Graves End Wall
From South Wales Climbing Wiki
| Graves End Wall | |
 Graves End Wall - Far Left (West) End | |
| Rock Type | Natural Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Trad |
| Approach Time | 30 minutes |
| Area | Gower |
| Sub Area | Heatherslade to Pwll Du |
| Local Area | Pennard and Graves End |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.558370, -4.065578 |
| OS Grid Ref. | SS 569 864 |
| WGS-84 Parking Location | 51.566835, -4.087865 |
| GR Parking Location | SS 553873 |
| Parking Postcode | SA3 2DH |
| Base Elevation | 55 metres (SRTM Estimation) |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | Various |
| Aspect | Sunny |
| Wind Sheltered | Never |
| Climbing Type | Normal |
| Seepage | Quick drying |
| Crags Within 400m | |
|
Graves End East, Graves End Wall, High Pennard, Pennard Buttress, The Great Tower | |
Contents
Tidal Status
Non-tidal.
Bolting Policy
Preamble
Situated on the highest headland on Gower, this is a wall with routes at a variety of grades and with a variety of types of climb.
Can be combined with a trip to Graves End East. There is also some bouldering on the terraces below the crag.
Access
The directions for all of the Pennard crags start at Hunt's Farm. 51.565040, -4.072608 & SS 564 871
Hunts Farm can be reached by following the road from the Southfate NT car park for about 1200m. Parking is not available here.
From Hunts Farm, head east along the road for 50m and take the signposted path branching off right.
The path descends and then climbs a little until the path broadens. Follow the path for 570m (passing a pond on your left after 370m) until a point where a path branches off to the right.
At this point ignore the side turning (it goes to Pennard Buttress) and continue along the for 160m where the path takes a left turn.
After 60m take the small path off to the right descending steeply to the far eastern side of Graves End Wall.
Continue along the terrace a little until you reach the first climbs.
Descents
Down gullies at various points
The Routes
Graves End Wall - LHS
- Bulgarian Hooch - VS,4c
The wall to the left of the obvious groove of Over Easy. 13m. - Over Easy - S,4a *
The wall and groove 3m right of the small cave. 13m. - First but not Last - HVS 5b *
This eliminate takes the arête and its right wall between Over Easy and Too Late. An excellent sequence. Turn the upper bulge on the left. 13m. - Too Late - S
The wall and broken crack 3m right of Over Easy. 13m. - Marguerite - VD
The obvious broken crack 9m right of the small cave. 13m. - Vertical Smile - VS,4c *
A popular route. Start just right of Marguerite. Climb the wall to a ledge, traverse right and follow a groove to the top. 13m. - Vertical frown - E1, 5b
Takes the wall directly below the crack of vertical smile then step left at the break and climb the wall above on flakes/cracks aaincorporates the direct start to vertical smile 13. - Helter Skelter - E2,5c *
Climb the lower wall below the top crack of Vertical Smile. There are two lines - this one takes a protruding angular block as a left handhold. At the break step right and climb the wall above via a hidden jug. 13m. - Sun Fix - E3,6a
A nice pitch up the cracks in the wall 5m right of Helter Skelter. Climb through the roofs, step right at the break and climb directly up the wall. 15m. - Toetector - HVS,5a
Start 2m right of Sun Fix, where there is a thin crack with block overhangs at 4m. Climb to and through the overhangs and move right onto a flake (the last one not to come loose). Finish with an awkward move left from the top of the flake. 15.
The next 4 climbs all finish via a recess in the upper wall. - Thick-Head - E2, 5c
The wall and crack left of Laissez Faire - paradoxically easier than the obvious line 15m. - Laissez Faire - E3,6a *
The strenuous curving crack 6m right of Toetector. 15m. - Fever Pitch - E3,5c
Climb the wall and bulge between Laissez-Faire and TR1 to a break, then climb the bulging wall above to join TR1 at the recess. 15m. - TR1 - E2,5c *
Start 3m right of Laissez Faire at a corner capped by a triangular block overhang. Climb the corner and overhang onto the obvious break, step left and up into a small recess and then direct to the top. 15m. - Drakensburg - E2,5b
A girdle starting up TR1 and finishing up Vertical Smile. Stances can be taken en route. 50m. - Mental Floss - E4,6a *
Climb the steep wall 2m right of TR1 to the break, move right and finish directly up the wall. 15m. - Solar - E4,6a *
Climb the shallow corner 4m right of TR1, then the pocketed wall and scoop above. 15.
2m right of Solar the wall is recessed with an obvious flake up on the left and a jammed block high on the right. - Left Corner - VS,4c
The initial steep wall leads to a wide crack defining the flake. 13m. - Brave Face - E5,6a
The wall between Left and Right Corner. 13m. - Right Corner - HS,4b
The steep corner right of the recess leads to a half-height ledge. Follow the crack in the wall above. 13m. - Thorium - HVS,5b
A right-hand start to Right Corner. 13m. - Little Leah Beth - E2 5c
The elegant little arête right of Right Corner. Start 1.5m right of Thorium (possible that FA of Sunflower went this way?). Take a steep shallow groove and bulging rock above to the half-height ledge. Reach a rock-spike (sling) on the arête and follow the arête direct to the top. 15m. - Sunflower - E4,6a
The wall between Right Corner and Left Pillar, with a slightly unstable lower section. RPs in the crack above the ledge prevent a ground fall, but a fall before the TR will result in sore ankles! 13m. - Left Pillar - VS,4b
Climb the pillar left of the cave via the steep groove. Finish rightwards above the cave. 16m. - Kamin - HVS,5a *
A popular problem. Climb out of the back of the cave. Finish direct from the ledge taking care with the rock on the left. 13m. - Friendly - HVS,5a
The wall right of Kamin. 13m. - Chameleon - HVS,5a
Ascend broken groove to the right of pink square cut groove (right of Kamin cave). From large ledge at approx half height, swing left round the arête of Neatfeet and go direct up head wall. (This may share some ground with Friendly) 13m. - Neatfeet - E4,5c
The arête above and right of Kamin. 12m. - Chasm - D
A useful descent route just right of the cave. 13m. - Gower Gully Joke - E5,6a
Climb the overhanging crack in the right wall of the Chasm gully. 7m . - Crevice - S,4b
Climb the smooth crack right of Gower Gully Joke. 9m.
The short wall to the right of Crevice has a crack and two wide corner cracks. - Ivy Saviour - VS,5a
The first crack. 8m . - Cycle Track - VS,4c
The wide corner crack. 8m . - Monkey - HS,4b
The next corner.
Further to the right is an easy descent, followed by a long smooth wall, which boasts excellent pocketed limestone. 8m . - Miguel - E3,6b
Fight up the thin cracks 6m right of Monkey, taking care with the protection. 9m.
About one-third of the way along the wall is an obvious shallow groove (Sunny Surprise). - All Too Distant - HVS,5a
Start about 5m left of the groove above a small rock step and directly below the end of the small grass ledge near the top of the crag. Climb the wall on incuts and pockets, TR. 9m . - Commit - E1,5c
The smooth groove immediately right of All To Distant, keeping left of the crack at 5m. 12m. - Sunny Surprise - E2,5c
As for Commit, but take the crack up right at 5m. 12m. - Eduardo - E3,6b
Start below the obvious tiny overlap at half-height below a short step in the path about 2m right of Sunny Surprise. Climb to the overlap and good pockets. Move right and finish direct.
About 2m right of Eduardo is an obvious capped groove (Slow Worm). 12m. - The Hideaway - E3,6a
Climb the wall just left of the groove, PR missing. 12m. - Slow Worm - VS,4c
Climb the groove to the capping overlap. Pull over this on its right and finish direct. 12m. - Sweet, Sweet, Sweet - E3,5c
Right of Slow Worm is a small cave at the base of the cliff. Climb the flake-like feature just left of the cave, TR. 12m.
The ivy covered groove to the right marks the start of Graves End East.
Additional Photos
First Ascents
- Bulgarian Hooch - C Wyatt, P. Samkov 10.6.2018
- Over Easy - M.Danford, G.Richardson 00.00.1978
- First but not Last - C Wyatt, P. Samkov 10.6.2018
- Too Late - G.Richardson, M.Danford 17.02.1983
- Marguerite - G.Evans, J.Bullock 00.00.1981
- Vertical Smile - G.Evans, J.Bullock 00.00.1981
- Vertical frown - C Wyatt, Hash Popat 00.00.2010
N.Low, M.Low - Direct 00.00.1987 - Helter Skelter - H.Jones A.Healy 24.04.1984
- Sun Fix - A.Sharp, J.Harwood 10.09.1985
- Toetector - J.Bullock, G.Evans 00.00.1978
- Thick-Head - A.Richardson 10.09.1985
- Laissez Faire - A.Sharp, J.Harwood 10.09.1985
- Fever Pitch - A.Long, A.Richardson 00.00.1991
- TR1 - J.Bullock, G.Evans, G.Richardson 26.05.1982
- Drakensburg - J.Brown, D.Nolan 00.00.1995
- Mental Floss - A.Sharp, J.Harwood 10.09.1985
- Solar - A.Sharp, J.Harwood 10.09.1985
- Left Corner - J.Talbot, G.Jones 00.00.1959
- Brave Face - A.Berry 00.00.1992
- Right Corner - J.Talbot, G.Jones 00.00.1959
- Thorium - J.Kerry 00.00.1971
- Little Leah Beth - FA: Martin Crocker, John Harwood (19.12.2011)
- Sunflower - J.Brown, A.Berry 00.00.1995
- Left Pillar - J.Talbot, G.Jones 00.00.1959
- Kamin - J.Talbot, G.Jones 00.00.1958
- Friendly - C.Squires 00.00.1995
- Chameleon - I.Goudge, J.Gallagher 22.07.2013
- Neatfeet - M.Crocker, J.Harwood 25.03.2000
- Chasm - Harold Insley, etc. 1958/9
- Gower Gully Joke - M.Crocker, J.Harwood 25.03.2000
- Crevice - H.Insley etc. 1958/9
- Ivy Saviour - K.Wood, G.Evans 00.00.1974
- Cycle Track - G.Evans, K.Wood 00.00.1974
- Monkey - N.Williams 00.00.1980
- Miguel - M.Crocker, R.Thomas 05.03.1989
- All Too Distant - P.Donnithorne solo 30.12.1988
- Commit - P.Donnithorne, N.Ashcroft 30.12.1988
- Sunny Surprise - P.Donnithorne, N.Ashcroft 29.12.1988
- Eduardo - M.Crocker, R.Thomas 05.03.1989
- The Hideaway - P.Donnithorne, N.Ashcroft 30.12.1988
- Slow Worm - N.Ashcroft, P.Donnithorne 30.12.1988
- Sweet, Sweet, Sweet - P.Donnithorne, N.Ashcroft 29.12.1988
