Gelli

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Gelli
Chris Gilbert - Down Under (Fr.4+)
Chris Gilbert - Down Under (Fr.4+)
Rock Type Quarried Sandstone
Climbing Style Trad
Approach Time 15 minutes
Area Sandstone
Sub Area Sandstone Western Valleys
Geodata
WGS-84 Location 51.640823,-3.4725460
OS Grid Ref. SS 981 945
WGS-84 Parking Location 51.642220, -3.4778392
GR Parking Location SS 978 947
Parking Postcode CF41 7TQ
Base Elevation 277 metres (SRTM Estimation)
General Info
Faces Direction West
Aspect Sunny
Wind Sheltered Seldomly
Climbing Type Normal
Midge Problem Mild
Seepage Quick drying
Crags Within 5.0 km

Blaenllechau, Bwlch Mountain Road, Clydach Vale Bogmonster Quarry, Clydach Vale Cambrian Quarry, Cwmaman Main, Cwmaman West, Dan Dicks, Edmonston Quarry and Edge, Ferndale Lower Quarry, Ferndale Main, Ferndale Right, Gelli, Glynfach, Llwynypia, Maerdy - Rhondda Fach, Pontygwaith Quarry, Porth, Punk Rocks, Sheriff Quarry, Maerdy, The Farm, Ton Pentre, Trebanog, Treherbert Quarry, Turberville Road Quarry, Tylorstown Quarry, Ynyshir Quarry, Ynyshir West



BOLTING POLICY

Quarried sandstone, the more the merrier.

PREAMBLE

A bit of a flog to get to (10 mins uphill) but catches the late sun and has commanding views down the whole of Rhondda Fawr.

Lots for the Fr. 6a+ and below climber. A few remaining trad routes for the jaded which fitted the description on the "1989 tin" but who knows which "2012 tin" they belong in?

The rock is excellent and compact on the left side of the crag, more brittle on the right. The breezy elevated situation minimises the "midge factor"

If you wan't to top-rope your mates up the routes with fixed anchors kindly follow the accepted protocol and minimise wear by using your own quickdraws until the final go,those who climb outdoors have to learn how to thread an anchor sometime. Feel free to add or discard/replace worn lower offs.

ACCESS

From the M4 Jct.34 take the A4119 highway to the Rhondda Valley arriving at Tonypandy. Do not go into the town but follow the road past the retail centre turning left on the B4223. Pass Glyncornel outdoor centre following the signs for Gelli. Park outside the Gelli Community Recycling Centre then walk left up the track past the sultry goats and well hung donkeys.

To find your desired crag, type the name in to the Filter Markers box (top right corner of the map).

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Gelli

DESCENTS

Old fence posts for some of the trad routes. Sport routes have Lower Offs.


THE ROUTES

Left Walls

Gelli left

Described from left to right facing the crag

  1. Jockey Club-Fr 6a+
    The first route on this far left short section 9 m

  2. Horses Bolted - Fr. 6b **
    The wall past the small roof joining the lower off of previous. 9 m

  3. Fools On Horses - Fr. 6a+ *
    The left side of the short black wall at the start of the crag. 9 m

  4. Free Lunch - Fr. 6c
    Line of glue-in bolts. 9.69m.

  5. Stable Boy's Breakfast - Fr. 6b **
    Results of a broken drill bit. 8 m

  6. Green Arête - VS, 4c*
    The obvious green arête. A bold airy route. Belay on posts. 11 m

  7. K.E.S - HVS, 5a **
    Slabby wall right of the arête. Another classic bold must for true climbers. Historic "special" PR near top. 11m.

  8. Kestrel For A Knave - Fr. 4
    The right side of the slabby wall. 11m

  9. Joey's Full Pint - Very Open Project
    Life's too short, sometimes you have to leave the very best for those more deserving. Dig your way up the corner. 11 m

  10. Mr Farthing - Severe
    The crack, jolly bad show not to play with your nuts and clip the handy bolts. 10 m

  11. Miss Halfpenny - Fr. 4
    Contrived, attempts to climb the red tower, step out of the righthand crack then up the arête. 11m

    To the right is another wall

  12. Feeling Lucky - Fr. 6a *
    The dodgy flake is long gone and new bolts make this more appealing.

  13. Wot No Metal - E1, 5c
    The Y-crack just right of the arête. 9 m

  14. Little Treasure - Fr. 6a+
    Scooped wall. 9 m

  15. Toil - HVS, 5a
    Faint crack just left of grassy crack, resist the temptation to step into it. 9 m

  16. My Little Pony's On The Job - Fr. 5+ *
    Climb the left edge of the next wall which is right of the grassy crack. Avoid the crack until just below the top. Shared belay on the right. 10 m

  17. Galvanised - Fr. 6a+ **
    Curving crack on wall right of grassy crack, move left to belay or use belay above ledge at Fr. 6a. 9 m

  18. Lost In Time - Fr. 6b+ *
    Forgotten when the old hanger was relocated. Left of the now obvious Pine, first hanger spins hard bouldery start. 9m.

  19. Hoarse Trader - Fr. 4+
    The arête right of the pine tree. Rattle on up the blocks with extreme care.10 m

  20. Marinated Goat Cheese - Fr. 4
    Start from the grassy steps a little further right.Lots and lots of bolts. 9 m

Red Walls

Down and right is a red wall and an adjacent slab

Titanium Man to Fingers in the Fish


  1. Squeezing The Curd - Fr. 5
    The short wall at the left side of this section, continue up Marinated Goat Cheese or walk off. 4 m

  2. The Babcock Test - Fr. 6b
    Short but sharp, avoid stepping into the bounding cracks. 6 m

  3. Little Toad Fr 6b
    Betwizzled narrow ppillar taking care with the rectangular block.

  4. Titanium Man - E1, 5b
    Steep crack R of grassy chimney. Now dug out. 9 m

  5. Ranga - Fr 7a+
    Stolen project. 9 m

  6. Cigarillo - Fr.6b *
    Crack just to right, shared belay above the grass slope. 9 m

  7. Tobacco King - Fr. 6c+ *
    Wall to right then grassy slope to shared belay. 9 m

  8. Down Under - Fr. 4+ **
    Start at the bottom left side of the slab stepping R, finish more steeply.Shared LO on R. 15m

  9. Fingers In The Fish - Fr. 5c **
    The right side of the slab and the arete to finish.

Recessed Wall

Recessed Wall

The next wall is set back and and above the quarry floor

  1. Working To A Budget - Fr. 4+
    Two stepped walls just left of the tree stump. Fully equipped despite breaking the budget. 13m.

  2. Hung Like A Donkey - Fr. 6a
    Left side of wall next to sycamore tree , avoid the crack to the left. 14 m

  3. All Talk - Fr. 6a+
    The left side of the wall aiming for the short crack, make a trying move up using a finger jamb then step left to shared belay of Hung.... 15 m

  4. Talking Hoarse - Fr. 5+
    Gain and follow the faint groove. 15 m

  5. Little Taff - Fr. 6a+ *
    Thin crack on the left side of wall, belay above small strip roof. 12 m

  6. Stubborn As A Mule - Fr 5
    Once rubbly crack now cleaned and equipped.12 m

  7. Hoarse Whisperer - Fr. 6b *
    A seriously hollow start but good climbing nevertheless. A trying crux at half height and pumpy thereafter. 12 m

  8. A Little Something I Prepared Earlier - Fr. 6b **
    Wall to right immediately left of grassy corner crack, double "twizzle" belay. 12 m

  9. Something That Came Up Much Later - Fr. 4
    The corner bridging out to a belay on the grass ledge. 12 m

  10. Unearthed - HS *
    Crack in sidewall then groove above ledge. Shared belay in place just below the top. 12 m

Gelli Right

On the next wall to the right

Gelli Right

  1. Ladyboy's Cage - Fr. 6a
    Can you escape the cage? Do you want to escape the cage? If you try to escape will it make the ladyboy angry? Why are you wearing tight red pants? The left side of the wall via prominent flake to shared belay chain. 8m

  2. Worzel Budgie Spunker - Fr. 6b+
    Delicate yet brutal route following the crack up and rightwards. Shared belay chain.

  3. Talking Shop - Fr. 6a
    The vague arête after gaining the left end of the ledge. Take care not to try and use the rubble on the left.Barely worth renewing any rusty bolts. 12 m

  4. Hoarse Breather - Fr. 5+
    Gain the large flake on the ledge, continue on spaced jugs to the shared belay chain of Talking Shop.The lower hanger and chain are detached,nut required to refix. You know you can manage it🤣😂😃!!! 12m

  5. Snorting Horse - E1, 5a
    The diagonal crack starting up Talking Shop and finishing at the belay of Empty Talk. Be strong don't clip the bolt and top out of course. 12 m

  6. Worzel Cloaca Sniffer - Fr. 6a+ *
    Gain the ledge, continue to the flaring crack and pod, single bolt lower off. It is possible to go right and lower off Empty Talk at a slightly harder Fr. 6b. 12 m

  7. Empty Talk - Fr.6a *
    Gain the large graffitied ledge, continue steeply to the belay on the tower. 12 m

  8. Gilding The Lily - Fr. 6a *
    Gain the right side of the ledge. Pull up on big wobblies and lay away off the small blocky roof to gain two magnificent pockets in the wall above. 12 m

  9. Polishing The Turd - Fr. 5
    The most apt route name in a generation and a classic triumph of extreme cleaning. Shares belay on the left. 12 m

  10. Ice Station Gelli - Fr. 6a+ *
    Starting from the floor right of the graffitied ledge. Toughest at the start.Full of ferns,you're welcome to sort them and help those who come later. 12m.

  11. One In Her Eye - Fr. 6b+ **
    Immediately left of the grassy step with a tricky move at 3rd bolt and pumpy headwall. One of the best here.12m

  12. Send In The Specials - Fr. 6a+ *
    Step left from the grassy step at the right side of the wall. 12 m

  13. Hole In One - Fr. 5+
    Direct from grass step via several large pockets,a poor route. 10 m

    Follow the track up and right

  14. Donkey Work - Fr. 6a+
    The short, steep wall rising out of a small bay where the track leads up on the right(staples). 8 m

Chris Gilbert - Empty Talk (Fr.6a)

First Ascents

GELLI LEFT

  1. Roy Thomas G.Ashmore Aug 2012
  2. R.Thomas N.O'Neill July 2013
  3. R.Thomas G.Ashmore 2013
  4. Ollie Burrows Hazel Watchorn 22.05.2013
  5. R.Thomas G.Ashmore Eugene T. Jones 2013
  6. Gary Lewis 1989
  7. M.Learoyd R.Thomas 1989
  8. R.Thomas(solo) 17/06/2013
  9. open project
  10. R.Thomas 17/06/2013
  11. R.Thomas 17/06/2013
  12. R.Thomas Ed Rees 29/05/2012
  13. Roy Thomas G Royle 1989
  14. Mick Learoyd R.Thomas 1989
  15. G. Lewis 1989
  16. R. Thomas R.Phillips R.Leyshon 22/05/2012
  17. R. Thomas G. Royle 1990
  18. R.Thomas G.Royle 1990
  19. R.Thomas Ed Rees 29/05/2012
  20. R.Thomas Ed Rees 29/05/2012

RED WALLS

  1. R.Thomas Nick O'Neill 2012
  2. R.Thomas Nick O'Neill 2012
  3. G. Royle R.Thomas M.Learoyd 1990
  4. Closed Project
  5. M.Learoyd, R.Thomas 1990
  6. M.Learoyd, L.Foulkes, R.Thomas 1990
  7. R.Thomas, M.Learoyd, G Royle, L.Foulkes

RECESSED WALL

  1. R.Thomas(solo) 26/05/2013
  2. R.Thomas G.Ashmore 22/05/2013
  3. R.Thomas D. Emanuel 2012
  4. R.Thomas D.Emanuel 2012
  5. R.Thomas, L. Foulkes, M.Learoyd 1990
  6. R.Thomas, R,Leyshon, R.Phillips 03/05/2013
  7. R.Thomas, N.O'Neill 20/05/2012
  8. R.Thomas, M.Learoyd 1990
  9. R.Thomas, E.Rees, D.Emanuel 29/05/2012
  10. R.Thomas, solo 1989


GELLI RIGHT

  1. D.Emanuel Ed Rees 2012
  2. D.Emanuel 2012
  3. R.Thomas, R.Leyshon 20/06/2012
  4. R.Thomas, R.Leyshon 20/06/2012
  5. R.Thomas G.Royle 1989
  6. R.Thomas, R.Leyshon 25/07/2012
  7. R.Thomas, N.O'Neill 20/05/2012
  8. R.Thomas, G.Ashmore 24/04/2013
  9. R.Thomas G.Ashmore 15/05/2013
  10. M.Learoyd, G.Lewis 1990
  11. R. Thomas, N. O'Neill Aug 2012
  12. R.Thomas, G.Royle 1990
  13. G. Lewis, M.Learoyd 1990
  14. R.Thomas, R.Phillips, R.Leyshan 22/05/2012

Additional Photos

  • ActionShot Gelli RT1.jpg
  • ActionShot Gelli RT2.jpg
  • ActionShot Gelli RT3.jpg

Notes

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