Ogmore Crag Familiarisation

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Approach Point	From	To	Approximate Mean Tide Access
A1	Spangle Texture	Fool's Fantasy	2 hours either side of low tide
A2	Wipeout	Abbey Road	2 hours either side of low-tide. Wipeout a bit less.
A3	Questimodo	Pinnochio	2 hours either side of low-tide.
A4	Questimodo	Pinnochio	2 hours either side of low-tide.
A5	Easy Livin	Yorkshire Pud	For routes on Elephant Wall 3 hours either side of low when belaying on higher ledges, else 2 hours.
A6	Yorkshire Pud	Warlock	1 and half hours either side of low tide for routes on Sorcery Wall. Best to go for a spring tide for these routes. 2 and half hours either side for Scutch Buttress if a slightly higer stance is taken.
A7	Mantra	Warlock	As Above
A8	Tiger Sanction	Cream Crackers	1 and half hours eother side of low tide for Fire Wall, although a higher belay gives 2 hours. 2 hours for Dracula area.
A9	Cream Crackers	Quimble	Up to 3 hours either side of low tide, but retrest not possible after 2 hours.
A10	Quimble	Davy Jones Locker	1 hour either side of low tide
A11	The Hatch	Any Point to the east	3 hours either side of low tide
A12	Phase	Any Point to the east	3 hours either side of low tide

This section has been compiled to help climbers on their first visit check out the crag from the top. It is not a intended as a substitute for walking along the base of the crag, guidebook in hand and is only provided to help orientation.

In the Ogmore Crag Familiarisation page, left means left when facing out to sea unless otherwise stated. Common abseil areas are numbered for ease of reference denoted as A(n). P(n) denotes a photograph.

1. From the Western Access, walk down the descent gully to the pinnacle on the left. This is the starting point for Exposure Explosion and climbers often use this as an abseil point (A4).
2. Walk about 50m right, passing stakes (A3) on the way to a second cluster of stakes (A2). Directly below (A2) is the line of Pluto. Looking back to the left gives you the view (P1) of Elephant Wall. Note the line of Exposure Explosion, which is the narrower half-height break, not the wider upper break. Also take note of the line of Jumping Jack Flash, a useful escape route. Above Elephant Wall is (A5).
3. Walk about 50m right, passing a rift in the top of the cliff (move up a level to avoid this). Directly in front is a short protruding buttress. This is taken by Route 1, a useful escape. Above Route 1 is a common abseil point used to access the western end of the crag.
4. Walk back to the initial gully, then up and over the shoulder of the hill, taking care not to get too close to the edge. Some abseil stakes will be seen at a slightly lower level. With care, descend to these (A5) and look back along the crag (P2). This gives you a good view of the Elephant Wall Bay area "the Popular End" of the crag. Route 1 buttress (A1) is clearly visible as is the corner of Abbey Road.
5. Walk leftwards along the crag, dropping down several tiers with care, to locate some stakes and a jutting flat topped ledge (A6) after about 70m. This is the top of Scutch. The corner to the right is taken by Yorkshire Pud. On the left side of the ledge, is the corner of Siren, with the top wall of The Uncanny being clearly visible. Further on, Fire Wall (P3) is clearly visible as is the line of The Bishop, the only real escape route from the Sorcery/Fire area. Above Fire Wall is (A8).
6. Walk back up a couple of levels and continue past (A6), which itself is above Sorcery. A further stake is above the finish of Spellbinder (A7). After 70m, the top section of Fire Wall is clearly visible. Note the lines of Fire, Fury and Burn Em Up, all of which are classics of the crag at their respective grades. The abseil

stakes are clearly visible (A8). Walk over to these.

1. From the top of Fire Wall, looking back, Sorcery Wall is visible (P4). Note the position of the buttress of Scutch (A6) and the chimney of Siren, a possible escape route. The toe of the buttress of Scutch is normally sea- washed, except at very low tides when escape can be made to the Elephant Wall Area. The only easily distinguishable lines are Spellbinder and Warlock.
2. Continue left, at a higher level, to reach a bay. On the far side of the bay are two prominent caves (P5). The easternmost one (right) is Davy Jones Locker. Except at low tides this is also a cut off point. The prominent flake crack is Quimble. This is not recommended as an escape route, as it is of questionable stability. Near the cliff edge are some stakes (A9), which could be used to access the Biscuit Routes around Cream Crackers. Continue round the top of the cliff carefully heading for a vista above the aforementioned line of Quimble.
3. From the top of Quimble (about 100m away) The Biscuit is clearly visible. Note the spectacular arete of Cream Crackers. Above is (A9). The only way to escape The Biscuit routes other than jumaring is by walking underneath the arete of Cream Crackers, passing a 100m long wall (Dracula area) to get to Fire Wall and The Bishop.
4. Walk on for another 100m to find a faint rise and possibly some abseil stakes (A10). These are above Twenty- First Century. About another 50m on are more stakes (A11). These are at the top of The Hatch, the escape route for the entire eastern end of the crag. There is another abseil stake about 20m on. This is above Phaser (A12).

The crag is now totally featureless at the top and the eastern end of the crag is not as tidal or inaccessible as the western end. The crag familiarisation tour therefore ends. Getting familiar with the eastern end is best achieved by walking in from the Southern Down Access, referring to the normal text. For anyone persevering, the tops of Falsity Area and the Falls Road Slabs will be obvious as the only two features that can be made out from the top of the crag. Here ends the geography lesson, go and climb on the crag for the geology and physics lessons and avoid the marine biology lessons by using tide tables.