Cefn Coed - East

Cefn Coed - East
Rock Type	Quarried Carboniferous Limestone
Climbing Style	Trad/Sport
Approach Time	12 minutes
Area	Inland Limestone
Sub Area	Cefn Coed
Geodata
WGS-84 Location	51.765239 -3.3984702
OS Grid Ref.	SO 035 083
WGS-84 Parking Location	51.761539, -3.398563
GR Parking Location	SO 035 079
Parking Postcode	CF48 1EW
Base Elevation	metres
General Info
Faces Direction	North
Aspect	Rarely Sunny
Wind Sheltered	Mostly
Climbing Type	Normal
Seepage
Crags Within 10.0 km
Baltic Quarry, Bridge Cliff, Cefn Coed - East, Cefn Coed - West, Cefnpennar, Cwmaman Main, Cwmaman West, Dan-y-Darren Quarry, Darren Fach, Darren Fawr, Deri, Dyffryn Crawnon, Morlais Quarries, Mount Pleasant (X2), Mountain Ash, Mountain Ash Natural Buttress, Sheriff Quarry - Maerdy, Taf Fechan, Trefil, Troedyrhiw, Twynau Gwynion Quarries, Upper Mountain Ash, Vaynor
BMC RAD
RAD Notice/Restriction	Cefn Coed - East@BMC RAD

The Routes

Cefn Coed - BANNED.

"Climbing is currently banned at this venue - it lies within a local Nature Reserve and a legally designated SSSI. It has been reported that climbers have recently cleared vegetation, placed lower off bolts and the clearance of mature trees to re-develop the site, without consultation or permission from the either land owners (local authority) or the Wildlife Trust, all potentially illegal activities within an SSSI, have led to them to take this action."

See BMC RAD https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/RAD/View.aspx?id=2177

Climbs are recorded on these pages for posterity and for if, and when, the situation changes.

In the meantime, it is hoped that climbers approach the relevant bodies with a view to re-establishing climbing at this historic climbing venue.

Far East Wall

This is situated about 200m left (facing in) of the Central Descent. It is heavily vegetated. At the far left is a wall split by two chimneys.

1. Rosie 33m VS4b
   Climb a broken corner left of the left-hand chimney to a tree. Follow a scoop and groove, then finish up left.
   
   
2. Happiness is Clog Shaped 33m HVS,5a
   As for Rosie, but move right into a finishing chimney.
   
   
3. Jelly Baby Lay By 33m VS
   The right-hand chimney gained from the right.
   
   

East Amphitheatre

The next climb starts about 50m left of the Central Descent and 50m right of a grassy slope.

1. Styx 11m HVS
   An indefinite groove/crack on the left-hand buttress.
   
   
2. Groper 12m VS
   The prominent crack/chimney to the right of Styx.
   
   
3. Trundle 15m S
   The prominent grooves on the nose of the buttress right of Groper.
   
   
4. Girdle Of East Amphitheatre 61m VS
   A left to right traverse starting up Trundle and finishing somewhere round the remains of Lumberjack.
   
   The crag now starts to turn into an amphitheatre. Ben Hur might like it, but you won’t.
   
   
5. Arthur Castle 19m HVS
   The overhanging crack at the left end of the amphitheatre.
   
   
6. Viking 27m VS
   The cracks 1m right of Arthur Castle.
   
   
7. Odin 32m HS
   To the right of Odin is a prominent corner. Climb the left arete.
   
   Right of Odin is a cave at ground level.
   
   
8. The Blue Tailed Fly 33m HVS,4c
   Climb a groove 3m left of the cave. Keep moving up and left to finish up second groove.
   
   
9. The Owl 33m VS,4c
   Climb the overlap just left of the cave and finish up grooves above.
   
   
10. Gold Block 35m HVS,5a
    Start right of the cave at a corner and climb to a detached block in the overhang. Once over the overhang wander up to a v-chimney. Finish rightwards from the chimney.
    
    To the right, the two routes Gold Block (P.Watkins, C.Jones 1970) and Lumberjack (Unkown 1970) have sensibly fallen down. At the right side of the amphitheatre is a corner crack.
    
    
11. Sweet Briar 35m HS
    Climb the corner crack, passing overhangs on their right. Wander vaguely up the walls above to finish.
    
    
12. Lumberjack 35m VS
    The original route has collapsed. It is not known if the line has been re-climbed. Climb the remains of the right-hand of three corner grooves right of Sweet Briar. Wander up grooves to eventually reach a large grassy bay, then finish up the rib on the right.
    
    

Main Wall East

To the right of the East Amphitheatre is Main Wall East. This runs from a prominent hole to the Central Way Down.

1. Manikin 35m VS
   Climb a mossy corner right of the hole to a ledge, up a groove to overhangs, then left to a tree. Climb a smooth groove and gain a crack to finish.
   
   
2. Squirrel 35m VS
   The groove 5m right of Manikin.
   
   
3. Unter Den Linden 35m VS
   A line joining the first tree of Squirrel to Champs Elysees.
   
   
4. Champs Elysees 30m HVS,5a
   A series of walls and grooves 8m right of the prominent hole.
   
   
5. Hari Kiri 30m VS
   7m right of Champs Elysees is a shallow groove and chimney. Climb this until it is possible to walk off.
   
   
6. Square Cut 35m VS
   Climb the prominent right-facing corner 3m right of Hari Kari, exiting left. Move right and follow an overhanging crack and groove to finish.
   
   
7. Godiva Groove 35m HS
   Start 3m right of Square Cut at a groove which is overhung at its base and climb up to a tree. Escape diagonally right across grass to a corner and chimney.
   
   
8. Spade 36m VS
   Start at an obvious corner 5m right of Godiva Groove. Climb a series of aretes and grooves to a chimney and the top.
   
   To the right of Spade is an obvious pond, fed by the waterfall of Washing Machine Wall.
   
   
9. J.C.B. 33m VS
   The shallow corner left of the waterfall.
   
   
10. Washing Machine Wall 30m HS,4b
    The obvious waterfall above the pond is climbed to overhangs. Avoid these on the left.
    
    
11. Beginners Rib 30m M
    The easy angled buttress right of Washing Machine Wall.
    
    
12. Cleavage 24m S
    The obvious chimney 15m right of the pond, gained from the left or right.From the large boulder on the grass below the descent gully, walk left (when facing gully) follow track 65m, duck under trees to find wall with pond below .(Cleaned 2017)
    
    
13. Gethsemane 30m D
    The monsterous, monstrously loose groove just right of Cleavage.(Cleaned 2017)
    
    
14. Excavation 27m S
    The slab right of Cleavage.Start 5m right of Cleavage climb the leftwards rising weakness to a dirty sloping ledge, and wide crack above. (Excavated 2017)
    
    
15. Saes 27m VS
    Gain and climb the v-chimney right of Excavation.
    
    
16. Sir Mortimer Wheeler 29m S
    Climb a groove and crack 3m right of Saes.
    
    
17. Draught Porridge 30m VD
    The indefinite buttress, groove and corner 3m right of Sir Mortimer Wheeler.
    
    
18. The Flea 30m HS
    An indefinite buttress, groove and overhang right of Draught Porridge.
    
    
19. The Fly 30m HVS,5a
    Start about 18m left of the Central Descent. Gain a crack in the overhanging wall down and left of a square-cut chimney and follow it to a grass terrace. Finish up the wall above.
    
    
20. The Flue 30m E1,5b
    Climb the wall right of The Fly, moving right to a cave. Move left to a chimney, corner and overhang. Step out left and finish directly.
    
    
21. Lily The Pink 30m VS,5a
    Start right of The Flue and gain a grassy groove and crack. Exit right onto a wall which is followed to the top.
    
    
22. Llen 30m HVS,5a
    Follow an obvious crack in the buttress right of Lily The Pink. Wander up and climb the wall between trees to a small ledge. Swing left to gain the crack and follow it to the top. Supersedes Ground Hog (S Unknown 1970).
    
    
23. M.M. 27m S
    The wall right of Llen.
    
    
24. Root 15m VD
    The first corner left of the Central Descent.
    
    

First Ascents

Far East Wall

1. J.Kerry, A.Randall 00.00.1970
   
2. W.Hughes, I.Jones 00.00.1970
   
3. W.Hughes, I.Jones 00.00.1970
   

East Amphitheatre

1. Unknown Pre-1973
   
2. Unknown Pre-1973
   
3. Unknown Pre-1973
   
4. Unknown Pre-1973
   
5. Unknown Pre-1973
   
6. P.Watkin, P.Thomas 00.00.1969
   
7. P.Watkin, P.Thomas 00.00.1969
   
8. J.Kerry, P.Watkin 00.00.1969
   
9. C.Horsfield, J.Kerry, P.Thomas 00.00.1970
   
10. P.Watkin, C.Horsfield 00.00.1970
    FFA S.Lewis, J.Harwood 13.05.1980
11. Unknown Pre-1973
    
12. Unknown Pre-1970
    

Main Wall East

1. Unknown Pre-1973
   
2. Unknown Pre-1973
   
3. Unknown Pre-1973
   
4. J.Kerry, W.Hughes 00.00.1970
   
5. Unknown Pre-1973
   
6. P.Watkin, P.Thomas 00.00.1970
   
7. P.Thomas, P.Watkin 1970
   
8. Unknown Pre-1973
   
9. Unknown Pre-1973
   
10. W.Hughes, G.Stainforth 00.00.1970
    
11. Unknown Pre-1973
    
12. UWIST MC 00.00.1970
    
13. Unknown Pre-1973
    
14. W.Hughes, D.Ellis 00.00.1970
    
15. Unknown Pre-1973
    
16. Unknown Pre-1973
    
17. Unknown Pre-1973
    
18. P.Watkin, C.Horsfield 00.00.1970
    
19. D.Elias, etc. 00.00.1970
    
20. C.Horsfield, P.Watkin 00.00.1970
    FFA S.Lewis, J.Harwood 17.08.1978
21. C.Horsfield, W.Hughes 00.00.1970
    
22. J.Harwood 23.04.1980
    
23. Unknown Pre-1973
    
24. Unknown Pre-1973