wood Louse - Fr.5+
Slab and crack. T.L.O. [5B] - London's Burning - Fr.5
Left facing groove above half height. T.L.O. [4B] - Belly Button Kelp - Fr.6a
Skirt rightwards around a small cave. B.B. [3B] - Bladderwrack - Project
Slab staying left of the corner chimney (or the chimney clipping same bolts). B.B. [3B]
The right hand retaining wall contains two further routes. - Fame (I'm gonna live for-evva!) - Fr.6b+
The left hand crack in the vertical orange wall. B.B. [5B] - Bird is the Word - Fr.6b
The right hand crack. [4B]
FIRST ASCENTS
Oak Tree Buttress
- A Rosier 23.07.2011
- A Rosier 23.07.2011
- R McAllister 24.08.2011
- A Rosier, R McAllister 08.04.2012
Left Hand Bay
- A Rosier 24.08.2011
- A Rosier 24.08.2011
- A Rosier 24.08.2011
- A Rosier 08.04.2012
- A Rosier 24.08.2011
Right Hand Bay
- Project
- R McAllister 12.08.2011
- R McAllister 12.08.2011
- A Rosier 08.04.2012
- A Rosier 12.08.2011
- A Rosier 12.08.2011
- A Rosier 12.08.2011
- Project
- A Rosier 19.07.2011
- A Rosier 19.07.2011
