Llanbradach Upper Tier

Geodata
Llanbradach Upper Tier

Eugene and Roy on Roaring Forties.

Rock Type	Quarried Sandstone
Climbing Style	Sport/Trad
Approach Time
Area	Sandstone
Sub Area	Sandstone Eastern Valleys
Local Area	Llanbradach
WGS-84 Location	51.597808, -3.2352617
OS Grid Ref.	ST 145 894
WGS-84 Parking Location	51.598429, -3.2324731
GR Parking Location	ST 147 895
Parking Postcode	CF83 3GR
Base Elevation	157 metres (SRTM Estimation)
General Info
Faces Direction
Aspect
Wind Sheltered

Climbing Type
Midge Problem	Serious
Seepage
Crags Within 5.0 km
Llanbradach Lower Tier, Llanbradach Upper Tier, Ridgeway, Senghenydd
BMC RAD
RAD Notice/Restriction	Llanbradach Upper Tier@BMC RAD

A local cock jockey on Aptitude Test - Fr.7a

THE UPPER QUARRY

Described as approached by the old quarry incline sloping back up right 5mins walk past the left-hand banking of the quarry. About 100m into the tier is an awesome tower, which contains Desert Storm. There are some shorter buttresses leading up to this tower and a large slabby wall. The first routes, however, start in the small gloomy green bay right at the start of the tier.

Currently the routes right of Aptitude Test are all in very good condition after a dedicated clean up in Spring 2015.

Approach Bay

All Approach Bay routes are overgrown by vegetation and need regearing and cleaning. If anyone would like to volunteer the bolt fund might provide the necessary once the routes are in a fit state to climb.

Hedge Of Time - S
The short arête at the start of the upper tier, PR. BB. 8m
Conan’s Boil - Fr. 4+
The short wall immediately upon entering the tier, PR, to the visually stunning lower off. 8m
The Lapse - Fr. 6a+
The wall and flake right of the corner. 8m
Roraima - Fr. 6b+ *
A good, short route up the centre of the little tower up and right of The Lapse. 9m

Terrace Wall

Futher right is a clean wall above a lower cleaned bulge.

Three Men In A Goat - Fr. 6c *
The left-hand route on the wall, keeping out of the crack to the left. Share belay by tree.12m
Once Bitten - Fr. 6a+
The centre of the wall to a tree. 12m
Twice Shy - Fr. 6a
The right-hand line on the wall trending R to a seperate belay. 12m

Up in the trees, 6m to the right is a vegetated bay gained by iron rungs and situ rope.
Hollow Feeling - Fr 6b**
A bit off a faff to gain the scramble leading to the exciting high arete but well worth it. Obvious and sensible use of the flake should avoid ripping off large chunks of flake. 12m
Sermon on The Mount Fr 6c**
Start as for previous route then say a prayer and launch from the hollow flakes onto small solid edges.
Practice What You Preach - E3, 5b
Fight through the bramble thicket 2.69m right along the obvious ledge.Gain the thin crack via a peg on the R of this red wall to a dubious belay,enjoy. 12m

Torch the Earth to Blinded by Love. Photo: Dan Carroll

Upper Tier - Left

Just to the right is a large slabby wall, forming the first area of rock to run the full height of the tier.

Pampered - Fr. 6b *
The left-hand arête of the slabby wall. 20m.
You Change Me - Fr. 6c *
The centre of the slabby wall. No longer bold, but a little harder than the original version, having shed holds. If dry try an optional problem start by avoiding use of the banking on the left. Belay a few feet R of previos. 27m.
Nappy Rush - Fr. 6b ***
The line to the right of You Change Me is absolutely brilliant with good (but sometimes hollow) holds all the way up. 27m

There is a never-dry project up the corner right of Nappy Rush. A large sandstone tower now rears up from the quarry floor.
Torch The Earth - Fr. 7b+
Old skool original crap pic n mix gear,needs regearing by first ascentionist. A route with a real stopper move. The tall can dyno, the short have to make a horrendous static move, sounds unusual, but you will soon see why. Start at the left arête of the tower and climb to a borehole and TR. Climb the slab to a couple of tricky moves up a crack and a good rest. Rock up the wall to the undercuts. Fall off repeatedly, go away and grow 6” then come back to complete the monster stretch to the easier upper wall. There is no lower off at present so abseil off the tree or top out - both are exciting! TR, PR, BRs. Lower Ivy needs stripping. 24m.
Dirty As A Dog - Fr. 6b+ **
Start below the left arête of the tower and follow it with interest to brilliant moves left of the capped niche to a BB, in a splendid position.Old skool character building route not a climbing wall clip up. 24m
Desert Storm - Fr. 7a+ ***
A stunning route, sustained though never too hard, but the crux is at the top. The leaning, orange, right-hand wall of the tower. Start at a vague triangular niche and follow the wall directly (often seeping) to a good shakeout just before the crackline. Make hard moves up the slanting crack and swing right to a good shakeout jug. From here, step left and make a massive rock up back left to the BB. 24m

Upper Tier - Centre

To the right of the tower containing Desert Storm is a more moderately angled wall:

Twenty Second Chance - Fr. 7a+
To the right of a loose corner is a steep face. Climb the blunt arête directly, with a VERY tricky move at 5m, then finish easily but boldly up the arête to a sapling and a BB . Leave your own krabs or buy some rings and install them. 18m
Sixty Second Go See - Fr. 7a *
The wall to the right of the arête offers short but brilliant tips pulling. Finish up Roaring Forties if you can gain it or make a massive run out to the belay of " sixty". 21m
Roaring Forties - Fr. 6b+ *
Start up the shattered flaky groove to the right and follow a curving flake onto the easy upper slab and the BB. 21m
Between The Lines - Fr. 6c
Climb directly up the wall right of Roaring Forties to an undercut and straight up the wall above, making a slight detour onto a flake out left at 14m. Move back right to chains belay. 21m. Roy Thomas.
Dirty Day Out - E3, 5c
The groove on the right. The situ gear is currently missing so needs but is not worth a rebolt. 21m

The rock now becomes more complex. To aid location, the next slightly slabby arête is Harrowed Harrovians, the obvious tall blunt arête to the right is Blinded By Love and much further on, the last big slab contains You Are What You Is.

The next two routes have been cleaned and have a new shared lower off at 16 m. This allows you to avoid the boulder problem off a ledge with 20m of rope out (avoiding potentially broken ankles) and makes for two nice Fr. 6b+ routes.
Harrowed Harrovians/Missing Quarter - Fr. 6b+ (7a Extension) *
One hard sequence laybacking up the hollow sounding flake at the top of the big, slabby arête. 16 m. The extension is "nails". 25m
Saboo - Fr. 6b+ (6c Extension)
The big slab to the right has an obvious capped groove at 13m. Climb boldly up the slab to gain the niche, then either move left (the original finish and a shared lower off at 16 m), or right (harder), round the roof to the ledge. Make a hard move up off the ledge to gain the BB. 25m
Dandelion - Fr. 6b
To the right is a slim corner groove before the corner proper. Climb this to a BB below the roof. 25m
Burdoch - Fr. 6b+
Regeared, cleaned. 25m
Blinded By Puppies - Fr. 6c
The wall left of the arete to shared belay.
Blinded By Love - Fr. 6c **
To the right is a damp corner followed by an arête. Climb the arête from its bottom left-hand side to an awkward top out. Sustained and well worthwhile. 21m
The Laughing Policeman - Fr. 6b
Needs re-bolting. The square-cut groove buried under the ivy, immediately right of Blinded By Love only dries out to an acceptable state in midsummer, which is a shame, as the upper groove is good. 27m

Upper Tier - Right

Click to Enlarge.

Fair Cop - Fr. 6a+
Ivy has engulfed the groove to the right of The Laughing Policeman.If ever uncovered take a lot of quickdraws. 25m
Aptitude Test - Fr. 7a **
The blunt arête to the right of the encroaching ivy is a fine, solid route and well worth seeking out. Low in the grade, once the sequence has been unlocked.Ivy needs stripping 12m
The Merthyr Infill - Fr.6c *
A typical sandstone crimper occupies the wall right of Aptitude Test. 12m
My Blue Bell - Fr. 5+ *
The well trafficked groove in the centre of the bay finishes through a weakness in the capping roof. 12m
All Sand Together - Fr. 6c+ **
This is the steep blunt arête to the right of My Blue Bell. Step right at the roof to join Red ‘Erring. Pumpy, but with good rests when you need 'em. 18m
Red ‘Erring - Fr. 6b+
A filler. Head straight up the wall left of the collapsing corner on brittle and sandy rock. 18m
Plaque Attack - Fr. 6b+ *
To the right of the collapsing corner is a black slab, this route takes its centre by a series of entertaining rock ups. 12m
Incidentally - Fr. 6b *
The black arête of the slab is a joy. 12m

The next feature is an impressive sweep of long slabs.

Click to Enlarge.
Cop The Lot - Fr. 7a
The shallow orange groove and blunt rib just right of the vegetated corner. Steady until the groove peters out and the wall steepens. Shares a lower off with the next route. 11m
The Caerphilly Cop Out - Fr. 6c+
The wall between the two shallow grooves has some thin moves left of the bolts at half height. 11m
I Am What I Am - Fr. 6b *
The long line in the centre of the wall, starting up the flaky right hand groove. There are good holds all the way up and no particularly hard moves. 18m
You Are What You Is - Fr. 6b+ *
Follow the long, slab on the right side of the wall. Relatively easy, except for one disproportionately difficult sequence to pass the second staple. 21m
Is It What You Are That Is - Fr. 6c+ *
The impressive sharks fin arête bounding the right-hand side of the slab, on its overhanging side to half-height, then the left hand side thereafter. Reachy to start but sustained and pleasantly exposed thereafter. 21m

A steep vegetated gully separates the arête from the next couple of routes.
The Brush Down Fr. 7a
A long route. Shares a start and lower off with The Brush Off. 60m rope needed.
The Brush Off - Fr. 7a
Again, a 60m rope needed.

100m further right in the last bay.
My Little Routey Wooty - Fr. 6b
Slabby wall on right of crack steepening towards the LO.