Shipwreck Cove

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Shipwreck Cove
Sam Clarke on Achilles Wrath, Shipwreck Cove
Sam Clarke on Achilles Wrath, Shipwreck Cove
Rock Type Natural Carboniferous Limestone
Climbing Style Sport
Approach Time 25 minutes
Area Gower
Sub Area Rhossili
Local Area Rhossili Sea Level Crags
Geodata
WGS-84 Location 51.56896, -4.29483
OS Grid Ref. SS 410 880
WGS-84 Parking Location 51.569301, -4.28840
GR Parking Location SS 415 880
Parking Postcode SA3 1PP
Base Elevation 0 metres (Other)
General Info
Faces Direction North
Aspect Never Sunny
Wind Sheltered Mostly
Climbing Type Normal
Seepage Needs a short dry spell
Tidal
Before/After Low Tide 2.0 hours (See Note)
Crags Within 600m

Black Buttress, Black Wall, Castaway Cove, Keel Buttress, Lifebuoy Buttress, Mermaid Wall, Retribution Wall, Seamen Wall, Sheepbone Wall, Shipwreck Cove, Silent Walls, Sinister Sister Zawn, Trial Wall, Wedge Wall



Tidal Status

Approximately 2 hours before/after low tide but can vary considerably with neaps and springs.

Bolting Policy

Preamble

Access

About one third of the way along the beach heading towards Kitchen Corner is a small cove with a wildly overhanging west wall. Two diagonal breaks trending left cut through the left side of this tidal wall.

Descents

Lower-Offs

The Routes

panorama rock-climbing topo of Shipwreck Cove, Rhossili, Gower, South Wales
Shipwreck Cove panorama
  1. Stuart's Stolen Project - Fr. 6c
    Was a closed project stolen 17 may 2014 along with Hand Shandy. 20m

  2. Mutiny Crack - E4 6a
    Probably here? Follow line of large pods to roof then jam to the BB of Attrition.

  3. Wrecking Ball - Fr. 7a+
    Bisects the following route. 18m

  4. Attrition - E5, 6a
    Bolt belay saves a 50 m loose top out.

  5. Marine Layer - Fr. 7a
    The sporting diagonal, L.O. shared with Wrecking Ball. 16m.

  6. Bootneck - Fr. 7c
    Ateeper variation start to One Ton Depot. 16m.

  7. One Ton Depot - Fr. 7b+
    Crux at top. 20m.

    rock climbing topo of the left-hand side of Shipwreck Cove, Rhossili, Gower, South Wales
    Shipwreck Cove - Left
  8. Vennerne - Fr. 7c+
    Steep. 20m.

  9. Air Show - Fr. 8b
    A former closed project of Adrian's. 20m.

    There is another closed project of Rob Lamey's beyond here and two very steep routes at the right hand end of the cave. Above these two route are several recently bolted "closed works in progress" awaiting the return of dry conditions.

  10. Eurofighter - Fr. 8b
    A bit steep.

  11. Helvetia - Fr. 8b+
    Pretty Steep. 20m.

  12. Delta Dagger - Fr. 8a
    Just steep. 20m.

  13. Gunshow - Fr. 8a+
    A link cup best supped when dry.

  14. Cannonade - Fr. 7c+
    Much steepness

  15. Achilles Wrath - Fr. 8b
    Super steep roof work, Chain L.O. above the cave lip. 15m.

  16. Hector Protector - Fr. Fr 8b
    roof climbing to join the steep fin on flat holds. 17m.

  17. King George vs. The Suffragettes - Fr. 7a+
    The right side of the roof via a steep boulder problem. 10m.

Up above are a series of "easier"routes many of which are traversing in nature and still a bit wobbly. Best stripped by seconding and done when the circus is out of town below.

  1. Elvis Was A Longboarder - Fr. 6a+
    Raw

  2. Cocky Black Chauffage- Fr. 6c
    Up by there,risque by jove.

  3. Cross Incontinents - Fr. 6c
    Just pad on up,often damp.

  4. Nice day for a fake wedding - Fr. 5c
    Easiest here

  5. Jack Ketch's Dance- Fr. 6b
    More up by there butty

  6. Dylan's Delight - Fr. 6c
    Right up by there.

On the right wall of the cove are six completed routes.

rock climbing topo for the right-hand side of Shipwreck Cove, Rhossili, Gower, South Wales
Shipwreck Cove (Right)
  1. Blockiness - Fr. 6c+ ***
    Brilliant steep climbing on (mainly) huge buckets. Tricky to read if unchalked.(a large block has parted from the start in overwinter storms so the grade may be altered).

  2. Sand Man - Fr. 6b
    The central groove line. Good off-balance climbing marred slightly by the corner which forms a sand chute.

  3. Par 3 - Fr. 6b+ **
    Cracking wall climbing with good rests between steepenings.

  4. John's Route - Fr. 6a+ **
    Another cracking wall climbing with good rests between steepenings based around the shallow cave/roof.

  5. First Handout - Fr. 6a+**
    Gain the ramp continue to a niche with belay above.

  6. Make a Splash/Hand Shandy - Fr. 6a+
    Was a works in progress, to same belay as previous, now a stolen project!

Steve Warrington on "Blockiness", Shipwreck Cove, Rhossili, Gower, South Wales
Steve Warrington on Blockiness, Shipwreck Cove.

First Ascents

Shipwreck Cove (Left)

  1. Where has Stu Gone?Unknown 2014
  2. Mutiny Crack
  3. Wrecking Ball Rob Lamey, 1st September 2012
  4. Attrition - P.Littlejohn, J.Mothersele 1997
  5. Marine Layer Rob Lamey, 25th May 2013
  6. Bootneck - F7c  Andy Sharp, August 2017
  7. One Ton Depot - Rob Lamey, 9th August 2012
  8. Vennerne - Rob Lamey, 11th August 2012
  9. Airshow - Adrian Berry, 7th July 2013
  10. Eurofighter
  11. Helvetia - Ben West, 19th August 2014
  12. Delta Dagger - Dave Pickford, 15th August 2014
  13. Gunshow
  14. Cannonade
  15. Achilles Wrath- Simon Rawlinson, November 2012
  16. Hector Protector - Simon Rawlinson, November 2012
  17. King George vs. The Suffragettes - Simon Rawlinson, November 2012


Shipwreck Cove (Right)

  1. Blockiness
  2. Sand Man
  3. Par 3
  4. John's Route
  5. First Handout
  6. Make a Splash/Hand Shandy

Additional Photos

  • panorama of Shipwreck Cove, Gower, Rhossili, South Wales

    Panorama

  • Wrecking ball. Climber: Eleri Clark, Photographer: Martin Ellard

    Wrecking ball. Climber: Eleri Clark, Photographer: Martin Ellard

Notes

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