High Pennard
| High Pennard | |
 High Pennard from the top of Pennard Buttress | |
| Rock Type | Natural Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Trad |
| Approach Time | 35 minutes |
| Area | Gower |
| Sub Area | Heatherslade to Pwll Du |
| Local Area | Pennard and Graves End |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.558755, -4.066858 |
| 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 | 42 metres (SRTM Estimation) |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | West |
| Aspect | Sunny |
| Wind Sheltered | Seldomly |
| 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
No bolting.
Preamble
This is the obvious gently bulging buttress at the other side of the valley from Pennard Buttress. It does still contain some wobbly blocks, so caution is advised. There are some excellent routes in the E1 to E3 range, making it a good companion to the upper right-hand section of Pennard Buttress. Skive is a must.
Access
See Pennard and Graves End Access Notes
Descents
Descent is by scrambling down a gully on the west of the crag.
The Routes
1. Left Edge 24m E1,5b
A slightly loose route up the pillar that bounds the cliff on the left side. Climb the left side of the pillar for 3m, then traverse right to a hole. Move up left past a PR and move right to a corner leading to the top.
E.Pardoe, D.Barker 00.00.1968
2. Blood First 24m E3,5c
Climb direct to the hole on Left Edge, then climb past it trending slightly right, PR, until it is possible to step right into the corner groove of Loony Left.
E.Kellar, P.Nicholas 00.00.1989
3. Loony Left 24m E2,5c/6a *
Start beneath the widest part of the half height roof. Climb past ivy to a resting spot under the right side of the roof. Using undercuts, do your best to find protection (a friend 1.5 may be helpful). Move up to the centre of the roof by technical moves and pull over it strenuously. Amble up the left facing corner then step right to avoid the obtrusive hawthorn guarding the cliff top.
J.Bullock, L.Cain 07.06.1987
4. Sudan 24m E2,5c *
Start at the base of the pillar which forms the vague arête of the crag. Climb up and right to the overhang under the nose of the front of the pillar. Take the thin crack left of the nose, hard but reasonably well protected crux, then move right onto the pillar. Continue directly and boldly to the top.
R.Leigh, T.Smith A0 00.00.1966 FFA P.Littlejohn, J.Harwood 03.10.1980
5. Wandering Star 24m E1,5c
An indefinite line attempting to climb the shallow hanging groove right of Sudan. Start just right of Sudan and climb to the break, move right and attempt to gain the groove with a brief excursion into Skive. Finish over the roof between Skive and its direct finish.
A.Richardson, N.Gyerke 00.00.1987
6. Skive 24m HVS,5a ***
A great route. Start 3m right of Sudan at the base of the obvious groove which splits the crag. Climb the obvious crack through two roofs. At the third, traverse left for 3m and climb deteriorating rock to the top.
R.Griffiths, E.Pardoe 00.11.1966
7. Skive Direct 24m E1,5b ***
A more logical finish. At the third roof finish directly up the final groove of Shogun.
R.Griffiths, J.Bayliss 00.06.1967
8. Shogun 24m E3,6a **
A route requiring a certain amount of inner self to surmount the roof. Climb direct to the obvious weakness in the overlap just right of Skive and surmount it. Move left and climb a vague arête to reach Skive at the horizontal break. Finish up the groove above, taking care with the rock. The grade assumes that the low PR is not in situ (as on the first ascent).
J.Bullock, G.Evans 15.09.1982
9. King Rat 24m E3,6a *
A directissima giving good climbing. Follow Shogun over its roof to a horizontal slot in a small overlap, climb the wall direct, TR, to the horizontal break. Continue directly by a hidden layback flake, finish directly, PR.
A.Richardson, A.Long 00.00.1987
10. Samurai 24m E3,6a ***
The best route at Pennard. Follow Shogun over the roof to the horizontal slot as for King Rat, then step right to a shallow groove. Climb this past a small overhang, PR. Continue directly to the top.
J.Bullock, L.Moran 02.07.1986
11. Kensai 27m E3,5c
Start directly below the upper groove of Phreatic Line. The initial groove is very serious. Climb to an obvious rightward-curving overhang and follow it to a junction with Phreatic Line, below the layback groove. Pull straight over via a finger crack then step right into the Seepage groove. Finish leftwards via a curving crack under the capping overhang.
J.Bullock, L.Moran, G.Evans 30.08.1986
12. Kensai/Phraetic Line Combination 24m E3,5c **
Climb Kensai to join Phreatic line.
J.Bullock 00.08.1986
13. Phreatic Line 24m E3,5c *
Takes the layback groove in the upper wall right of Samurai. Start at the right side of the crag below a pillar. Climb the groove bounding the left side of the pillar to a big square ledge. Move up to the overlap and the TR of Seepage. Traverse left for 5m and pull up to gain the base of the layback flake which is followed to the top.
E.Pardoe 1pt 00.00.1968 FFA P.Littlejohn, J.Harwood 03.10.1980, G.Ashmore, I.Fisher ALCH 24.04.1999
14. Seepage 24m E1,5b
From the square ledge on Phreatic Line, climb the wall direct to the strip roof. Stretch left to clip an old TR, and back it up with a small wire. Step left for a further 2m and then pull easly over the roof at a thin crack. Follow the groove above until a step right onto the wall allows the capping overhang to be bypassed.
E.Pardoe, C.Knight 00.00.1969
15. Noble House 24m E1,5b
Climbs the loose groove and upper wall right of Seepage. From the square ledge on Phreatic Line, go diagonally right to cross and gain the top of a shattered groove. Move onto a wall above the overhang, step left and climb to the top.
J.Bullock, G.Evans 07.11.1982
16. The Amazing Bugblatter Beast Of Zarg 36m E3,6a *
A good right to left traverse. The route originally finished up Left Edge after a belay in Skive, but the finish described makes for a better route. Follow Seepage to the overlap and climb left along the obvious break, via a devious crux to finish up the groove of Skive.
A.Richardson, N.Gyerke 00.00.1987 G.Ashmore, I.Fisher ALCH 24.04.1999
To the right the cliffs deteriorate and although lines have been recorded in the past, they have now collapsed.
