North Hill Tor

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North Hill Tor
Main Slab
Main Slab
Rock Type Quarried Carboniferous Limestone
Climbing Style Trad
Approach Time 30 minutes
Area Gower
Sub Area North Gower
Geodata
WGS-84 Location 51.622161, -4.236871
OS Grid Ref. SS 452 938
WGS-84 Parking Location 51.619601, -4.219431
GR Parking Location SS 464 935
Parking Postcode SA3 1HD
Base Elevation 39 metres (SRTM Estimation)
General Info
Faces Direction North
Aspect Partially Sunny
Wind Sheltered Never
Climbing Type Normal
Midge Problem Mild
Seepage Needs a short dry spell
Crags Within 400m

North Hill Tor

BMC RAD
RAD Notice/Restriction North Hill Tor@BMC RAD



TIDAL STATUS

Non-Tidal, but you can watch the tide flood and ebb over the whole of the Burry Estuary

BOLTING POLICY

No Bolting

PREAMBLE

This is the steeper north-facing crag further up the track from Tor Gro. It consists of some slab routes and an area of steeper rock, with more testing fare.

ACCESS

As for Tor Gro, but continue along the path for another 5 minutes. There had been some access problems with one of the farmers in the past, but it appears that this farmer no longer lives at the farm here. The BMC advice, see: BMC Rad Database, remains the same however. Perhaps the advice can be updated sometime so that more climbers are willing to go to this minor crag and experience the beauty at this spot.

To find your desired crag, type the name in to the Filter Markers box (top right corner of the map).

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DESCENTS

Descent is either side of the crag.

THE ROUTES

Main Slab

Main Slab

In the centre of the larger slab is a grassy y-shaped crack.

  1. Slimline - VD
    Start 5m left of the y-shaped crack. Take a direct line just right of two low horizontal cracks. 27m.

  2. White Slab - VD
    Start 2m right of Slimline and climb the slab directly, following a white mark. 27m.

  3. Clean Cut - VD
    Climb just left of the y-shaped crack, finishing up some grassy steps. 36m.

  4. Central Slab - VD
    Start in the centre of the slab by a deep cut in the rock. Climb the slab past two grassy ledges. Now trend right, following three distinct hollows to the top. 36m.

  5. Slab and Rib - VD
    Start 8m right of the y-shaped crack, below a short crack at 6m. Gain the short crack, step right and climb to a ledge below a corner. Finish up the right edge. 36m.

  6. Groove - VD
    Start 12m right of the y-shaped crack. Climb to a slight hollow, then up to a slight indentation with a narrow chiselled groove. Wander up to a flake handhold, then join West Slab to finish. 36m.

  7. West Slab - D *
    Start 14m right of the y-shaped crack, but left of the right edge of the Main Slab. Gain a hollow at 8m, then a ledge, before going left to another ledge below an overhang. Step left and climb to a large ledge at a corner. A series of steps leads to the top. 36m.

  8. Girdle Traverse - VD
    Take the right edge of West Slab to a sloping ledge with a shot hole (possible TB). Move across left for 18m to a wide crack. Continue left, descending slightly, to exit in a gully with an obvious tree. Abseil or scramble easily to the top. 36m.

West Recessed Slab

West Recessed Slab

The smooth slab just to the right of the Main Slab. The climbs are marred by unpleasant exits onto turf and grass, so a lower off rope might be useful.

  1. Black Slab - HS,4a
    Climb the left side of the slab to a small grassy ledge. Use a thin crack to gain the corner separating West Recessed and Main Slabs. Finish up this corner. 15m.

  2. Flake Route - HVS,4b
    As for Black Slab, but go right to a raised slab. Gain the narrow ledge, then move up left to exit as for Black Slab. 15m.

  3. Holes - VS,4b
    Start at the right side of the slab, just left of a little tree. Climb the slab directly in line with some small round solution holes, to reach a tiny corner crack above. Finish up this.

South Side

Round towards the back of the tor is an obvious central groove. Ignore references to "a blackberry bush". It's all blackberry bush there now.

The south side of North Hill Tor
South Side - North Hill Tor
  1. Naughty But Nice - E3,5c,6a[1]
    Takes the acutely overhanging wall left of the obvious central groove. Start at a rib just left of a blackberry bush.
    1. 12m Climb the rib and continue to a TB below the overhanging wall.
    2. 12m Follow a discontinuous crack left up the wall with difficulty. Finish more easily.

  2. Windy City 24m E2,5c,5b
    Start at the blackberry bush below the obvious central groove.
    1. 12m Surmount the overhang and continue to a belay below the groove. Alternatively, gain the obvious bore- hole more directly via a slot from the corner on the right.
    2. 12m Climb the steep groove.

Additional Photos

  • North hill tor-2560x.jpg

  • View from the top of the tor

First Ascents

Main Slab

  1. Slimline - D.Williams, A.Roche 1982
  2. White Slab - D.Jones, R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 1958
  3. Clean Cut - D.Jones, R.Owen 1958
  4. Central Slab - D.Jones, R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 1958
  5. Slab and Rib - D.Jones, R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 1958
  6. Groove - D.Jones, R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 1958
  7. West Slab - D.Jones, R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews 1958
  8. Girdle Traverse - P.Hinder, C.Manison 1971

West Recessed Slab

  1. Black Slab - J.Talbot, D.Thomas 1959
  2. Flake Route - J.Talbot, D.Thomas 1959
  3. Holes - J.Talbot, B.Talbot 1966

South SIde

  1. Naughty But Nice - D.Jones, R.Owen, C.Edwards, C.Andrews - South Wall 1959
    FFA A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 20.11.1982
  2. Windy City - P. Hinder - South Wall Crack 1970
    FFA A.Sharp, P.Lewis, J.Harwood 20.11.1982, G.Evans, J.Bullock - Alternative Start 27.11.1982

Notes

  1. ↑ Originally, South Wall - A1. "An easy artificial route lies up the overhanging S. face of North Hill Tor. Not a particularyl pleasant climb." See Gower_Peninsula_(1970), p. 144.
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