Pwll Du East

contents

Bouldering

Bouldering in Gower

TIDAL STATUS

All problems are tidal. Allow for 3 hours either side of low tide

PREAMBLE

Pwll Du east

Sam Clarke going for it on the aptly named brown underpants.

Low Tide Adrenaline

A limestone pavement stretches to the distant weld of sea to sky splashed in copper (knotted fronds of kelp limp like after-battle dead waiting for the flood). An oystercatcher struts her stuff. Red legs mesmerise She catches the local gossip concealed in pools or seeking safety under pebbles waiting for the flood. Below the wall a climber dips his fingers into dust, observes the pockets and pinches , visualises moves reaches out to touch cold stone waiting for the flood. Chris Wyatt 2011 Roberto Pellegrini on the sentinel This Area lies to the east of Pwll du bay. The Grand Canyon can be reached from pwll du bay itself. All other areas are 100m further east around the headland. For those who like ticking UKC logbooks the problems can be found in 'Pwll du East'

ACCESS

Drive to Bishopston, pass the Joiners Arms and pass over speed bumps. Park at Bishopston post office on the left hand bend and walk down Pwll Ddu Lane. Alternatively on weekdays park at south gower rugby club a little further down the lane. Follow the road for 15 mins to a gate which leads to Pwll Ddu Bay.

THE BOULDERING

The Grand Canyon

This is at the east side of the bay. The warm up wall contains a couple of easy lines and the tooth a couple of harder lines

The Wall just outside the canyon	1&2. Various ways up

The Tooth	3. Using a Rail on the right ascend the tooth 4. Straight up the front

Cave 1 This is the first small cave round from the headland. The problems are actually on the overhanging but juggy wall to its right. This is a good warm up area

Cave 1	1. Sit start from the back. 2. Sit start up the protruding block on jugs 3. A long steep traverse to get the juices flowing

Cave 2 The second cave has an smooth looking impending wall on its right hand side. It is actually littered with amazing pockets which make the problems relatively straightforward but with satisfying long moves. The face is hard to photograph properly so please use the descriptions! This wall is shower resistant!

Cave 2

1. swanky trousers V0 * : At the right hand side of the wall there is a superb hand pocket Use this, a left facing sidepull and another higher pocket to get to the obvious large tooth at 10ft. From here either continue on razors or use the other side of the wall to bridge up 2. Sit start as for 'No Sweat' . Use a rounded sloper for the left hand to reach a deep pocket and/or crimp . From here move left to a good crack/pocket or, harder, another sloper and thence to an obvious tooth at 10ft. Finish as per last route V1(easy version) , V3 (harder version) 3. No sweat V0 *: The obvious flake line from a sit start 4. A long reach from a crozzly hold into a jugtastic porthole . From here swing up left and on to the top. V0 for tall, V1/2 or short 5. A line to the left utilises two pockets close together in the middle of the wall

Jammed boulder gulley This excellent gulley contains an unmistakable jammed boulder and some great problems

Jammed Boulder Gulley LH Wall	A little easier than the brutish offerings on the RH wall but suprisingly technical 1. The Easier obvious line of holds 2. Move up and left into the easier holds. 3. Another squeezed in line avoiding the jammed block if you can

Jammed Boulder Gulley RH Wall Boulder End

1. Swing out sister! V3. From a dead hang on the bottom of the block make your way up the block and squirm into the corner up and right 2. Street fighter V2 or HVS 4c if you are old school. The fierce jamming crack on the left of the wall. Finish as above. Needs dry weather and will probably still be wet! 3. Ballet V2 ** Takes the first obvious crack on the wall via a sit start below. 4. Shape shifter V4 ** : Starts mid wall to on interesting smooth encrusted rocks. Traverse left under the overhang to finish between the jammed block and the main face. 5. Sticky fingers V3/4 *: Sit start as for shape shifter or direct. From the small cave make a big move to crimps high on the face above. Climb the wall above on sharp crimps until you get to the jug sidepull.

Jammed Boulder Gulley RH Wall Sea End

6. Waiting for a name V5. Using rasplike slopers make for a promoinent undercut pocket. From here to the top 7. The Tango V3. Using a finger crimp within the left to right slanting crack for the right hand and a series of sidepulls for the left, lurch up to a sloper then s pocket at around 10 feet. From there climb sharp rock to the top 8. The Walze V1 . From the same start as the tango work ou rightwards to a jug. Pull on this to reach even larger holds up and right. Downclimb the groove on the right

Sentinel gulley

This equally excellent gully is just to the right of Jammed boulder gully. At the right entrance the sentinel stands against the winter storms.

The Sentinel	1. Up through the widest point in the overhang via a good horizontal finger break and a chicken head. Heelhook right to finish 2. Much easier than it looks up the rail on the right of the sentinel

Sentinel Gulley Entrance LHS	This little cave gives two good problems 1. From a sit start at the back of the cve work out left and up on good jugs 2. Swashbuckle V2 * From a sit start work out right initially on reasonable jugs, then on harder moves , first right, then left to a prominent undercut or ,for the short, a finger/thumb scrag, leading to the top

MArble Wall

Further into the gulley on the Left you will find a very steep little wall - Marble wall. the rock on the top outs looks brittle and requires care 1. Steep climbing on jugs on the left hand side 2. Slash and burn V2/3 Sit/crouch start in a good horizontal slot towards the right of marble wall. Move up left to and undercut and make a powerful couple of moves to the top left of the wall. Easy but careful jug pulling leads to the top. 3. From the same start as the previous route, use slots on the RH side of the wll to reach the groove and top

Cave 3

The final Cave 30m East of Jammed boulder gulley. This excellent area has a number of harder problems and one or two easier ones near the cave entrance.

Tom - somewhere between the darkness and the light! (route 1 RH wall)

File:PwllduCave3LeftWall.jpg The left wall	1. Purple T shirt V2 * The first shallow groove on the left wall. Wall trained climbers may find the start a bit puzzling or at least 2 grades higher! 2. Orange trousers V2 * The second grove. Tend slightly rightwards at the top.

The right wall

1. An easy line through steep territory. Follow the crack to the apex of the cave and pull out right 2. Another easy counter diagonal 3. Green Jumper V1 * Start slightly left of the cave in the left wall. Work up rightwards via some excellent undercuts in the roof. Finish easily on jugs 4. Brown Underpants V4 ** Amble up and make a tricky sequence to the top via an obvious rail in the middle of the headwall. This is an excellent highball problem