The Western Crag

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The Western Crag
Rock Type Natural Jurassic Limestone
Climbing Style Trad
Approach Time
Area South Coast
Sub Area Ogmore
Geodata
WGS-84 Location 51.453745, -3.622776
OS Grid Ref. SS 873 740
WGS-84 Parking Location
GR Parking Location
Base Elevation 0 metres (Other)
General Info
Faces Direction South West
Aspect
Wind Sheltered
Climbing Type Serious
Seepage
Crags Within 2.0 km

Black Zawn, Cave Inlet, 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, Ogmore Popular End, Phaser Wall, Playtime Wall, Right Hand Wall, Second Inlet, Stone Wings Cliff, The Biscuit, The Castle Area, The Long Wall, The Western Crag, Tiger Bay, Tusker Chimney Area, Twinkle Buttress, Witches Cave, Witches Tip


ACCESS

See the Ogmore Crag Familiarisation Page.

The Routes

Western Crag
Western Crag - Left
Western Crag - Right
Just Taking a Gander - E1 5b
Alan Rosier on Christmas Cracker(?). The mid height overhangs to the left contain the route Kite, Mighty Steel-(white tat with rotted peg visible in pic) etc.
Ogmore goose wall.jpg

At the far left (west) end of the crag is a large square cave with a prominent rock scar to its right. The following three routes are on the wall left of the cave. They lead to a large ledge with stake belays that are also useful for abseiling. These routes are 100m to the left (west) of Route 1.

A difficult area to pick your routes as there are fewer natural features hereabouts. The area can be prone to seepage after rain.

  1. Spangle Texture VS 4b
    Start 4m left of the cave. Gain the first horizontal crack traverse left and go directly to the belay on the ledge.18m

  2. In Dispute With Nappy Rash HVS 5a 18m.
    Start 3m left of the cave. Climb easily onto a ledge, continue to the upper horizontal break and traverse slightly left until a line of holds lead to the large ledge.

  3. Raw Energy E2 5c 18m.
    Start just left of the cave. Climb via an undercut ledge and flake crack to the roof. Pull up left onto the obvious nose, move left up the wall, PR and continue over the small roof to the large ledge.

    The right side of the prominent white buttress forming the right side of the square cave houses the remains of The Pursuit Of Happiness (S.Bartlett, S.Kennedy 2pt 1980, FFA A.Sharp, Owen Jones 1986). Two new routes occupy the area of the cave.

  4. Lipstick 27m E3,6a
    Start at the left edge of the cave, at a ragged undercut ledge at head height as for Raw Energy. Pull onto the ledge and climb rightwards into a white corner. Make a hard move over the bulge to gain good holds up and right on the wall. Traverse right for 6m along the lip of the roof, until a line of weakness leads over a small overhang to the terrace.

  5. Winchfactor Five 20m E2 5c
    The smooth groove right of the cave. Move up to a slot place a crucial Friend 2½, then traverse right to a sloping ledge at the foot of the groove. Follow the groove to the right-hand limit of the cave roof. Swing right and finish up a well-protected pocketed crack through the bulge.

    The long wall to the right of the square cave has few notable features and contains these routes.

  6. Chill Factor 18m HVS,5a
    A route that has been affected by storms. Start right of the cave, just left of a grey arête. Climb up for 1½m before moving right onto the arête and up to an overhang. Step left to a ledge, back right and climb the roof to the top.

  7. Side Step 24m VS,4b
    Start just right of a shallow cave at the featureless wall. Climb diagonally left for 15m to follow a weakness in the upper wall.

  8. Goose Step VS 4b
    Start just left of the recess below the arched roof,easily up to a ledge then take the faint groove above to the good belay on the pavement above.17m. Best located from the pavement ledge above as this and the next 3 routes have good belays and can easily be approached by abseil to squeeze out the last of the tide.

  9. Sauce For The Goose HVS 5b
    Straight through the central arch of the reccess.PR. 17m

  10. Now Your Goose Is Cooked HVS 5a
    The wall just right utilising a distinctive protruding jammed foot pebble. 17m

  11. Just Taking A Gander E1 5b
    The steep wall just right(er).PR. 17m.

  12. Threading The Goose20m HVS 5a*
    Blue threads

  13. Pluck A Duck20m * E1 5b
    Left edge of roofs PR.

    To the right are a series of obvious overhangs.

  14. Kite18m E1,5b
    Climb to the lower overhangs 4m from their left end. Follow a crack round the first overhang, then move left over the top overhang to finish.

  15. Swing Wing 18m E3,5c
    Start as for Kite. Climb to the first overhang and pull over this. Move right to a short corner, then leftwards and back right, to finish over the final overhang.

  16. Mighty Steel 18m E5,6c
    Start from a recessed ledge right of Kite. Climb to the first roof, PR, undercut through the break in the roof, to better holds, then direct, PR, through the roofs to a recess and an exit leftwards.

  17. Storm Damage 18m E2,5b
    Start below a slabby white rib. Climb to the right side of the roofs then directly over to the top.

  18. Christmas Cracker 18m HVS,4c *
    Start 9m right of Kite, below the right side of the overhangs at a shallow groove. Climb the right rib of the groove for 9m then move up right to a bulge. Climb back left above the bulge, surmount the overhang and finish up the obvious groove to the left.

  19. Christmas Hangover 18m HS,4b
    Climbs the groove just right of Christmas Cracker. Climb the nose to a ledge, then follow the line of least resistance up right to finish.

  20. Slippery Jim 18m HVS,4c
    Start just right of Christmas Hangover. Aim for the corner at the left side of the overhang. From this climb slightly left, moving up rightwards to finish up the groove.

  21. Strategic Zap Attack 18m E3,6b *
    Start just left of Twinkle Buttress and surmount the large roof at 12m. Powerful moves are needed to get over the roof at its widest point, PR.

  22. Wazzock 18m HVS,5a *
    Start below the right hand side of the Strategic Zap Attack roof, below a groove. Gain the groove and climb it direct on good holds. Finish directly over the overlap.

First Ascents

  1. Spangle Texture - S.Blackman, M.Eden 00.00.1984
  2. In Dispute With Nappy Rash - G.Lewis, S.Lewis 00.00.1983
  3. Raw Energy - M.Learoyd, R.Thomas, G.Royle 00.00.1984
  4. Lipstick - M.Crocker, D.Sergeant 18.07.1999
  5. Winchfactor Five - M.Crocker, D. Sergeant 18.07.1999
  6. Chill Factor - P.Littlejohn, S.Lewis 11.01.1981
  7. Side Step - J.Harwood, C.Horsfield 10.05.1978
  8. Goose Step - R.Thomas solo 2002
  9. Sauce For The Goose - R.Thomas Matt Hirst 2002
  10. Now Your Goose Is Cooked - R.Thomas Nick O'Neill2002
  11. Just Taking A Gander - R.Thomas Nick O'Neill2002
  12. Threading The Goose -
  13. Pluck A Duck -
  14. Kite - S.Lewis, J.Harwood 04.10.1978
  15. Swing Wing - P.Littlejohn, T.Penning 18.01.1983
  16. Mighty Steel - M.Crocker, M.Ward 26.04.1987
  17. Storm Damage - M.Crocker, R.Thomas 29.03.1987
  18. Christmas Cracker - P.Thomas, J.Mothersele 24.12.1972
  19. Christmas Hangover - J.Mothersele 00.00.1972
  20. Slippery Jim - J.Harwood, C.Horsfield 24/12/1972
  21. Strategic Zap Attack - M.Crocker, M.Ward, R.Thomas 26.04.1987
  22. Wazzock - J.Kerry 00.00.1971