Eastern Edge
| Eastern Edge | |
| Rock Type | Quarried Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Trad |
| Approach Time | 5 minutes |
| Area | Inland Limestone |
| Sub Area | Llangattock |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.83007904845879, -3.15176946 |
| OS Grid Ref. | SO 20726 15245 |
| WGS-84 Parking Location | 51.831458145340406, -3.1489799660648528 |
| GR Parking Location | SO 20916 15393 |
| Base Elevation | metres |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | |
| Aspect | Rarely Sunny |
| Wind Sheltered | Seldomly |
| Climbing Type | Serious |
| Seepage | |
| Crags Within 10.0 km | |
|
Buckland Hill, Craig Y Castell, Craig Y Castell Western Extension, Eastern Edge, Gilwern East, Gilwern Hill - Crag X, Gimp Cliff, Llangattock, Llangynidr Quarry, The Lonely Shepherd | |
Contents
PREAMBLE
The Eastern Edge can be divided into three sections. The main central section is a rather featureless wall which has two horizontal faults, just above and just below half-height respectively, which are often greasy and run across most of its width. At the left (east) end, around the corner past an easy descent ridge, is a smaller section containing an obvious bottomless chimney - the line of Grenoble. At the right side of the Eastern Edge, around a slight corner is Fighting Cock Buttress.
ACCESS
This part of the Llangattock Escarpment lies immediately above the car park and can be approached in less than 10 minutes by a track which leads up through bracken from the west side of the car park.
THE ROUTES
Grenoble Buttress
Just to the east of Grenoble Buttress is a short area of cliff, with an arête.
1 Lost In Time 14m HVS,5a 
Climb just left of the arête.
N.Mullin, T.Penning 24.09.2002
2 Nic Of Time 14m HVS,5b *
The central line on the arête.
N.Mullin, T.Penning 24.09.2002
15m right is an isolated arête.
3 Drama Queen 10m E3 5c
Climb the left-hand side of the isolated arête, a small wire protects the difficult move over the overlap. Once on top of the arête, take care passing a perched ‘thread’ of blocks.
Martin Crocker 17.4.06
At the right end of the bay is a compact slabby wall bounded on its left by a corner-crack. It contains two slight flake-grooves in its first few metres.
4 The Lark Ascending * 8m E4 5c
Tackle the arête right of the corner-crack on opposing layaways. No gear above 3m.
Martin Crocker 17.4.06
5 The (One-) Armed Man 7m E3 5c
Climb the left-hand groove past a slightly rattling flake; then step right at the top to exit. No gear.
Martin Crocker 17.4.06
6 Go With the Flow 6m VS 4a
Climb the right-hand groove and fine flowstone holds above.
Unknown
The main area of Greoble Buttress is now reached.
1Bite Size 25m VS,4a
To the left of the chimney of Grenoble is a slab. This loose climb takes the groove in the slab.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 18.05.1982
2 Little Jerk 25m HVS,5a
Another loose climb which takes the cracked groove to the right of Bite Size.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 18.05.1982
3 Heart Bypass 30m E2,5c *
As for Heart Route below to the giant thread. Move left past a peg to gain a crack and finish up this.
T.Penning, J.Harwood, T.Forsyth 25.08.2002
4 Heart Route 30m E3,5c **
Start at the obvious crack up and left from the lowest part of the face. From the crack go up to a short, shallow chimney to the start of the upper wall, peg, thread. Pull up and move left to a giant thread. Continue direct past 2 pegs to finish up a final groove. One of the best routes here, superseding Mistral (E2,5b, J.Harwood 1986).
T.Penning, N.Mullin 03.09.2002
5 Grenoble 30m VS,4c
Takes the very obvious chimney. Climb a crack and move left to gain the chimney which is followed to the top and a stake belay. Currently vegetated.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 18.05.1982
6Poison Ivy 30m E2,5b
Start below the middle of the wall to the right of Grenoble. Climb to a short corner in the overhang and pull over on large creaky holds, PRs. Make a tricky move up and finish more easily.
T.Penning, C.Day, G.Bartram 15.09.2002
At the back right-hand side of the Grenoble bay are two caves with a hanging slab to the right.
7 Old Shep 7m E1,5a
Delightful but short. Meander up the slab, PR.
L.Davies, P.Thomas 1989
8Wicked Lauren 6m E2,5b
Very, very short. Ascend the waterworn groove to the right of Old Shep.
P.Thomas, L.Davies 1989
Main Area
The main part of the Eastern Edge is bounded on the left by an easy descent ridge. Although there are a few stakes in place (particularly in the Azolla area), some forward planning is advised before embarking on a lead!
At the right side of this section of the cliff, a small tree grows from the grass ledge about 5m up and just left of the arête.
In the centre there is a blocky overhang at half-height, beneath which is a cave entrance at ground level. Penwood Special takes the crack towards the right side of the overhang. In the middle of the wall to the left a small semi-circular chimney (ZX) can be seen in the upper part.
About 15m left of the Rowan tree is the first route.
1 Gavin Cytlau Likes Putty 8m HVS,5a
Start about 5m left of a groove (Em Won) and climb the wall to finish by the obvious crack. Walk off left.
N.Mullin, T.Forsyth 25.08.2002
2 Em Won 18m E2,5b
The obvious groove 6m left of the tree.
N.Mullin, T.Forsyth, J.Harwood, T.Penning 25.08.2002
3Company Flow 14m VS,4c
The crack 5m right of Em Won. At the grassy break traverse right to the Rowan.
N.Mullin, T.Forsyth 25.08.2002
4 Flik On The Rope 12m E1,5b
Start just right of Company Flow, below a bottomless crack. At the top of the crack, trend right to finish at the tree.
T.Forsyth, N.Mullin, J.Harwood, T. Penning 25.05.2002
5 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea 10m E3,6a
The line right of Flik.
T.Penning 10.1998
6 The Mile High Club 10m E3,6a
The thin crack to the right, PR.
T.Penning, J.Harwood, T.Forsyth 25.08.2002
7 Bitter Bark 33m E2,5b
Start beneath a groove, just left of a wall with a semi-circular chimney in its upper half. Climb the wall to the ledge, move right, then left to a hollow. Pull into the obvious groove and follow it, PR, to the top.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 06.08.1982
8 Z.X. 33m E1,5b *
Start under the semi-circular chimney in the upper wall. Climb a groove and wall, then the chimney to exit right.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 08.09.1981
9 Space Between My Ears 33m E2,5b
How did it get that name? Start as for Z.X. Climb, trending rightwards to a tree. Continue on poor rock and climb a short corner to a hawthorn. Step left and climb to the top.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 11.05.1982
10 Penwood Special 23m E2,5b *
Right of Z.X. is a line of overhangs at 12m. Climb a crack in a left facing corner to the right-hand end of the overhangs. Traverse left for a metre and pull into a wide groove, which is followed more easily to the top.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 20.07.1982
To the right of the overhangs of Penwood Special is a long rather featureless wall with two horizontal grassy bands, the upper one at half-height.
11 Wall Of Glass 30m HVS,5a
Start on the left side of the wall. Climb the crack to a grassy ledge and very thin tree, then move up and left to climb a short corner at 20m height. Traverse right for 3m, then gain the top.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 25.08.1981
12 No Ref 30m HVS,5a
Climb a thin crack right of Wall Of Glass to a grass ledge, move right, then left to join Wall Of Glass. Finish leftwards up the slabby corner.
J.Harwood solo 26.08.1983
13 The Gambler 30m E2,5b *
Originally given HVS! Start beneath a slanting crack in the centre of the long wall, at three short cracks at ground level. Climb the cracks to a grass ledge, step left and climb up to the slanting crack and then to the top.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 25.08.1981
14 Bruten Lee 26m HVS,5a
Start 3m right. Climb a thin crack and a brown groove in the upper wall.
P.Thomas, L.Davies, P.Bruten 00.00.1984
15 Azolla 26m VS,4b
A good introduction to the wall and the most obvious line. Start at a pair of obvious cracks below a shallow groove in the upper cliff and at the left side of the highest part of the grass underneath. Climb the left crack, step left and then continue straight to the top via a groove.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 25.08.1981
16 The Backsliding B 26m HVS,5a
Climb the crack just right of Azolla, joining the latter near the top.
J.Harwood 26.08.1983
There is an obvious flowstone wall to the right of Azolla.
17 Parson’s Pleasure 27m E2,5b
Climbs the left side of the stalactite wall to the right of Azolla. Start midway between the starts of Azolla and Wonderful Life. Go up to the first break, PR and continue straight up the wall past a second break on slightly friable rock to the top. Continually interesting.
T.Penning, I.Parsons, J.Harwood 13.04.1997
18 Boozey’s First Climb 27m E3,5c *
Climbs the centre of the flowstone wall, left of Wonderful Life. The best pitch on the ‘featureless wall’. Start at the right side of the cliff, just before the grass landing drops away. Climb the thin crack passing a PR at 3m, then move up to the first horizontal break. Continue to the second break and on to the top.
T.Penning, J.Boosey, J.Harwood, I.Hattam 11.10.1998
19 Wonderful Life 30m HVS,5a
At the right edge of the ‘featureless wall’ there is a tree on a ledge at 5m, above some overhangs. Start 5m left of the tree. Go diagonally up to the ledge left of the tree and then gain the shallow groove above the tree, which is followed to the top.
T.Penning, J.Harwood 25.08.1981
20 Animal Lunch Box 27m E5,6a 1pt.
A powerful pitch giving varied climbing of a serious nature. If you like that sort of thing. To the right of Wonderful Life the cliff is dominated by a large roof. About 6m from the right end of the roof is a slim crack/groove. Climb the crack/groove to the roof and move right to a PR. Using a Friend for aid, reach over the roof to an obvious flake crack. Surmount the roof and get established above. Continue cautiously up a band of obviously loose rock to better climbing on the upper grey wall. 2TRs indicate the interesting finish.
T.Penning 04.10.1998
Fighting Cock Buttress
Around the corner from the ‘featureless wall’ is the right-hand section of the Eastern Edge. It is topped by loose bands and contains some exciting looking rock! It is bounded on the right by the long, smooth wall – Winning Wall. At its right side is an area of grey rock, with a prominent right-facing groove which is taking by Fighting Cock.
1 Vendetta 33m E3,6a *
Climb the groove left of the start of Fighting Cock, TR, then a rib to a sloping ledge. Pull over a roof and pull up right into a short groove. Move up leftwards then pull round a bulge and up a steep wall. Climb a slim groove exiting right at its end.
M.Crocker, M.Ward 15.06.1985
2 Day out with Death
Poorly protected, skyhooks used on FA - good luck! Start up Fighting Cock then swing left into a leaning groove (peg)to rejoin Fighting Cock after its traverse left (Rather contrived). Pull into the corner then step out left above the roof onto the face of the tower. A long and nerve-wracking run-out up the face to finish.
Martin Crocker, John Harwood 25.4.2011
3 Fighting Cock 26m E3,5c *
A good climb with a bold finish. Climb a short crack below and right of an obvious groove, then move across left to gain the groove. Climb it to the top. Belay well back.
T.Penning, G.Gibson, P.Cresswell, C.Court 02.09.1984
4 Race Against Time 14m E1,5b
Start 3m right of Fighting Cock. Climb to an overhang from the right, PR, pull over and finish via the crack above.
L.Davies, P.Thomas 24.05.1986
First Ascents
