Pant Quarry
| Pant Quarry | |
 No Climbing | |
| Rock Type | Quarried Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Sport |
| Approach Time | |
| Area | Inland Limestone |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.47255490, -3.59449687 |
| OS Grid Ref. | SS 893 760 |
| WGS-84 Parking Location | |
| GR Parking Location | |
| Base Elevation | 35 metres (SRTM Estimation) |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | |
| Aspect | |
| Wind Sheltered | |
| Climbing Type | |
| Seepage | |
| Crags Within 10.0 km | |
|
Black Zawn, Box Bay, Castle Upon Alun, Cave Inlet, Costa del Major, Davy Jones' Locker and the Sea Caves, Dirty Harry Walls, Dunraven Cliff, Elephant Wall, Every Persons Wall, First Inlet, Folded Walls, Fools Fantasy Area, Mitzy Wall, Nash Point, Ogmore Popular End, Pant Quarry, Phaser Wall, Playtime Wall, Right Hand Wall, Second Inlet, Stone Wings Cliff, Stout Point, The Biscuit, The Castle Area, The Long Wall, The Western Crag, Tiger Bay, Tusker Chimney Area, Twinkle Buttress, Witches Cave, Witches Tip | |
| BMC RAD | |
| RAD Notice/Restriction | Pant Quarry@BMC RAD |
Contents
BOLTING POLICY
New sports routes allowed. (But see note below.)
PREAMBLE
Please note that climbing at Pant Quarry is BANNED
Please see the note on the BMC RAD - Pant Quarry
quote: "The climbing is within a working quarry and much of it lies directly above a well-used access track within the quarry. The owners and quarry operator "Tarmac" have made it abundantly clear that they cannot allow climbing on the site while quarry operations are still active due to health and safety issues. They are open to discussions about a possible access agreement for when the quarry operations are due to end in some 10 years time but at this time there is no access for climbing and the site is actively patrolled by security staff and CCTV. It's recommended that climbers avoid this site for the foreseeable future."
Unfortunately at the time of writing the quarry is being re-used for various industrial purposes. This is a shame because the right-hand main wall is one of the most impressive vertical sheets of limestone in the country. It is mostly a natural face of strange scalloped rock, which was revealed when the quarry exposed the natural joint that created it. Most of the routes are sports routes, many of which are 40m long. There is loads of scope for development if access is ever secured in the future.
ACCESS
From the A48 near Bridgend, take the B4625 through Ewenny and continue past a working quarry on the right. Pass through some woods either side of the road and then about 1/3 mile after the woods finish mile before St. Brides Major is this large quarry on the right. Sadly there are access problems.
DESCENTS
All routes have BBs so lower off or abseil. Be very careful as a 60m rope will not always get you down.
THE ROUTES
These are described as approached, i.e. from right to left, starting with the right wall of the crag.
The League Of Gentlemen Wall
This is the short wall on the right hand side of the right wall of the crag, starting from a terrace at 8m. Somehow attain the terrace to end up at a BB.
- Special Stuff - Fr. 6b
The right-hand crack system on the wall. 12m - Precious Things Fr. 6b
The featureless slab to the left. 12m - Welcome to Royston Vasey - Fr. 6c+
The next crack system, directly above the BB. 12m - s Relish - Fr. 6a
The crack system on the left side of the wall. 12m
Pantyhose Wall
Is the short wall to the left of and a slightly lower level than The Leagye of Gentleman Wall.
- Ladder Of Desire - Fr. 6b+
The right-hand line on the wall, currently missing hanger No. 2. 14m - Bask Seperatist - Fr. 7b
A thin sharp line in the centre of the wall, made slightly harder recently by the diminishing of a good hold. 14m - Pantyhose - Fr. 5+
The cheesy groove system on the left side of the wall, currently missing bolts. 14m
Domino Wall
To the left again is a rectangular wall, housing two routes.
- Pantyliner - Fr. 6a+
The right-hand route. 15m - Drip Free - Fr. 6b
The left-hand route. 15m
Terrace
At the right-hand side of the main face of the crag, is a continuation, located above a terrace. The terrace can be gained at its left-hand side by scrambling up a loose groove below a tree. Starting from a platform at a much higher level than the rest of the terrace is the line of I Can I t.
- I Can I t - Fr. 6b+ *
Jolly climbing with an interesting crux move at two-thirds height. 16m - Totally Invalid - Fr. 6c **
The face just left of the gully marking the right-hand end of the terrace proper. 27m - s Ashes - Fr. 6c **
The line immediately left of Totally Invalid. 25m - Ponty Pandy - Fr. 6c *
Hard for the grade. The line left of s Ashes, starting below an arch shaped overlap. From the end of the groove at 18m, traverse right for 3m then make a tricky move up left to a thin flake and the finish. 27m - Llandfill-A-Gogoch - Fr. 7b **
To the left of Ponty Pandy is a blocky groove, pull up this and make awkward moves to gain a blank headwall. Continue direct to a tenuous finish. 25m - Project (Knot Tonight) - E6,6c (Fr. 7c+)
The undercut wall left of Llandfill-A-Gogoch has been done with one fall (actually two, but the second one was a deck out to the quarry floor). It awaits the re-activation of the crag to be completed (Hands Off!). 27m
The wall just left is still a project. - Time To Dai Fr7b+ **
A line with an awkward crux, starting just right of the tree at the left end of the terrace. 27m
Main Wall Proper
This huge expanse of rock runs from the left hand end of the terrace to the remains of the once obvious bounding corner (Clampitt Corner) on the left. Be careful when lowering off as a 50m rope will NOT get you down from ANY of the routes right of Welsh Fargo (inclusive) and 2 lowers are required on some routes even with a 60m rope. This is one of the most impressive limestone sheets anywhere in the UK, with strange climbing on water-worn scallops, requiring a certain amount of forearm stamina! The routes are described from right to left. The first route starts down and left of the left hand end of the terrace, below a prominent overlap at 25m.
- Dai Laffin - Fr. 8a **
Much harder than first appearances suggest with a depressingly hard crux sequence at the top. Start below and left of the left-hand end of the terrace at a slight corner, below small overlap at 10m. Make razor moves up to the overlap, then follow the bolts out right to easier climbing. Follow the crescent shaped line with increasing difficulty to eventually gain the overlap, which is surmounted at its centre. A good semi-rest and easier climbing gains the increasingly difficult headwall and eventually a lower off. 37m - Maesteg-A-Saurus - Fr. 8a **
As for Dai Laffin to the overlap at 10m, but pull out left and climb the fingery wall to a good shakeout. A series of big holds leads to a shakeout on undercuts at 20m. Swing right and move up with extreme difficulty to gain the big overlap just right of Dai Laffin. Finish as for Dai Laffin. 37m - Dischlicious - Fr. 7b+
An old hi-jacked project now bolted direct to give a big impressive line of shiny glue ins. Rob Lamey 39m. - Total Pants - Fr. 7a+ **
To the left is a prominent banana-shaped groove starting at 15m. Just right of this and at a higher level is a prominent corner. Start down and right of the corner and follow a line of flakes to a ledge on Panteon Shot at 15m. Take the right-hand line of bolts directly up the wall on pockets. 30m - Panteon Shot - Fr. 7a **
The line of flakes to a ledge then hard moves up the left-hand line of bolts to gain the obvious corner groove high up. 30m - s Groove - Fr. 7a+ ***
A superb route with interesting moves and a pumpy crux. Follow Totally Pants to the ledge at 15m. Hand traverse the ledge to gain the bottom of the banana shaped groove. Climb this for 6m, until it is possible to move out onto the left wall and make hard moves up to the double bolt lower off. The direct finish is still a project. 30m - Three Turd Slab - Fr. 8a *
A searing route up the blank wall below s Route, finishing just below the base of the groove. 14m - Welsh Fargo - Fr. 7c+ ***
A swaggering route up the centre of the most exposed area of the main wall. Start from a gravel heap about 4m right of a prominent line of holes at 27m. Make a hard move to start and pleasant slab climbing to gain a semirest at 15m. Blast up to the pockets to a shakeout, then move up and right to a sustained sequence to finish.37m - Thieving Little Scrote - Fr. 7c ***<brA superb route which gains the corner high up on the crag via some very thin moves. Start up Caught Mid-Shot, but then work right along the ledge to gain the start of the difficulties. Climb direct to the corner past an unbelievable crux and finish up the corner. 38m
- Caught Mid-Shot - Fr. 7a *
Climb the short groove which gains the right-hand end of a vague terrace to the left of Welsh Fargo to a lower off. 14m - For Whom The Siren Goes - Fr. 7b+ **
From the lower off of Caught Mid-Shot, amble up left then climb the desperate wall to a lower off in the middle of nowhere. 18m - Shot Yer Load - Fr. 7b *
The wall to the left has a very hard and reachy crux at half-height. 17m - Her Helmut Schmutt - Fr. 6b
The short wall to the left. Lower off the visually stunning equipment. 10m - Helmut Cheese - Fr. 7a **
A sustained route to the left again, swinging in from the base of Pinch The Helmet. 32m - Pinch The Helmet Fr6b *
To the left is a prominent groove. Climb this to an optional lower off at the top of the initial groove (Fr6a). From the lower off, move diagonally out right to gain a ledge and a lower off. 21m - Radical Re-Entry Fr7a **
A hard, sequency route up the right of the faint pillar. From a sloping shelf at the top of the pillar, climb the diagonal crack above to a small shelf and a lower off. 24m - Twisted To Fit Fr7a+ **
Start up a faint groove below and left of Pinch The Helmet. Continue up the wall to the left to reach a diagonally sloping ramp, leading left to the base of a prominent pillar of rock. 27m - Flick The Frenulum Fr7a
The digonal curving crack on the lower wall of the crag. Harder than it looks. 15m - Barrybados - Fr.7c
Pretty intense with 3 crux sections. spice at top. 35m.
The rest of the routes on the wall to the left are currently unrealised projects. - Clampitt Corner - HVS,5a
Somehow gain the ledge below the impressive corner bounding the left-hand side of the main wall. BLOWN UP!
Some 100m the left of the main wall is a slab. - Opening Shot - Fr. 6b *
Climb the slab it with some interesting technical moves. BLOWN UP!17m
Sunset Terrace
All day to late evening sun. This section was revealed following the blasting left of Clampitt Corner.
- Lightly Battered Scallops With Chips Fr 6c **
Steep start left of twin crack. - Kick in the Scallops Fr 6b+***
Twin crack to start. - Fistful of Scallops Fr 7a+***
fingery start over small roof to join previous. - The dog's Scallops - Fr. 6b ***
The flake. - Absolute Scallops Fr. 6b+**
Wall and small roof to join previous.
Rusty Walls
On the left side of the crag are a number of lesser walls. These are gained by following the gravel track up from near the quarry entrance. At the second bend the track splits to give access to a lower and an upper tier. About 200m along the lower tier are a clutch of routes on a buttress which is bounded on its right-hand side by an area of red earth. These routes are described from left to right as approached.
- Red With Age - 18m E1,5b Fr. 6a
The left-hand route, rising from a fin. R.Thomas 00.00.1999 - Runnel Vision - 18m E5,6b Fr. 7a+
Up the faint depression in the centre of the wall, to gain easier climbing above. The small have to make some really nasty moves on slopers, in which case the technical grade is more like 6c. E.Travers-Jones 13.06.2000 - closed project
closed. - Rusty Roy - 18m E2,5c Fr. 6b
Was the right-hand line on the wall. R.Thomas 00.00.1999 - Another Pinch of Salt
The arête to shared belay with Rusty Roy - R. Thomas Eugene 1969
100m right is a black wall, containing the routes below: - Young And Tender - 12m E1,5b Fr. 6a
The corner groove. R.Thomas, N.Neill, M.Hirst, R.Jones 00.08.2000 - Tough Old Meat - 12m E3,6a Fr. 6c
The wall to the right. R.Thomas, N.Neill, M.Hirst, R.Jones 00.08.2000
The wall to the right is still a project. - Chew On This - 12m E2,5c Fr. 6bThe arête at the end of the wall. R.Thomas, N.Neill, M.Hirst, R.Jones 00.08.2000
The Cheesy Tower
Going back to the split in the track and not far up the upper tier, is a grey tower with an undercut start.
- Say Cheese Please - E1 5b
Forgotten line because of its sad tradness. The inset corner and block roof left of Top Cheese. R. Thomas eugene T .Jones 1999 - Top Cheese - 20m E2,5c Fr. 6b
The left-hand line R.Thomas 00.00.2000 - Bottom Cheese - 20m E1,5b Fr. 6a
The right-hand line is quite good. R.Thomas 00.00.2000
FIRST ASCENTS
The League Of Gentlemen Wall
- S.James 00.00.2000
- S.James 00.00.2000
- R.Phillipps 00.00.2000
- J.Richards 00.00.2000
Pantyhose Wall
- Ladder Of Desire R.Thomas 15.06.2000
- Bask Seperatist G.Ashmore 12.05.2001
- Pantyhose R.Thomas 19.06.2000
Domino Wall
- R.Thomas 00.00.2000
- R.Thomas 00.00.2000
Terrace
- S.James 12.06.2000
- G.Gibson 22.10.2000
- S.James 10.06.2000
- G.Ashmore, M.Jordan 06.04.2000
- G.Ashmore, I.Fisher 27.04.2000
- Project G.Ashmore
- G.Gibson 00.00.2000 - Still a project
Main Wall Proper
- G.Ashmore 27.06.2000
- G.Ashmore 08.07.2000 - The wall to the left of Maesteg-A-Saurus is still a project.
- G.Gibson 00.00.2000
- R.Thomas 00.00.2000
- Matt Hirst 00.00.2000
- T.Starke 00.00.2000
- G.Ashmore 29.05.2000
- C.Savage 00.05.2001
- M.Hirst, I.Fisher 10.06.2000
- M.Hirst 13.06.2001
- M.Hirst 09.07.2000
- R.Thomas 15.07.2000
- R.Thomas 29.07.2000
- R.Thomas 13.07.2000
- R.Thomas 01.07.2000
- G.Gibson 00.00.2000
- R.Thomas 00.00.2000
- R. Lambey 23.06.2009 - The rest of the routes on the wall to the left are currently unrealised projects.
- S.James, R.Philipps 00.00.2000
- M.Hirst 05.06.2000
Sunset Terrace
- C.Oksuker G.Ashmore
- Tess Tickle G.Ashmore
- Eugene T.Jones B.Ellend
- Ben Dover
- Eugene T.Jones P.Illock
Rusty Walls
- R.Thomas 00.00.1999
- E.Travers-Jones 13.06.2000
- project
- R.Thomas 00.00.1999
- R.Thomas Eugene 1969
- R.Thomas, N.Neill, M.Hirst, R.Jones 00.08.2000
- R.Thomas, N.Neill, M.Hirst, R.Jones 00.08.2000 - The wall to the right is still a project.
- R.Thomas, N.Neill, M.Hirst, R.Jones 00.08.2000
- R.Thomas 00.00.2000
- R.Thomas 00.00.2000
The Cheesy Tower
