Grey Wall
From South Wales Climbing Wiki
| Grey Wall | |
 Grey Wall | |
| Rock Type | Natural Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Trad |
| Approach Time | 15 minutes |
| Area | Gower |
| Sub Area | Rhossili |
| Local Area | Upper Crags Fall Bay To Mewslade |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.561926, -4.279876 |
| OS Grid Ref. | SS 427 876 |
| WGS-84 Parking Location | 51.565848, -4.270856 |
| GR Parking Location | SS 427 876 |
| Parking Postcode | SA3 1PH |
| Base Elevation | 28 metres (SRTM Estimation) |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | South |
| Aspect | Sunny |
| Wind Sheltered | Seldomly |
| Climbing Type | Normal |
| Seepage | Quick drying |
| Crags Within 400m | |
|
Block Buttress, Catacomb Gully, Cathedral Wall, Conglomerate Cliff, Four Gullies, Grey Wall, Jacky's Tor, Mewslade Quarry Slab, Mewslade Short Wall, Molar Wall and White Edge, Richards Rock, Rolly Bottom Buttress, The Aisle, The Prows, The Pulpit, Thurba Head, Thurba West, Trident Gully and Ridge, Upper Jacky's Tor, Zero Gully | |
Contents
Tidal Status
Non-tidal.
Bolting Policy
No bolting.
Preamble
Described in the 2003 guidebook as "uninspiring" and "rarely visited", this small crag is well worth a visit if only to climb PMC II or Direct.
Access
See Upper Crags Fall Bay To Mewslade access notes.
Descents
The Routes
The old route Quergang (J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1966) has been superseded by more recent lines.[1]
- Grey Day Plus E2,5b
Start below the centre of the large roof at the left-hand end of the crag. Climb leftwards up the compact wall left of the obvious flake of The Queer Gang and exit round the left-hand side of the roof. 15m. - The Queer Gang E2,5b
The obvious left-facing flake line and weakness in the roof. Follow the flake to the roof, extend for the big projecting block overhead, then finish up the groove above. Very reach dependent. The vertically challenged can take a tricky traverse right into the finish of direct at the same grade. 15m. - Direct E3,5c
A direct line just right of the overhang. 30m. - Superdirect E3,6a
Start to the right of Direct. Climb to a bulge and take the grey streak above to good fingerholds and the horizontal break. Step left and finish easily. 30m. - Ermintrude E1,5b
Take a broken groove right of Superdirect to a niche before continuing direct to a horizontal crack and a small ledge, then the top. 13m. - Gurtrude E2,5c
The shallow groove right of Ermintrude. 15m. - PMC II HVS,5b *
The groove right of Gurtrude and left of South East Chimney. A good route and tougher than it looks. 13m. - Tipped To Be Massive E3,5c
From the foot of PMC II move right over the pillar and climb direct to a rightward slanting crack which leads to a horizontal break. Continue up the headwall via a series of flakes, slightly to the right. 15m. - South East Chimney D
Follow the obvious chimney to the top. 15m. - Wall And Corner VS,4b
Start 2m right of South East Chimney. Climb rightwards to a ledge, then a corner on the right wall to the top. A harder version can be climbed on the left wall of the corner. 13m.
First Ascents
- Grey Day Plus - M.Crocker 07.11.1998
- The Queer Gang - M.Crocker 07.11.1998
- Direct - R.Corbett - Direct 00.00.1962
FFA P.James 00.00.1984 - Superdirect - M.Crocker 07.11.1998
- Ermintrude - M.Jones, P.Murphy 00.00.1982
- Gurtrude - M.Crocker 07.11.1998
- PMC II - S.Vince, J.Makin 00.00.0000
- Tipped To Be Massive - M.Crocker 07.11.1998
- South East Chimney - J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
- Wall And Corner - J.Talbot, D.Thomas 00.00.1959
Additional Photos
Jamie D. on PMC II
Notes
- ↑ Quergang - An interesting free and easy artificial route. 100ft., IV, A1
Start in a line just below the L side of the overhang and climb a wall directly up to its left edge. Traverse R below the overhang, then continue across the wall R at the same level by a horizontal crack to reach an obvious corner. Climb this to the top. Talbot, J, Gower Peninsula, 1970. p. 89.
