Seaspit Small Cove
| Seaspit Small Cove | |
 | |
| Rock Type | Natural Carboniferous Limestone |
|---|---|
| Climbing Style | Trad |
| Approach Time | 35 minutes |
| Area | Gower |
| Sub Area | Thurba to Overton |
| Local Area | Three Sisters |
| Geodata | |
| WGS-84 Location | 51.553422, -4.259691 |
| OS Grid Ref. | SS 434 862 |
| WGS-84 Parking Location | 51.561586, -4.242797 |
| GR Parking Location | SS 446 871 |
| Parking Postcode | SA3 1PE |
| Base Elevation | 0 metres (Other) |
| General Info | |
| Faces Direction | South |
| Aspect | Sunny |
| Wind Sheltered | Seldomly |
| Climbing Type | Normal |
| Seepage | Quick drying |
| Crags Within 400m | |
|
Above Freelunchers Zawn, Below East Gully Groove, Deborah's Overhang, Deborah's Zawn, Liberty Zawn, Paviland Far Far Far West, Paviland Far Far West, Paviland Far West, Paviland Main Cliff, Paviland Way Out West, Seaspit Small Cove, Sister 2 and Half, Stallion Cove, TV Zawn, The Hole, The Knave, Third Sister, Tooth Fairy | |
Contents
Access
Access from the free parking at Pilton Green, (SS 446 871 or 51.561586, -4.242797). On the right-hand side of the B4247, approx. 2 miles before Rhossili. Park on the grass at the edge of the track leading to a farm. Cross the road, bear left and take the public footpath (signposted to Foxhole Slade) through the 'kissing-gate' on the left of the sandy-coloured house (Clifflands). Reach the top of a dry valley after about 20 minutes and numerous gates. (1.34km). At the landward end of the valley is a wooden kissing-gate (SS 438860).
Go through the gate and then, after a few metres, go through a green-painted steel gate on your right. Then go up the steep path for 20 metres to the top.
From the top of the steep path, follow the fence line in a NW direction for 300m until you come to a gate/wall.
Go through the gate/wall and follow the path for about 90m and then take the left fork at the first waypoint marker. Take a very vague path off to the left after a further 90m (at another waypoint marker) through the gorse, towards the sea. Descend the valley on your left and work your way down towards the top of a large zawn. Walk around the right (west) side of the zawn and scramble over rocks round to the right to find a narrow zawn wtth the crag at its landward end.
Access is also possible directly from Third Sister Main. From Third Sister, ascend back towards the cliff top and take the wide grassy ramp down and eastwards from behind the top pinnacle of the Tooth Fairy for about 40 metres. Continue down a short way on a narrow gravelly path and then hop over the fence and then take the grassy terrace heading east across the cliff for just over 100 metres. The final few metres is an easy scramble descent to the west side of the crag.
Directly from Deborah's Overhang involves reascending a short way and then taking the grassy terrace eastwards across the broken cliff for 110 metres or so.
See "Approaches" photo in Additional Photos section.
Bolting Policy
Retro-bolting permissible with first ascensionist’s permission. Replacement of worn fixed gear on a point for point basis with bolts is permissible.
Preamble
East of Deborah's Overhang, this crag is a 12m wave of orange rock. The sort of crag that would have served the climbing community much better had it been bolted.
Descents
Walk off right (east) from the top.
The Routes
- Kithara - E3,6a
Start 8m left of the prominent groove line, below an undercut at 2m. Pull up and move steeply rightward to reach a small spike above the bulge. Reach up to the left-rising break and finish up the easier upper groove. 12m. - Ne Pas Equipe - E4,6a
Start 4m left of the crack and groove. Work through a bulge on undercuts to gain the left-sloping break. Move up into a grey groove with a pink patch overhead. Follow this to gain the top via a jug. 12m. - Staple Riot - E3,6a
Traversing the left rising break from 2m left of the crack and groove, TRs. Finish direct after 6m. A bag. 12m. - Spit Grafitti - E2,5c
The crack and groove. 12m.
First Ascents
- Kithara - M.Crocker 30th October 1998
- Ne Pas Equipe - M.Crocker 30th October 1998
- Staple Riot - M.Crocker 30th October 1998
- Spit Grafitti - M.Crocker 30th October 1998
Additional Photos
Approaches to Seaspit Small Cove
