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Upper Crags Fall Bay To Mewslade

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Gower

Fall Bay to Mewslade

TIDAL STATUS

Non-tidal

BOLTING POLICY

No bolting

PREAMBLE

The crags are described from west to east (i.e. in the order Upper Jacky's Tor, Rolly Bottom Buttress and Grey Wall).

ACCESS

Access is as for the lower crags (see start of Fall Bay to Mewslade section). If coming from the west (Fall Bay), strike leftwards (east) from the iron ladder to reach the obvious pinnacles on the west side of Upper Jacky’s Tor. If coming from Mewslade, strike right (west) up the non-tidal path above the beach to reach the first substantial area (Grey Wall). The crags are reached from each other via the cliff top paths.

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DESCENTS

For all crags, by walking off west or east.

THE ROUTES

Upper Jacky's Tor

GR SS 417 872

Above and behind Cathedral Wall is an extensive, non-tidal, upper tier of cliffs with a grass ramp at its foot. It provides a number of worthwhile climbs. At the foot of the cliff, towards the centre, is a detached pinnacle about 2m high, above and right of which, in the middle of the wall, is a large shield of rock bounded on the left by a crack. About 22m right of the pinnacle is a small cave. Right again is a distinct bulging buttress, Rolly Bottom Buttress. Access is best from the top of the cliff via a grassy slope to the east of the cliffs.

Rolly Bottom Buttress & Upper Jacky's Tor

1. Leftovers 20m E1, 5b Start on a small slab just left of codpiece, climb this to a smooth groove/wall which is taken on the right avoiding moving into codpiece. Move to a left slanting breakline then up a groove until nice moves out to the right take the blob or rock to the right of the finish of thanksgiving. Contrived and escapable but worth doing nonetheless

C Wyatt, M Winder, 14.05.2010


2. Codpiece 21m HS,4a

Start 11m right of the detached pinnacle. Climb a crack leading up and right to a ledge at half-height, traverse right to the detached shield and gain its top. Finish leftwards up the wall.

A.Beaton, G.Richardson etc 00.00.1982


3. Thanksgiving 21m HVS,5a *

Start at a groove 3m right of the detached pinnacle. Climb the groove leftwards to the overhangs, passing a ledge at half-height (Codpiece). Now take the continuation groove through the left side of the overhangs to finish.

P.Littlejohn, A.N.Other 22.11.1982


4. Praise Be 20m HVS,5a

Start at the 2m detatched flake below a shield. Step right off the top of the flake and climb directly to a sloping break. Continue straight up the centre of the shield to a ledge on top. Finish up the wall and crack of Raindrops.

M.Crocker 05.12.1998


5. Raindrops 21m HVS,5a

Start 2m right of Thanksgiving, directly below the shield. Climb cracks bearing rightwards for 3m, then continue direct to the right side of the shield. Surmount the shield and continue rightwards up the wall above. Finish up the wide crack in the left side of the bulges. A direct finish through the bulges is worthwhile at E1 5b

G.Evans, G.Richardson 00.00.1981 Direct Finish : C Wyatt, Steve Hill 12.06.09


6. All There 24m VS,4c *

Start as for Raindrops. Climb cracks bearing rightwards to gain a shallow niche. Climb a crack leading to a bulge below the right side of the highest overhangs, traverse right and break through at the weakest point. Finish direct. It is possible to finish left from the bulge at a slightly harder standard.


7. A Bit On The Side 26m VS,4b *

Start 4m right of Thanksgiving, below a crack leading to a shallow recess at 6m. From the recess climb the broken cracks above to a small line of overhangs, traverse right and finish up a steep groove.

G.Richardson, M.Danford 00.00.1982


8. Unplanned VS,4b

Start just to the left of the cave at the right end of the cliff (it has a tube heading skywards at the back). Climb the face of the pillar and head up over apparently unstable rock to the finishing corner of A Bit on the Side.

Gwyn Evans, Martin ­­­­­­­­­­­­Robini, Parisa Eslambolchilar 08 06 2016

Rolly Bottom Buttress

This is the prominent buttress to the right (east) of Upper Jacky’s Tor. It has an obvious black-stained wall in its centre.

1. Rolly Poly Arete 30m E2,5c

The left arete of Rolly Bottom Buttress. Start as for that route and ascend ledges to pull onto a horizontal break below the arete (right of the groove). Take the arete on its right side to easy ground and finish up Rolly Bottom

Buttress.

M.Crocker 05.12.1998


2. Rolly Bottom Buttress 30m VS,4c

A little loose in places. Start at the left-hand side of the buttress, climb steep rock and gain a groove. At its top continue up a thinner crack in the same line to the top.

G.Evans, L.Moran 00.00.1990


3. The Sandpiper 30m E3,5c *

A sustained and worthwhile pitch. Climb straight up the black streak and the middle of the wall above, until a blind pull around a small roof leads to looser but easier climbing. Lots of small wires.

P.Boardman, G.Williams, W.Hurford 3pt - Rolly Bottom Buttress 00.00.1970

FFA A.Sharp, J.Harwood 12.03.1983


4. Snidewhiner 30m E3,6a

The convex arete. Start as for Sandpiper, follow the enormous flake on the right and pull up into the horizontal break. Take the arete on its left side, via an undercut on the face, to a narrow incut hand ledge. Gain easier ground above and exit rightwards.

M.Crocker 05.12.1998


5. Sidewinder 30m HVS,5a

Climb a short corner on the right side of the buttress and step left into a broken groove. Avoid it by taking the jamming crack on the right, to finish up a clean corner.

A.Sharp, J.Harwood 20.03.1982


Below and right of Rolly Bottom Buttress is a cave with a slab above it.


6. Trivial Pursuit 18m HVD

Climb the right side of the cave to a ledge, step onto a block at the foot of the slab and continue to the path.

G.Evans, J.Bullock 00.00.1988

Grey Wall

File:Grey wall.jpg
Grey Wall, (Above Mewslade)

GR SS 421 873

Described in the 2003 guidebook as "uninspiring" and "rarely visited", this small crag is well worth a visit if only to climb PMC II or Direct.

The old route Quergang (J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1966) has been superseded by more recent lines.

1. Grey Day Plus 15m E2,5b

Start below the centre of the large roof at the left-hand end of the crag. Climb leftwards up the compact wall left of the obvious flake of The Queer Gang and exit round the left-hand side of the roof.

M.Crocker 07.11.1998


2. The Queer Gang 15m E2,5b

The obvious left-facing flake line and weakness in the roof. Follow the flake to the roof, extend for the big projecting block overhead, then finish up the groove above. Very reach dependent. The vertically challenged can take a tricky traverse right into the finish of direct at the same grade.

M.Crocker 07.11.1998


3. Direct 30m E3,5c

A direct line just right of the overhang.

R.Corbett - Direct 00.00.1962

FFA P.James 00.00.1984


4. Superdirect 30m E3,6a

Start to the right of Direct. Climb to a bulge and take the grey streak above to good fingerholds and the horizontal break. Step left and finish easily.

M.Crocker 07.11.1998


5. Ermintrude 13m E1,5b

Take a broken right of Superdirect to a niche before continuing direct to a horizontal crack and a small ledge, then the top.

M.Jones, P.Murphy 00.00.1982


6. Gurtrude 15m E2,5c

The shallow groove right of Ermintrude.

M.Crocker 07.11.1998


7. PMC II 13m HVS,5b *

The groove right of Gurtrude and left of South East Chimney. A good route and tougher than it looks.

S.Vince, J.Makin 00.00.0000


8. Tipped To Be Massive 15m E3,5c

From the foot of PMC II move right over the pillar and climb direct to a rightward slanting crack which leads to a horizontal break. Continue up the headwall via a series of flakes, slightly to the right.

M.Crocker 07.11.1998


9. South East Chimney 15m D

Follow the obvious chimney to the top.

J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959


10. Wall And Corner 13m VS,4b

Start 2m right of South East Chimney. Climb rightwards to a ledge, then a corner on the right wall to the top. A harder version can be climbed on the left wall of the corner.

J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959

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