Golden Wall

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Golden Wall
Golden Wall
Golden Wall
Rock Type Natural Carboniferous Limestone
Climbing Style Sport
Approach Time 25 minutes
Area Gower
Sub Area Heatherslade to Pwll Du
Geodata
WGS-84 Location 51.562057, -4.080948
OS Grid Ref. SS 55852 86850
WGS-84 Parking Location 51.566835, -4.087865
GR Parking Location SS 553873
Parking Postcode SA3 2DH
Base Elevation 5 metres (Other)
General Info
Faces Direction West
Aspect Sunny
Wind Sheltered Seldomly
Climbing Type Normal
Seepage Quick drying
Tidal
Before/After Low Tide 4.5 hours (See Note)
Crags Within 400m

Bacon Hole, Bosco's Den Area, Bowen's Parlour, Bucketland, Golden Wall, Marble Arch, Minchen Hole, Pantheon, Prawn Zawn, Quartz Corner



Golden Wall Area
Sport Grades
<= 6a+ 24
6b - 6c+ 14
7a - 7b 3
>= 7b+ 1

TIDAL STATUS

Golden treasury is close to high water mark, so non-tidal with neap tides and no swell. Otherwise avoid a couple of hours either side of high tide. There are escape routes in place.

BOLTING POLICY

Use lots, but stainless.

DESCENTS

Park in the National Trust car park and walk east along the coastal road as far as Bosco’s Lane. Take the obvious track towards the sea, slightly west, to a bench on a headland. Walk down the east side of the headland to find a track leading east then steeply down (as for the Pantheon and Bowen's Parlour). Head east onto the headland, keeping back from the edge (which is undercut).

Low tide approach: Scramble down the ramps on the east side of the headland to sea level. Can also be accessed from the east as for Golden Wall.

High tide approach: On reaching the headland turn steeply back east and follow a hidden overhung path through an arch of breccia. The big boulders to the right mark the top of the cave, There are abseil bolts in a big boulder.

CLIMBING BAN

None!

ROUTES

Golden Wall Area. Click several times to get full resolution.
June 2018. This area has seen some recent development and topos from Bethan McCarroll are available.

Routes described from left to right.

Golden Temple

At the far western end of the Golden Wall bay, a small but very steep cave with perfect rock and some gymnastic lines. Tidal but dries very quickly, even inside the cave when there is a breeze.

  1. Brexit Exit - Fr. 4
    Easy escape route on the left wall outside the cave. The rings are in a big boulder set back to allow abseil entry

  2. First Order - Fr. 5
    On the left wall outside the cave.

  3. Polynomial - Fr. 6a*
    Starts on the left wall of the cave and curves around the overhang. Steep climbing on good holds.

  4. Meduseld - Fr. 6c+
    Start up ‘Polynomial’ then break right into the roof. Good technique helps.

  5. Gower Power - Fr. 6a+**
    Diagonal line across the steep east wall of the cave, exiting through the hole. A wonderful jug-fest and often bone-dry.

  6. Gower Gold Fr. 7a**.
    Climbs the pillar on the right, within the cave entrance, then takes a remarkably steep line towards the central groove. Good holds and perfect rock all the way to the rings.

  7. Amritsar - Fr. 6b+
    Starts up the steep pillar right of the cave entrance and curves left along the mouth of the cave. Steep!

  8. Palgrave - Fr. 6c*
    Straight up the wall right of the cave entrance. Not the warm-up we expected.

Golden Treasury

The south facing wall at the back of the bay has a collection of little gems. Interesting climbing on unusual rock with lots of pockets and slots. Everything is a little bit steeper than it looks

  1. King Cnut - Fr. 5
    The edge of the east-facing wall, just round the corner from Golden Temple, provides an escape if the tide is threatening. Bolts can be used as a high tide access abseil.

  2. Pump and Dump - Fr. 6a
    Left side of the east-facing wall. Deceptively steep climbing on hidden holds.

  3. Electrum- Fr. 6a
    Steep groove with big holds that run out as the angle eases.

  4. Bold as Brass - Fr. 6c
    Directly up the bulging orange wall to the higher rings. Very technical but not bold.

  5. Copper Bottom - Fr. 6a
    Climb the curving crack at the right side of the east-facing wall until forced left and into the corner.

  6. Loud and Prowed - Fr. 6c
    The first route on the main south-facing wall. Fingery moves up the severely overhanging buttress, lead to puzzling moves past the prow.

  7. Slot Machine - Fr. 6b
    Unusual climbing up the slot infested wall. Some are better than others so choose your holds wisely.

  8. Wish Bone - Fr. 6a+
    The left arête of the obvious gulch in the middle of the crag. Climb directly up the severely undercut arête, finishing to the right.

  9. Goldfish - Fr. 4+
    The crack on the seaward end of the slab forming the left wall of the gulch.

  10. Pantomime Riposte - Fr. 4+
    The crack on the left wall further in. When it starts to get hard think about the name.

  11. Copperopolis - Fr. 6a+
    On the right wall of the gully climb the steep grozzly crack.

  12. Limonite - Fr. 6a+
    The shorter well-pocketed groove.

  13. Bre-X - Fr. 6b+
    Technical climbing up the hanging arête on the right edge of the gulch, with a steep pull to finish.

  14. Gorilla Warfare - Fr. 6b
    A layback crack followed by Wild climbing through the roof leads to jug pulling onto the ledge on the left.

  15. King Louie - Fr. 6c
    As for ‘Gorilla Warfare’ but finishing right up the arête and steep wall. Shares a lower-off with ‘Apricot Jam’

  16. Apricot Jam - Fr. 6a
    Climb the steep flake past a wobbly block to access the top crack. Can you jamb?

  17. Penny Falls - Fr. 5+
    Climbs the pocketed wall using the left edge at this grade. More like 6a+ if climbed direct

  18. Golden Plover - Fr. 5
    Delightful climbing up the wide crack with a steep start.

  19. Golden Gate - Fr. 3
    Nice moves bridging up the walls onto the ledge.

  20. Golden Snitch - Fr. 4
    Start on the boulder and step across to big holds on the steep wall to gain a ledge. Shares a lower-off with ‘Golden Gate’

Golden Wall and Zawn

Golden Zawn West Wall

Only gets the morning sun so it needs dry weather or a bit of a breeze to come into condition. Cut off at high tide so escape via Golden Treasury to the west.

  1. Isambard's Bums - Fr. 6a+
    At the seaward end of the wall, start in a corner, climb up and left onto a stepped slab then swing right to finish up the seriously overhanging arête. Wild climbing for the grade.

  2. Closed Project
    over the roof and up the crack - waiting for dry conditions.

  3. Fool - Fr. 6b+
    Shallow groove leading to a hard pull through the overhang. May be harder now a hold has come off.

  4. Cheese Sandwich - Fr. 6b
    Tenuous climbing up to a slopey ledge then undercut and campus for the top.

Golden Zawn East Wall

Easily located by walking inland from Golden Wall

  1. Unknown - Fr. 5
    Fun chimney in the back of the east wall of the zawn.

  2. Closed Project
    Through the big low roof.

  3. The Gold Rush - Fr. 7a/7a+ **
    An excellent rising traverse starting L of The Midas Touch and finishing on the far left (above Danny's project through big roof). Reachy crux.

  4. Leftist Gold - Fr. 7b **
    Start up Midas Touch but break left before the roof. The longer-than-body-length roof is meaty.

  5. The Midas Touch - Fr. 6c+/7a **
    Climb the red wall and step right to the big jug-infested roof aiming for the obvious bucket handle in the lip. Pulling over the roof is hard. 14 m.

    There are a couple of hangerless bolts here to confuse you.

  6. A Starke Reminder - Fr. 6a+ *
    Take centre of wall right of roofs. 18 m.

  7. Aur Of Glory - Fr. 6a *
    Left of two lines sharing a belay. 12 m

  8. Aur Of Need - Fr. 6a *
    Right hand line. 14m (extra bolt added at the steep bit 2018)

  9. Golden Boy - Fr. 5
    First of two short lines to shared belay on the terrace.

  10. Golden Balls - Fr. 5
    The other line.

Golden Wall

Located on the west of the quarried promontory, Bosco's Wall is on the east side. Scramble down easily from the quarries.

  1. Bye Bye Edi - Fr. 6b+
    Powerful laybacking up the right facing corner. 10m.

  2. All That Glitters Is Not Gold - Fr.7b+
    Short vague groove, very cruxy. 10m.

  3. Au - 7c+
    Not bolted.

  4. Shining Dawn - Fr. 7c
    Central route, start up diagonal flake followed by hard boulder problem moves to the top. 10m.

  5. Golden Wonder - Fr. 7b
    Link up moving right at 2nd bolt of Shining. 10m.

  6. Golden Shower - Fr. 7?
    Open Project, needs rebolting.

  7. Gold Digger - Fr. 6b+
    At the seaward edge of the ledge. The steep line of weakness leads to a balancy top. 10m.

  8. Gilded Cage - Fr. 5+
    The steep groove at the right edge of the platform gained by climbing the pillar.

  9. Golden Oldy - HS,4b
    start at the lowest level of the sloping platform.

First Ascents

Golden Temple

  1. Brexit Exit - John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2018
  2. First Order - John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2018
  3. Polynomial - Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2018
  4. Meduseld - Danny McCarroll and Bethan McCarroll 2018
  5. Gower Power - Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2019
  6. Gower Gold - Danny McCarroll 2019
  7. Amritsar - Danny McCarroll and Geraint Morris 2018
  8. Palgrave - Danny McCarroll 2018


Golden Treasury

  1. King Cnut - Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2018
  2. Pump and Dump - James Price and Bethan McCarroll 2018
  3. Electrum - Bethan McCarroll and Danny McCarroll 2018
  4. Bold as Brass - Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2019
  5. Copper Bottom - John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2019
  6. Loud and Prowed -Danny McCarroll 2018
  7. Slot Machine -Bethan McCarroll and Danny McCarroll 2018
  8. Wish Bone -John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2019
  9. Goldfish -Robbie Waldron and Bethan McCarroll 2018
  10. Pantomime Riposte -Danny McCarroll 2018
  11. Copperopolis -Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2018
  12. Limonite -Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2018
  13. Bre-X -Bethan McCarroll and Danny McCarroll 2018
  14. Gorilla Warfare - Bethan McCarroll 2018
  15. King Louie - Bethan McCarroll 2018
  16. Apricot Jam - John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2018
  17. Penny Falls - Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2018
  18. Golden Plover - Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2108
  19. Golden Gate - John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2018
  20. Golden Snitch - John Bullock and Danny McCarroll 2018


Golden Wall and Zawn

Golden Zawn West Wall

  1. Isambard's Bums - Rhiannon McCarroll 2018
  2. Closed Project -
  3. Fool -
  4. Cheese Sandwich -

Golden Zawn East Wall

  2. Project'
  3. The Gold Rush - John Bullock & Danny McCarroll 01.09.2012
  4. Unknown - M.Barclay 2022
  5. Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2011
  6. Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2011
  7. Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2011
  8. Danny McCarroll and John Bullock 2011
  9. Golden Boy - R. Thomas Jan 2016
  10. Golden Balls - R. Thomas Jan 2016


Golden Wall

  1. Bye Bye Edi -
  2. All That Glitters Is Not Gold -
  3. Au - T.Starke
  4. Shining Dawn -
  5. Golden Wonder -
  6. Golden Shower -
  7. Gold Digger - R.Thomas 2016
  8. Gilded Cage - R.Thomas 2016
  9. Golden Oldy - R.Thomas Jan 2016 solo

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