Martin Crocker on Edge Hog (7b+). Photo Gary Gibson
Rediscovered
by Martin Crocker in 1986 with a few routes and subsequently developed by Roy
Thomas and Gary Gibson, with the odd gem from Crocker and Eugene Jones, in the
early Nineties as a sports crag, this magnificent little cliff is South Wales’
answer to Lower pen Trwyn. Situated at the eastern end of Ogmore-by-Sea by Southerndown
car park, the cliff is easily accessible, see map, and well worth visiting. It
also has the advantage of being situated on a ‘blue flag’ beach.
What’s the climbing Like?
Generally speaking,
steep or overhanging walls with edges, tufas and pockets. All the climbing is
sustained and wonderful. There is also the occasional large roof or crackline
(traditional) thrown in for good measure.
When Should
I go there?
The crag dries out in May and is an ideal afternoon and
evening venue when it receives the suns rays. It takes a lot of seepage in winter
and can be damp in humid weather.
Grades:
The grades start with some shorter routes at 6a+ (2), 6b (4), 6b+ (2), 6c (3),
6c+ (3), 7a (5), 7a+ (2), 7b (5), 7b+ (4), 7c (1) and go through to the areas
hardest sport route at 8a (1). There is
also a superb traditional E5 crackline
to make up the 34 routes total,
What are the choice routes?
There are four section of cliff with and excellent variety of routes:
Stone Wings Cliff: The thin crackline of This God is Mine (7b+ ***),
the very overhanging jam crack of Stone Wings (E5 6a **). Just right South
East Wales’ hardest route is Masada (8a ***). The overhanging ramp
of Staple Diet (7b **) and to the right a number of fine, easier grade
wall pitches including Five O’clock Shadow (6c **).
Tufa
Terrace: The tufas of Tufa at the Top (7a *) and It’s Tufa
at the Bottom (7a+ *).
Croeso-y-Gymru Cliff:
The scoop
and groove of the World-Vs-Gibson (7a **), the excellent wall and arete
of Leave it to the Dogs (7a+ ***). The superb hanging wall of Hanging
by a Thread (6c ***), the best route of its grade in the area. The fingery
bulge of Edge-Hog (7b+ **) and the magnificent, though mixed route of Grow-Up
(7b+ **).
The Gantry on the right-hand side of the cliff provides
a quartet of grade 6b/c climbs in a fine position with the showstopper The Overlook
(7b+ *).