Devil's Truck Area

Devil's Truck Area
Western side of Devil's Truck
Rock Type	Natural Carboniferous Limestone
Climbing Style	Trad
Approach Time	20 minutes
Area	Gower
Sub Area	Rhossili
Local Area	Fall Bay to Mewslade
Geodata
WGS-84 Location	51.561764, -4.287420
OS Grid Ref.	SS 415 872
WGS-84 Parking Location	51.565848, -4.270856
GR Parking Location	SS 427 876
Parking Postcode	SA3 1PJ
Base Elevation	4 metres (Other)
General Info
Faces Direction	South West
Aspect	Sunny
Wind Sheltered	Seldomly
Climbing Type	Normal
Seepage
Tidal
Before/After Low Tide	2.5 hours (See Note)
Crags Within 400m
Block Buttress, Catacomb Gully, Cathedral Wall, Conglomerate Cliff, Devil's Truck Area, Eyeball Wall, Giant's Cave, Hairy Dog Wall, Jacky's Tor, King Wall, Lewes Castle, Little Block, Molar Wall and White Edge, Rolly Bottom Buttress, The Aisle, The Prows, The Pulpit, Trident Gully and Ridge, Upper Jacky's Tor, Yellow Wall

TIDAL STATUS

West (left) buttress non-tidal. Other facets 2½ hours either side of low water.

BOLTING POLICY

No bolting.

DESCENTS

Descent is by walking down the platform westwards towards Giant’s Cave.

THE ROUTES

This is the headland east of Giant's Cave and consists of four distinct areas. The western part of the crag rises up above a non-tidal platfrom. Beyond the arête of this wall is the east face, which continues back beyond the normal line of cliffs to give High Chimney Gully. East again is South Cracked Pillar.

Upper Tier

Upper Tier

1. Chin Up - VS,4c
   Climbs the west-facing wall above South West Face. Start below the obvious corner which curves into an overlap near the top of the crag. Gain the foot of the corner and pull left onto the wall. Continue up this, steady, to gain the ridge of The Razor. Belay, then shimmy along the ridge to land.
   
   

1. Crack Up - HS, 4b
   The cracks above the terrace of Devil's Truck, starting near the hole. Climb nervously over fractured rock to belay on the ridge. Stay roped up and return via the ridge - dancing along the crest or au cheval - the choice is yours.
   
   

South West Face

1. Lytel 8m S
   The leftmost groove on the wall, above a low shelf.
   
   
2. Legge 9m S,4a
   The wall to the right of Lytel, gained from The Nose.
   
   
3. The Nose15m HS,4a *
   Climb the longer shallow groove to the right.
   
   
4. Nervus 15m VS,4c
   Climb the narrow recessed wall just right of The Nose, over an overlap with a red mark below it. Move right to finish up Transit.
   
   
5. Transit 15m HS,4b
   Climb the narrow wall to the overhanging nose. Traverse right and attain the deep-cut central diedre. Climb this using the right wall.
   
   
6. Aschen 15m HVS,4c *
   Start in line with the central groove below an overhang at half-height. Climb up to the overhang, move left into the groove and follow it to the top.
   
   
7. Gull Corner 15m VS,4b
   Gain and follow the crack in the upper part of the right side of the wall.
   
   
8. White Lime 15m D
   Start below the crack of Gull Corner. Climb rightward and up a slab, just left of the arête of the buttress. Bear left to finish up the crest. It can be combined with The Razor.
   
   
9. The Razor 19m D
   The ridge above White Lime.
   
   

East Face

1. Strogelen 15m VS,4c
   This takes the obvious groove at the left side of the east face, 4m right of the bounding arête.
   
   
2. Count Down 15m HVS,5a
   Hard for the grade. Climb the short groove capped by an overhang, just right of Strogelen. Step right and finish directly above the overhang.
   
   
3. Endeavour 15m HVS,4c *
   Climb the deep chimney 4m right of Count Down.
   
   

High Chimney Gully

Right of Endeavour, at sea level, a narrow cleft leads to the back of High Chimney Gully.

1. Ledges 21m M
   Climb the west wall of the gully to a wide ledge. Continue up directly via a series of blocky ledges to a long ledge running to the back of the gully. Climb a finger flake by its right crack to a small ledge.
   
   
2. Matts Route 12m D
   Climb the corner at the end of the pool, just before the rock rises to the high gully. Finish at the ledge and either arrange an abseil or down climb from mid ledge. The same route as Ledges above?
   
   
3. High Chimney 31m S
   Climb the narrow chimney in the back left-hand corner of the gully.
   
   
4. Old Nic 21m E4,6a *
   Start 3m right of High Chimney. Climb cracks to an innocuous looking overlap, which can sometimes be overcome. Finish up the groove above.
   
   
5. Top Of The Form 21m E4,6a *
   Start 4m right of Old Nic below an overhanging groove. Climb the groove, moving out left at the roof to continue up the groove.
   
   
6. Saratoga 18m E4,6b
   Stroll up thin cracks on the left side of the east wall of High Chimney Gully until all hope of progress finishes. Continue for 4m without any holds to the top.
   
   
7. Tom Cat 15m E3,5c
   The slim groove 5m right of Saratoga.
   
   

South Cracked Pillar

This is the pillar just to the right of High Chimney Gully, with some deep slanting grooves on its east (right) side.

1. Left South Wall 18m VD
   The face left of the obvious chimney (Divider).
   
   
2. Divider 18m M
   The obvious central chimney crack.
   
   
3. Right South Wall 18m S
   The face to the right of Divider.
   
   
4. West Corner 15m D
   The wall to the right of Divider, gaining the big corner groove out to the right.
   
   
5. South East Diedre 15m VS,4c
   The obvious rightwards slanting corner groove right of West Corner.
   
   

FIRST ASCENTS

Upper Tier

1. Chin Up - G. Evans, R. Evans, 08.06.2005
2. Crack Up - M Rees, T Rees - 00.00.2000

South West Face

1. Lytel - J.Talbot 1963
   
2. Legge - J.Talbot 1963
   
3. The Nose - J.Talbot 1963
   
4. Nervus - J.Talbot 1963
   
5. Transit - J.Talbot 1963
   
6. Aschen - J.Talbot 1963
   
7. Gull Corner - J.Talbot 1963
   
8. White Lime - J.Talbot 1963
   
9. The Razor - SUMC 1968
   

East Face

1. Strogelen - J.Talbot, B.Talbot Pre-1973
   
2. Count Down - R.Corbett, J.Talbot 1964
   
3. Endeavour - R.Corbett, J.Talbot 1962
   

High Chimney Gully

1. Ledges - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1965
   
2. Matts Route - M.Everett, M.Woodfield 27.1.2024
   
3. High Chimney - G.Evans, A.Tyas 1983
   
4. Old Nic - A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 29.12.1985
   
5. Top Of The Form - A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 29.12.1985
   
6. Saratoga - A.Sharp, P.Lewis 1985
   
7. Tom Cat - Left South Wall - A.Sharp, P.Lewis 1985
   

South Cracked Pillar

1. Left South Wall - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1965
   
2. Divider - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1965
   
3. Right South Wall - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1965
   
4. West Corner - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1965
   
5. South East Diedre - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1965