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Three Cliffs

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Three Cliffs
Name Three Cliffs
Rock Type Natural Limestone
Parent Crag
Climbing Type Traditional
Located Gower
Lat/Long 51° 34' 11", -4° 6' 41"
Approach Time (mins) 30
Faces South
Seepage No
Suitable Weather All Weather
Midges No
Tidal Yes
Climbing Possible 2.5
Access Notes
Access Unrestricted
Start Bird Ban
Bird Ban End
Bird Ban Notes
Restriction Notes
Crag List Three Cliffs
File:Three cliffs perseverance.jpg
550px

Gower

GR 537 877 to GR 543 875

TIDAL STATUS

Three Cliffs 3 hours.

BOLTING POLICY

No Bolting

PREAMBLE

Protruding into the centre of a deep sandy bay to the South East of Penmaen, Three Cliffs provides Gower with its most picturesque venue. Add to this its number of quality easy to mid-grade routes and its lack of seriousness and it is easy to see why the crag is extremely popular. Pobbles Bay West lying only 100m to the east provides a useful overspill, or somewhere to retreat to when the tides threaten. Pobbles Bay East is considerably more tidal but offers some easier routes, which are far better than the over-popular venue of King Wall and on better rock. Scoop Corner is a recent rediscovery, perhaps worth a quick solo if in the area.

ACCESS

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1. Penmaen Access

On the A4118 before Penmaen, when approaching from Swansea turn right (north) at a telephone kiosk and bench (GR 532 887), into a National Trust car park. Cross back over the road to an obvious track (at North Hill Farm) and follow signposts for the beach. Cross the river via obvious stepping stones. The rear of the Three Cliffs is visible ahead. At low to mid tides, Pobbles Bay can be reached by walking eastwards round the front of the arch.

2. Southgate Access

Take the offshoot of the B4436 leading into Southgate, then a right-hand lane (Bendrick Drive) just after the Golf Club (it will be necessary to park a little further on and walk back). Follow a path through fields and round a wood to gain a path leading down through dunes to Pobblesafter about 15 minutes. It is also possible to follow the cliff top road and path as described in the Shire Combe area approach.

DESCENTS

Three Cliffs descents are by easy scrambling left (west) down the ridge and Pobbles West by easy scrambling at several places along the crag. Pobbles East and Scoop corner, by scrambling down and left in both cases.

THE ROUTES

File:Three cliffs pano2.jpg
Three Cliffs Panorama
Under Milk Wood

GR SS 53829 67754

  1. Left Crack - 15m M
    At the left (west) end of the cliff, climb broken rock to a short slab, over this to a ledge, then up a crack to finish.

  2. Right Crack I - 16m M
    Follow Left Crack to the ledge, then take the crack bearing up and right.

  3. Wall Climb I - 9m D
    Climb the slab right of the lower section of Right Crack.

  4. Cleft I - 10m D
    This is the first of the two obvious clefts right of Wall Climb I.

  5. Wall Climb II - 10m D
    The slab to the right.

  6. Cleft II - 11m VD
    Climb the right-hand of two clefts and the slab above, keeping left of a small block overhang.

  7. Wall Climb - 11m D
    The narrow slab right of Cleft II and just left of a shallow corner, finishing by the right side of the block overhang.

  8. Left Corner I - 11m M
    Climb the shallow corner bounding the left edge of a raised slab.

  9. Initiation Flake - 12m S *
    Climb the raised slab in its centre.

  10. Right Corner I - 12m D
    Takes the corner bounding the right edge of the raised slab.

  11. Meander - 12m D
    Climb the slab right of the corner to finish on a ridge.

    In a recess between the first and second pinnacles lies a smooth slab topped by an overhang.

  12. Bulge - 15m VD
    Climb the slabby wall left of a corner.

  13. Left Corner II - 16m D
    This follows the corner bounding the slab on the left.

  14. Inverted V 16m - HVS,4c *
    Boldly climb the centre of the slab to the apex of the overhang. Pull through this to finish. Rather low in the grade, but poor protection if the overhang is gained directly.

  15. Spouse Crack - 16m S
    Climb the thin crack on the right side of the slab to an overhang at the top of the corner. Pull over this to gain an easy groove. Follow this or move left to the crack above the overhang.

  16. Right Crack II - 15m S
    Follow Spouse Crack above the bulge, then move left by the overhang and follow the definite crack system running up above it.

  17. Quartz Corner - 16m HS,4b
    This follows the narrow slabby corner right of the recessed slab. Climb this to a calcite slab, then move right over an overhang and go up a crack to the top.

  18. Joggled Wall - 18m VD *
    Climb the rough brown slab right of Quartz Corner, beginning just right of centre. Step left to avoid the overhang and enter a shallow corner. The left edge of the slab can be climbed at the same grade.

  19. Joggled Wall Direct - 18m HS,4a *
    Takes the overhang Joggled Wall avoids.

  20. Left Edge 17m - HS,4b
    This takes the left raised edge of the shiny slab right of Joggled Wall. Finish as for Joggled Wall Direct.

  21. Perseverance 18m HS,4b *
    Climb the centre of the shiny slab by some thin, well protected moves.

    A series of grooves and ridges to the right provide a variety of descents, centred around Right Corner.

  22. Right Corner - II 18m M
    The smooth right-angled groove.

    File:Scavenger area.jpg
    Scavenger Area


  23. Arch Slab 24m - VS,4c **
    Start on the left wall outside the large cave, below a groove. Climb the groove until just above the lip of the cave. From a diagonal quartz break traverse right to the apex of the cave. Finish directly up the slab above.

  24. Under Milk Wood - 21m VS,4a *
    An entertaining struggle up the slab within the left side of the cave. Follow the slab diagonally to a subsidiary cave and thread. Enter the cave and wriggle towards the light. Alternatively move the route to Pembroke, up the grade two or three notches, give it ten stars for quality and write tedious adventure stories about it. The largerframed will have to abseil off a tat before the top.

  25. The Steal - 24m E4,6a *
    Often greasy. On the right side of the cave is a subsidiary slab running down from the apex of the cave. Start below the slab and gain it with difficulty, PR. Move up the slab to the apex, PR, then finish directly.

  26. Scavenger 26m - VS,4c ***
    A classic line following the corner right of the cave. Make a tricky move up from a platform, to gain the corner, which is followed by a mixture of slab and crack manoeuvres. Finish at a ledge and PB.

  27. Scavenger Variations - 26m VS,4c *
    Climb in from the right wall of the cave to a spike on the left edge of the Scavenger slab and join the parent route. From a point where the route is level with the cave apex, struggle rightwards up a steep wall to easier ground.

  28. Hangel - 27m VS,4c
    Climb Scavenger until level with the start of a small recessed slab to the left. Swing right along an overhanging ramp to reach a slab above. Follow its left edge to belay near the PB of Scavenger.

  29. October - 30m S
    A poor route that starts at the foot of Scavenger. Move up right to a ledge at 3m. Now follow a blocky gangway left, to swing onto the face above and to the right. Follow a series of vegetated grooves on the right to the top.

  30. Plumb Line - 45m D
    Start at a slabby buttress at the foot of the third pinnacle. Climb the buttress and then the narrow raised slab to more broken slabs near the crest, which are followed to the top.

  31. Disappointment - 45m D
    An obvious groove lies just right of the crest of Plumb Line. Climb this stepping right at two-thirds height into the narrower continuation groove.

  32. Consolation - 31m VD
    This artificial but worthwhile line takes the slabs right of Disappointment.

  33. Traverse Of The Three Pinnacles - 76m M *
    A good scramble from left (west) to right (east) keeping to the crest and taking in all the summits.

  34. The Battle Of Midway - 150m VS,5b
    Traverse the crag from the left end, above the high water level, to gain Arch Slab. As for Arch Slab then step down into Scavenger, which is reversed to gain Scavenger Variations. Finish up Disapointment.

  35. Back Beat - 25m E3,5c *
    A route taking the crack on the left side of the arch on the north (landward) side of the Three Cliffs Arch. Lower off rope advised.

First Ascents

  1. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  2. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  3. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  4. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  5. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  6. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  7. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  8. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  9. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  10. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  11. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  12. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  13. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  14. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1pt 1954/55
    R.Owens, C.Edwards 00.00.1959
  15. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  16. J.Talbot, R.Corbett 00.00.1959
  17. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  18. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  19. C.Edwards, R.Owens, C.Andrews 00.00.1959
  20. C.Edwards, R.Owen, C. Andrews 00.00.1959
  21. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  22. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  23. R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 00.00.1959
  24. R.McElliot, R.Hoare 00.00.1984
  25. S.Lewis, A.Richardson, C.Curle 00.00.1987
  26. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  27. J.Kerry - Start 00.00.1970
    P.Greenwood, C.Ryan - Finish 00.00.1970
  28. R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 1954/55
  29. G.Blake, J.Blundell 00.00.1972
  30. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  31. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  32. J.Brailsford, St.AMRT 1954/55
  33. Unknown Pre-1970
  34. A.Berry solo 26.12.2000
  35. M.Crocker, J.Harwood 01.05.1994
Retrieved from "https://swmc.org.uk/g_book/index.php?title=Three_Cliffs&oldid=20348"
Facts about "Three Cliffs"
RDF feed
AccessStatusUnrestricted +
ApproachTime30 +
ClimbHoursEitherSideLowTide2.5 +
ClimbingTypeTraditional +
ClimbingWeatherAll Weather +
CragNameThree Cliffs +
FacingSouth +
Lat/Long51° 34' 11", -4° 6' 41"Latitude: 51.569941
Longitude: -4.11139 +
LocatedInAreaGower +
Midgesfalse +
RockTypeNatural Limestone +
Seepagefalse +
Tidaltrue +