Deri

Deri
Rock Type	Quarried Sandstone
Climbing Style	Sport
Approach Time	10 minutes
Area	Sandstone
Sub Area	Sandstone Eastern Valleys
Geodata
WGS-84 Location	51.696736, -3.256872
OS Grid Ref.	SO 132 005
WGS-84 Parking Location	51.696235, -3.2594895
GR Parking Location	313047, 200472
Parking Postcode	CF81 9
Base Elevation	265 metres (SRTM Estimation)
General Info
Faces Direction	North East
Aspect	Never Sunny
Wind Sheltered	Mostly
Climbing Type	Normal
Midge Problem	Mild
Seepage	Needs a short dry spell
Crags Within 5.0 km
Abercynon High Buttress, Abertysswg, Bargoed, Deri, Mount Pleasant, New Tredegar
BMC RAD
RAD Notice/Restriction	Deri@BMC RAD

Restrictions apply from 1 March - 30 June. Reason - Nesting Birds

PREAMBLE

There are two walls in this quarry either side of a sharp arête, a sunny east facing wall and truly superb north facing wall.

After many years the bolts were chopped. However, over winter 2016 the crag was regeared and a few new routes added.

Peregrines can nest here so no climbing is permitted until they fledge. If nesting avoid between 1st March to 30th June.

See BMC RAD database for further information: http://www.thebmc.co.uk/bmccrag/ViewCrag.aspx?id=46 (this may or may not be out of date circa 2015)

ACCESS

The crag is in a disused quarry approximately 1 km south of Deri village.

The quarry lies at 280 m AOD on the southern side of a small tributary stream (Nant y Twpa) valley cut into the western side of the main river (Nant Bargoed Rhymni) valley.

To access the crag, park at the lay-by south of the stream bridge, jump over the stile, sign posted 'Parc Cwm Deri', and follow the footpath for 100 m through Coed Graig-fawr (woodland). At a divergence in the path, where a wooden post and wire fence line is encountered, follow the minor track rightwards for 50 m over a rough scrub grass area. Hop over the fence, or through it if it hasn’t been repaired, and follow the fence line uphill for 20m until a level sheep track heading left is encountered, the crag is clearly visible from this point.

To get to the parking area, which will accept 3 small cars, follow the instructions below.

From Bargoed (Northbound), get to the towns high street and follow it until the road starts to go downhill. An obvious ‘one way’ fork to the left (currently due to roadworks this fork is the diversion through town). Continue uphill along this road until the high school can be seen (along with speed bumps and usual school signage). Just before the school turn right into a wide tree lined lane. At the cattle grid turn immediately right and then immediately left over another cattle grid (not the signposted bridleway). Follow this lane until a farm and then craggy outcrop is passed on the right, the road drops down into the stream valley and parking is visible on the right.

From Deri village (Northbound) pass over the river bridge, a further 20 m the road turns sharply right. Do not bear right but carry straight on uphill through the ‘give way’ white road markings. Follow the very windy road uphill for 600m until the road starts to level out. Just after the ‘Old Mill’ take a left turn and follow this lane for 1.5 km. The road drops into the wooded valley, pass over the stream bridge and the parking area should be obvious some 20 m on the left. If coming southbound into Deri village, use common sense or go over the bridge buy some chips, turn around and follow the instructions above.

THE ROUTES

Left Wall

1. Ace In The Hole - Fr. 5+
   Short line on left of the wall.
   
   
2. Two Of A Kind - Fr. 7a+
   
   
3. Mine’s A Pair - Fr. 6b+
   
   
4. Joker In The Pack - Fr. 6c
   L of arête, bulging wall.
   
   
5. House Of Cards - Fr. 7a *
   Takes the central arête on it's left.

Right Wall

A steep, shady and high quality wall between 14 and 20 m height.

1. Kicking Ass And Taking Names - Fr. 7a **
   The big central arête on its right throughout.
   
   
2. Chattery Teeth - Fr. 7a+ ***
   The best route at the crag, which follows the wall right of Kicking Ass And Taking Names past a couple of massive rockovers. Move left at the top to the BB of the arête.
   
   
3. Olympic Doctor - Fr. 7a+ *
   A hard start and a desperate finish.
   
   
4. Deri Made - Fr. 6c **
   Start up the pod-cum-crack and move out onto the wall following the BRs to the break (watch out for the beam of rock supported by the birch tree out to the left). From the break continue up a crack to final hard move for the chain. BB.
   
   
5. Steroid John - Fr. 6c+ *
   The wall to the right with a hard start is another Deri pumper.
   
   
6. Coffee Shop - Fr. 7a
   More of the same to the right, but with blind moves to finish.
   
   
7. Full Dog - Fr. 7b *
   At the top of the banking is a corner and a prominent blunt arête. Climb the arête direct, with a huge span at 8m, which can be a bit of a stopper.
   
   
8. Menage A Chien - Fr. 7b *
   A link up, the original version of Full Dog. Start up Mister Foothold to a square overlap, then make a hard move L along a thin horizontal slot to gain the arête of Full Dog.
   
   
9. Mister Foothold - Fr. 7a **
   Right of the arête, below an obvious coal slot is a faint square-cut groove. Climb this to get the coal slot, move out of this (crux), then move up the pumpy headwall on hidden jugs.
   
   
10. Troilism Trouble - E2, 5c **
    The classic jam crack to the right, perhaps the best route of this grade/genre on S.E Wales sandstone (when cleaned of it's ferns).
    
    
11. The Toiler - Fr. 6b+
    Left of the stapled corner crack, steep start, first hanger missing so stick clip.
    
    
12. Dia Monde - Fr. 6a
    Right most of several bolted lines on the slab.
    
    

FIRST ASCENTS

Left Wall

1. Ace In The Hole R.Thomas, G.Gibson 08.10.1994
2. Two Of A Kind G.Gibson 04.09.1994
3. Mine’s A Pair G.Gibson 08.10.1994
4. Joker In The Pack R.Thomas, G.Gibson 04.09.1994
5. House Of Cards G.Gibson, R.Thomas 01.09.1994

Right Wall

1. Kicking Ass And Taking Names A.Sharp, P.Lewis, T.Foster, P.Harding 27.03.1989
2. Chattery Teeth G.Gibson, R.Thomas 08.10.1994
3. Olympic Doctor A.Sharp, P.Lewis. 00.00.1993
4. Deri Made R.Thomas, G.Gibson 01.09.1994
5. Steroid John P.Lewis, A.Sharp 00.00.1993
6. Coffee Shop G.Gibson 01.09.1994
7. Full Dog G.Gibson, R.Thomas 01.09.1994
8. Menage A Chien M.Crocker, R.Thomas 13.05.1989
9. Mister Foothold A.Sharp, P.Lewis 00.00.1993
10. Troilism Trouble R.Thomas, M.Crocker 13.05.1989
11. The Toiler R.Thomas D.Emanuel 2015.
12. Dai Monde D.Emanuel, R.Thomas 2016.