The Great Tower
| The Great Tower | |
| ( The Great Pillar ) | |
 Great Tower | |
| Rock Type | Natural Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Trad |
| Approach Time | 40 minutes |
| Area | Gower |
| Sub Area | Heatherslade to Pwll Du |
| Local Area | Pennard and Graves End |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.558276, -4.066419 |
| OS Grid Ref. | SS 568 864 |
| WGS-84 Parking Location | 51.566835, -4.087865 |
| GR Parking Location | SS 553873 |
| Parking Postcode | SA3 2DH |
| Base Elevation | 30 metres (SRTM Estimation) |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | |
| Aspect | |
| Wind Sheltered | |
| Climbing Type | Normal |
| Seepage | |
| Crags Within 400m | |
|
Graves End East, Graves End Wall, High Pennard, Pennard Buttress, The Great Tower | |
Contents
Tidal Status
Bolting Policy
Preamble
Access
This is the obvious pillar right of High Pennard. Take care with the rock.
See Pennard and Graves End Access Notes
Descents
Scramble down the gully to the east of the tower.
The Routes
1. South East Chimney 15m D
An unpleasant climb. Climb a short wall, then move up right into a deep gully. Climb this, very unpleasant and vegetated, then left to the top.
Harold Insley, etc.1958/9
2. Triattsdyfai 18m E1,5b
A well-positioned but friable route up the left side of the face. Start below and slightly right of the obvious crack at 6m. Climb the wall and crack. From the top of the crack make a hard move up and left onto the edge. Follow the wide crack above to the top.
E.Pardoe, R.Leigh 00.00.1967
3. South East Edge 18m E1,5b
High on the right side of the tower is a clean crack. Climb the right edge of the wall, just left of the ivy, to a corner level with the bottom of the crack. Traverse left onto the face and up to a good ledge. Follow the crack and groove to the top.
Harold Insley etc. 1958/59 J.Talbot - Direct A0 00.00.1968 FFA J.Bullock, G.Evans 00.00.1981
4. Don’s Quiet Corner 24m E4,6a
Climbs the east pillar. Climb the centre of the steepening lower slab to an incipient break. Keeping between the crack on the left and the groove on the right, climb straight up the rib to a poor break. Pull onto a ledge and finish direct, taking care not to disturb Mr.Whitelock’s remains.
M.Crocker, G.Lynch 15.04.2000
To the right of the descent gully at the East of the Great Tower a crag runs inland. It decreases in height as the ground rises towards its right hand end. There is quite a lot of ivy and rock samphire growing on the rock which gives the crag a scruffy appearance but the rock is generally sound and gives good steep wall climbing. The usual care needs to be taken at the top of the climbs. The safest descent is to the right of the crag.
Crack and Scoop HVS 5a
5m Right of the gully right of the Great Tower a crack in the steep wall leads to a scoop.
Jon Roberts Nick Smith 01/08/08
Top Brass VS 4c
2m right of Crack and Scoop is a flat slab of rock on the ground. Climb the wall above between ivy to the left and a samphire choked crack to the right. At half height tackle a bulge just left of a small overhang to gain a groove which leads to the top.
Jon Roberts Nick Smith 01/08/08
The next headland East of the Great Tower lies immediately above the Pennard Lower Sea Cliffs. It is best accessed from above ( graves end wall) .The buttress consists mostly of dangerously loose rock. However a crack line on the East face of the buttress gives an excellent climb on sound rock.
Popty Ping E1 5c **
The crack gives a steep, well protected climb with the crux low down.
Jon Roberts Nick Smith 01/08/08
