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Three Sisters And Deborah's Zawn

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Gower

TIDAL STATUS

The Three Sisters are non-tidal. Deborah's Zawn 4 hours either side of low water.

BOLTING POLICY

See individual crags.

PREAMBLE

This is a seldom frequented area of Gower, with some further potential for development - although this will require some dedicated trundling! The main crags of interest are the steep Third Sister and Deborah's Zawn, with the best quality rock and some very good E2-E5s. Of the other crags, there are a few easier routes that would be good if a little time was spent removing some (small but numerous) blocks. The crags are described from west to east, as they are approached from Rams Grove Area.

ACCESS

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1. Pitton Approach

Approach from Pitton as for Rams Grove Area'. At the seaward end of the valley of Rams Grove, turn left (west) to a good path that runs all the way along the cliff, scrambling up to each sister in turn. The path crosses a very rickety fence above a steep zawn below the Third Sister. The steep zawn is Deborah’s Zawn, accessed by scrambling down its east (left when facing seaward) side.


2. Paviland Approach

As for Paviland to the dry valley where the sea becomes visible. From the stile at the landward end of the valley, cross a stile on the right (west) leading up to a higher level. Pass over two further stiles to reach a dry valley, with a rotten pinnacle visible on the far side (this leads down to the Deborah's Overhang Area). Instead of dropping down the valley with the pinnacle, continue up to the next spur. On the far side of this, a zig zag track leads down a faint gully and towards the sea. This leads to Third Sister in about 60m.

DESCENTS

Scramble down easily and obviously from the Three Sisters. For Deborah’s Zawn, either abseil or lower off. For some routes this requires a hanging rope.

THE ROUTES

First Sister

GR 430865

Bolting Policy. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible. No new sports routes allowed.

The First Sister is a compact cliff just east of the Rams Grove valley. It has an overhanging face with a snaking crack line in the centre (Sister of Mercy), whilst to the right is a Y-shaped depression.


1. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy 21m E5,6a *

Start 4m left of the snaking crack at a tiny niche at 2m. Move up to place good wires in an incipient crackline, then make fingery moves right to a little black scoop. Swing left to a break, surmount the bulge above, PR and continue to a crack. Take the crack to the top, taking care with the exit move.

M.Crocker 17.10.1998


2. Sister of Mercy 21m E4,6a *

The clean, snaking crackline in the centre of the buttress. Climb steeply to the second of 2PRs. Climb the groove to an easier crack, which leads to the top on dubious rock.

J.Bullock, G.Evans 1pt 21.06.1987

FFA A.Price 00.09.1988


3. Paparazzi Blues 21m E6,6b *

A pump out taking the bulging rib overhanging the start of Sister Of Mercy. Follow Sister Of Mercy to a jug 1m above the first PR. Break out right with difficulty to vertical cracks in the rib. Climb the rib on its right side, exiting slightly right over a bulge.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 22.02.1998


4. The Angst Of Anti-Fashion 21m E5,6b *

Climb the y-shaped depression at the right side of the cliff to reach a bulge forming the inverted crotch of the Y. Traverse left between overhangs to a hanging groove and pull up strenuously right, PR. Escape up a short flake.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 22.02.1998


5. South East Wall 21m E1,5b

As for The Angst of Anti-Fashion, but from the bulge take the right-hand arm.

J.Talbot, B.Talbot 00.00.1966

FFA J.Bullock, G.Evans 00.00.1984


6. Solitary Brother 21m E3,6b

The rib to the right of South East Wall. Pull straight over the bulge and step immediately left to reach a thin flake crack. Climb the rib to the traverse of South East Wall and finish with difficulty.

M.Crocker 17.10.1998

Second Sister

File:First and second sister.jpg
First and Second Sister

GR 430866

Bolting Policy. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible. No new sports routes allowed.

This is the buttress immediately east of the First Sister. It has an attractive slabby south wall, but is not quite as good as it appears when viewed from its east side. Some of the routes would be pretty good if anyone were prepared to do a little trundling. The most obvious feature is the prominent fin of Finnmark. The first two routes more or less end at a shoulder at 18m, where it is possible to scramble off left. The rest of the routes go to the top of the cliff.


1. Barney Rubble 18m VD

Climb loose rock left of the fin of rock at the left side of the crag.

C.Allen, solo 00.00.1987


2. Finnmark 18m E2,5b

From the ledge at the start of Barney Rubble, swing right round the arete to the obvious groove of South Wall. Move up and stretch left to the fin edge. Climb the right side to the top. An obvious, but disappointing route.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 07.03.1998


3. South Wall Variation 28m VS,4c *

Gain the groove of South Wall as for Finnmark, but continue as for South Wall itself.

A.Richardson, J.Beynon 00.00.1989


4. South Wall 33m VS,4c

Might be worth a star if it was trundled at the start. Start at the right edge of the ledge running across the start of the wall proper. Make a leftward-rising traverse to reach the corner crack and follow this to a ledge. Finish through the small overlap above the groove.

E.Pardoe, J.Talbot 00.00.1969


5. Arrow 33m HVS,5a

Supersedes an earlier indirect route, Harrow (P.Kokelaar, G.Williams 1969). Climb the lower slabs just right of the start of South Wall, via a slanting crack line to gain the overhangs. Overcome these to gain the top.

G.Evans, P.Clay 18.10.1981


6. Topless Admirers 33m HVS,5a

This takes a line of slabs and grooves 2m right of South Wall.

L.Davies, P.Thomas 00.04.1987


7. Sister Sledge 33m E1,5a

Start as for Topless Admirers, then finish up the obvious grooves further right.

G.Lewis, P.Thomas, A.Richardson 00.00.1988


The crag has an eastern side wall.


8. Sister Bliss 13m E5,6b

Start at the left end of the broken ledge running beneath the wall. Take the obvious leftward-rising overlap to gain a shallow hanging groove, TR. Finish directly on flakes up the leaning wall.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 07.03.1998


9. Bloodbond 12m E1,5b

Start as for Sister Bliss, then follow an intermittent crack on honeycombed rock right of a grey flake. Proceed directly on flakes up the unlikely wall above to the top, avoiding premature escapes into the groove on the right.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 07.03.1998


10. Sleuth 12m E3,5c

Take the concave slab (sic) above the middle of the ledge beneath the wall. Follow a very slight, overhanging flake a little leftwards onto the slab. Go directly up from an undercut onto the easier angled slab, keeping just left of the groove on the right. Exit with care.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 07.03.1998

Sister 2 and Half

File:Sister two and half.jpg
Sister Two and Half

Bolting Policy. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible. No new sports routes allowed.

To the east (right) of the Second Sister is a compact wall at a high level. The routes peter out quite quickly and a preplaced belay rope will help mitigate the full horrors of a top out.

1. The Wettest April Since Records Began 18m E3,5c

Near the left-hand end of the cliff is a brown coloured crack. A few metres to the right is a slim groove in the grey wall leading up to the left of a jutting overhang. Climb the groove to a short flake crack below a bulge. Move right and through the bulge. Finish up an easier broken groove.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 26.04.1998


The cliff now continues right, looking fairly blank and featureless in its lower half until an orange niche at 6m, some 9m from the right edge of the cliff. The next route takes the leaning wall left of the niche.


2. Sisterly Luv 15m E5,6a

Follow the junction of the grey streak and white rock past Bristol PRs to a bulge. Overcome this to a crack leading rightwards to an overhang, a short groove on the right and a wobbly exit to the ledge.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 26.04.1998


3. The Beverly Sisters 15m E3,5c

Start below and slightly to the right of the orange niche. Make committing moves into the niche and continue up the crack and wall to join Sisterly Luv at the overhang.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 26.04.1998


4. In Between Sisters 15m E4,6a

Start 4m left of a rubble zone at the right end of the wall. Move up to a small pocket on the smooth grey wall (crucial Rock 5 placement). Step right and move up on scoops to a bulge (TRs possible). Surmount the bulge direct. Abseil off at the top of the good rock.

M.Crocker, J.Harwood 07.03.1998

Third Sister

GR 432863

Third Sister

Bolting Policy. 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.


Situated 5 mins walk east of the Second Sister, this is a series of solid bulging and overhanging walls rising in a leftwards direction above the loose lower section. The starts of the left-hand routes involve exposure out of context with their length. Apart from Sexploration all the routes start from a grass terrace running up left at two-thirds height from just above a rickety fence. The most obvious feature is the shallow cave 4m up French Undressing, but beware, the nest is thought to belong to a Pterodactyl. The large two tiered crag below the Third Sister contains Sexploration.

Many of the routes have been re-geared to a high standard (2009).


The large two tiered crag below the Third Sister contains two lines:


1. Gemini Spunk Wizard and his Sexually Active Teapot - Project

Several meters left of Harriet Harman. Starts at base of lower tier.


1. Harriet Harman & the Lehman Sisters - Fr.6c+

This is the line left of Sexploration on the lower tier. First bolt is a long way up, and the hanger is missing.


2. Sexploration - E4, 5c

Start 30m left of the wooden fence below the Sister. Climb the broken wall to intersect an incipient crack in the white wall. Gain a good square-cut hold. Undercut over the bulge above and pull onto the hanging slab. Continue to good cracks and finish easily. Belay on the terrace, and scramble to the top of the cliff via a short chimney. 30m


The routes on the main crag are described from left to right, starting at the top of the terrace.


3. Do Be Doo - E3, 6a *

Take the bulging wall a few metres right of the boulder blocking the top of the terrace, below a vague arete, PR. 10m


4. Chilean Flame Thrower - Fr.7b/7b+ *

A route for boulderers. The steep wall between Doo Be Doo and Fire In Their Eyes is quite intense to the break. 10m


5. Fire In Their Eyes - E6, 6b *

Start right of Do Be Doo and just left of Flaming Fingers. From a ragged pocket swing up the overhanging wall rightwards, PR. Pinch a rib (Friend 2), then move strenuously up to a leftwards pull PR, to the break. Continue to the top past a final PR. 10m


6. Flaming Fingers - E5, 6b *

Start at a seat-like feature about 9m below the top of the terrace running up the crag, below a low PR. Power up this wall, 3PRs, to hit the chossy break. Step 3m left, and make a tricky move up into a thin flake crack to finish. 18m


7. World In Action - Fr.7b+ *

About halfway down the ramp Follow a series of glued in bolts up the bouldery start to a desperate sequence which eases soon enough. Take a breather at the break then finish up the easier upper overhang and slab sharing a loweroff with Popped In, Souled Out 18m


8. Popped In, Souled Out - Fr.7b *

The first line of bolts left of the pterodactyl cave. There is good rest above the first roof. . 21m


9. Chilean Flame Flower - E6, 6c

A desperate pitch up the leaning and reachy wall just right of Popped In, Souled Out, below a high PR. Climb the wall, with a very bold first clip and nightmare moves, second PR, to eventually gain the break at a worryingly loose block. Step a little right and pull easily up the headwall to finish. 15m

Mateusz Andrzejewski on The Enema Affair

10. French Undressing - F6c+ *

Start below the right side of the pterodactyl cave at 4m. Climb awkwardly up to this via 2 bolts, and stand up. Make the tricky crux moves upwards/ rightwards and follow a vague groove to the top. Lower off well back on the wall of the 4th tier 18m


11. Twilight World - F6c **

The line of bolts on the wall to the right of french undressing. 18m


12. South East Wall - F6a+ **

A very good pitch initially following the rightward-slanting ramp/crackline. After a few meters branch off vertically upward following a line of bolts to an interesting lower off. 18m


13. Fiesta - F6b *

A good pitch. Start 3m right of South East Wall Follow a line of holds just right of the bolts to a lower off shared with South East Wall


14. Bob's Your Uncle - E3, 5c

Harder than it looks from the floor. Identify the rightward-slanting jam crack up and before the deep gash in the crag. Climb up to this on pockets and grooves, without much of a line, to hit the jam crack. Follow this and take the vague scoop at its end. Once the groove ends in poor rock, pull back left on good rock via a scallop, to gain the terrace. 18m


15. Ten Bears - HVS, 4c

Climb the discontinuous crack system in the prow 6m right of Bob's Your Uncle. Finish with care. Rough As. 12m


16. Sister Mary's Blessed Finger - Fr.6a

This is a two tiered climb. A Tricky start to the bottom of the crag is followed by a pleasant outing up the tooth. 18m


17. Enema Affair - Fr.5

The shorter bolt line to the right of Sister Mary's blessed finger. You can either share the start of that route or walk in from the right. 10m

3rd Sister RH

GR SS 432 863

Up and right (Facing the land) of the 3rd sister is a small craglet containing much loose rock and very little, if any, worthwhile climbing. However, if you find yourself suffering 'long distance bolt clippers syndrome' on the third sister you could pop across the valley for some proper character building stuff. There is one route to date :

1. Bored of clipping bolts - VS, 4b

Find the square cut corner in the middle of the crag. Start at the lower continuation crack leading to its left hand side and climb to the top avoiding pushing too hard on the massive block on the right which does not seem to be attached to anything. 10m


Deborah's Zawn

File:Deborahs zawn.jpg
Deborah's Zawn

Bolting Policy. Retro-bolting permissible with first ascensionist’s permission. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible.

Deborah's Zawn offers a selection of high quality sport routes. The zawn is situated just below the path running beneath Third Sister. Easy scrambling down the east side leads to the bottom. The routes are accessible about 4 hours either side of low tide, but be warned, the tide does come in very quickly. The most obvious features are the rightward-rising traverse line of Silent Echo and the steep leftward-leaning crack of Resisting Arrest.


  1. Debbie Likes It Wet-Fr6a+
    The extreme L bolt line steepens at the top to a single ring bolt LO.

  2. Charlie Barking Fr 7a
    Short slim groove(rusty old peg) to manky carabiner LO.

  3. Silent Echo - E1, 5a *
    A strenuous pitch, for which a couple of small Friends are handy. From the left-hand end of the higher section of the zawn, climb steeply to the rightwards traverse line. Follow it across the face to a BB. 19m

  4. Debbie Reynolds - E5, 6a*
    Start below the obvious flake in the leaning brown wall above and right of the start of Silent Echo. Climb straight up the back wall to a bulge. Gain the flake strenuously, PR. Finish up the leaning wall. PB back left. 15m

  5. Silent Echo Direct Start - E2, 5b *
    Start at a vague weakness, which bounds the left-hand side of the steeper right-hand section of the crag. Climb this awkwardly, to gain the traverse line at the base of the groove. Follow the groove to the BB. 16m

  6. Can Anybody Hear? - E5, 6b
    A hanging rope is required for the top. As for Silent Echo Direct to the traverse line, but continue straight up the leaning pink wall to a hanging flake. Move up on a sloper (crucial rock 4), up to hand ledges and finish direct with difficulty, via a left-facing groove. 20m

  7. Prison Bitch Fr7a+
    Pocket pulling prow.

  8. Valley Uprising Fr 6c+
    L of Bolder Boulder.

  9. Bolder Boulder - Fr. 6c *
    Start at an obvious archway right of the jammed log. From the right side of the arch move left until your under the 2 pegs. A long move leads to the safety of the pegs. Steady climbig leads to good holds and more gear then move left to join the last few feet of Silent Echo Direct and a BB. Warning: The pegs are from 1998 and don't look to be in great shape. 18m

  10. Under Arrest - Fr. 7c **
    Start right of boulder boulder, tricky moves gain "wide eyed", a hard sequence on pockets and crimps gains jugs, move slightly left and finish directly up the wall before moving left to silent echo belay.

  11. Wide Eyed And Legless - Fr. 7b+
    Lower diagonal line left of Resisting Arrest, joins Bolder Boulder to finish. 18m

  12. Resisting Arrest - Fr.7b+ **
    Soaring diagonal crack right of Wide Eyed.. Follow the sustained diagonal crack to join and finish as for Bolder Boulder

  13. Dept. of Correction - Fr. 7b+ ***
    An awesome series of moves lead up and into a prominent groove high up. New bolt belay shared with The Salubrious Passage Advisable to stick clip first bolt.

  14. Support Your Local Sheriff - Fr. 7b+ **
    Powerful start and finish.

  15. Deputy Dawg - Fr. 7b+ **
    Start as for Support Your Local Sheriff, pull up to obvious break, clip 2nd bolt and then head leftwards along a line of undercuts to join with Dept. of Correction by its fourth bolt, finish up this.

  16. The Salubrious Passage - E5, 6a **
    Starts at the back of the zawn and follows the obvious overhanging crack heading out towards daylight and finishing at a bolt and peg belay. A head torch may be found useful altough wasn't used on the F.A. Well protected, pumpy climbing.

FIRST ASCENTS

Third Sister


  1. Goi Ashmore 12.09.2009
  2. M.Crocker 31.05.1998
  3. M.Crocker, J.Harwood 26.04.1998
  4. Goi Ashmore 23.04.2010
  5. M.Crocker, J.Harwood 07.06.1998
  6. M.Crocker 21.08.1988
  7. A.Sharp 00.00.1989
  8. A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 06.02.1988
  9. M.Crocker 21.08.1988
  10. A.Sharp, P.Lewis 10.10.1987
  11. A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood, A.Wilson, R.Powles, A.Hughes 10.10.1987
  12. J.Talbot, R.Corbett 00.00.1963
    FFA A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1986
  13. A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 10.10.1987
  14. A.Sharp, R.Powles 06.10.1987
  15. R.Powles, A.Hughes, A.Wilson 10.10.1987
  16. R.Thomas 00.00.2009
  17. R.Thomas 00.00.2009

3rd Sister RH continuation

  1. Chris Wyatt. Steve Lucoque 14.12.09

Deborah's Zawn

  1. A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1985
  2. M.Crocker 21.08.1988
  3. R.Powles, A.Hughes 10.10.1987
  4. M.Crocker 31.05.1998
  5. A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 11.10.1987
  6. A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 01.10.1987
  7. A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1985
  8. M. Richards 00.00.2010
  9. M. Richards 00.00.2010
  10. A.Sharp 00.00.2010
  11. M.Richards 00.09.2010
  12. M.Richards, A.Sharp and P.Lewis 00.01.2005

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