Pembs here we come..
It is the 2nd week in October and typically for North Wales it has been raining on a fairly consistent basis for a few weeks. Having climbed in the Alps earlier this summer and then returning back to the damp mountains of North Wales I had lost my mojo for trad climbing. However, the thought of a three-day trip to Pembroke to climb on some of the best limestone sea cliffs in the world, with over 3000 routes from novice to elite climber is enough to wet my appetite. There is a planned climbing club meet coming up on the weekend in Pembrokeshire. All I need now is a climbing partner! A couple of exchanges via WhatsApp and Ben, a fellow club member and friend is up for it, 3 pounds a night camping, there’s a pub! It’s in walking distance!” appears to seal the deal… Forty-eight hours later and we’re heading to Pembroke with two other climbers from the club Dave & Stu. These guys are veterans of Pembrokeshire Sea Cliff climbing, they have visited the area for over twenty years and know the place inside out. Our aim is to get on some classic climbs and understand the logistics of the place eg the abseil entry points and get as many routes in as possible in the Severe to VS grades, but first we have to pitch our tents in the dark.
The rugged limestone coastline
Bombs away…
The following morning, we are wakened by the definitive thud of artillery rounds nearby. “Incoming” someone shouts from inside a nearby tent we are close to the MOD firing ranges at Castlemartin, it’s Friday and the ranges are still active. We soon decide on a new venue for the day’s climbing, after a quick pot of quick porridge we head quickly to Mother Careys area, from here we are pointed in the direction of the White Tower (sounds like something out of Lord of the Rings) further east, the face of the tower gleams bright as the sunlight reflects off the sea, it looks stunning. We follow the grass banked walk to a col, and then scramble down to a sea level platform that we traverse around to the base of our climb, Sea Groove. It’s given a VS 4C in our guidebook and best done in two pitches. Ben takes the 1st pitch to a niche and I lead us up the steep corner to the top out. And that’s it, we are immediately both hooked on Pembroke limestone, What a fantastic route! The quality of the rock is superb. We head back to meet up with the other guys, we are grinning from ear to ear like a pair of Cheshire cats, In the mean time they have been climbing something a bit more challenging on Brazen Buttress and not for the faint hearted.
Looking down the 2nd pitch of Sea Groove on the White Tower
We chill out for five, and decide on our next route, Dave & Stu have already rigged an abseil up into Mother (S)Carey’s Kitchen so it would be rude not to get on it and have a look at what’s on offer at this famous venue. As we head down, the sea level is rising and the tide is starting to return, a few breakers are spilling over the platform. We arrive at the lower level and are greeted by Jim and Paul also from the club, they have just arrived and about to set off up “Sunsmoke”. Our plan is to tackle a route called “The Cracks” it’s given a severe in our Rockfax guide, we decide to do it in two pitches as there’s an obvious belay cave halfway up. I set off, the climbing is steep but steady for a few moves until I hit the crux. I attempt it the most obvious way but my head doesn’t like it. I climb back down a step to have another look, five mins later after rehearsing the moves several times I have another go, this time I place a cam in the large crack above before setting off. The next couple of moves are quite delicate and require good balance to get to the next good hold, I quickly wrap a sling around a spike for protection, relax and climb on upwards to the cave. As I sit belaying Ben up I think to myself, this route’s not a severe! Ben arrives and agrees with my synopsis, before heading off up the second bold pitch to the top out. We later find out its given a VS 4C in the climbers’ club guide and in my opinion more accurate.
Tackling the Crux on “The Cracks”’
A rude awakening..
Tomorrow’s plan is to visit another local venue, its due to rain overnight so we’ll finalise in the morning, once the weather makes its mind up. Initial thoughts are to head to the cliffs at Saddle Step. After a few beers and evening meal at St Govans Inn we return to our luxury 3-star tents and sleeping bags for the night. I’ve been asleep for what seems like hours when I’m suddenly awakened by a distinctive russelling sound of plastic bags from inside the tent. I reach for my torch and eventually find it and the on button in the darkness to find an intruder in the tent. A hedgehog has infiltrated the inner tent and decided to help himself to the confines of my food bag, he seems to have had a good go at the almonds and apricots and made a start on the dry porridge oats. Shocked, but pleasantly surprised I get out of my sleeping bag and remove the little guy and place him outside Phil & Sean’s tent a few metres away and return to my ransacked tent. It’s several hours later before his return for seconds!! The following morning we are greeted with the forecasted rain so we take a slow start and breakfast at Ye Old Worlde Café in Bosherton, the place has not changed in fifty years I’m informed. It’s mid morning once the rain stops, we head to range west and split into three groups, we head to Saddle Step and the MOD building in search of our recommended three-star VS route Blue Sky. On arrival at the venue its quite obvious from the high spring tide that the full route of Blue Sky is not accessible as the waves are crashing high up on to it. We decide to settle for the route next to it, a Hard Severe and appropriately named Sea Mist. We set up anchors above and abseil down, it appears to be a one pitch route so I take the lead for this one, it has a delicate, bold traverse out to an arete and then the climb leads up the left-hand edge of the slab, the climbing is great and there are plenty of places to place protection on route.
Abseiling down to the ledge of Sea Mist
Save the best for Last
For our final day in Pembroke, we aim for an area known as Mowing Word. A brilliant sea cliff venue with some great routes at all grades. Diedre Sud (HS) is rightly a classic* and first on our list. We park at Stackpole Quay and walk south along the scenic coastal path, the sun is shining and it’s a blue sky day which makes for an enjoyable walk in. It takes about thirty minutes to reach the top of the cliffs and the random abseil stakes at the top where we will start. We rack up and agree who’s leading what pitch and set up our abseil down the long corner in the centre of the limestone face of our route. I’m pretty certain it’s the right route as Ben lowers himself towards the sea. A few minutes later and we’re both hanging from our belay sixty metres from the top, watching the waves crashing in below our feet. Without further ado I lead off up the steep corner, the rock is slightly damp but dries out as I gain height and the quality of the limestone is just fantastic, everything flows and I soon arrive at the half height ledge where I stop to bring up Ben to join me, he gets to climb the whole route without stopping and makes a great lead of the 2nd pitch. At the top we agree it’s a fab route and great addition to the logbook.
Ben heading up the 2nd Pitch of Deidre Sud
After chilling out for a while, an increase to our calorie intake and thumb through the guidebook, we decide on another route, why not ? its early afternoon, plenty of time. We both like the sound of the adventurous three pitch Razorbill (VS 4C), a combination of traversing and steep climbing in exposed positions throughout. We use the same abseil line and reconvene at the hanging belay. Once again I head off first, this time traversing out right before moving up to a ledge beneath the big corner at the lower left-hand side of a sea cave. The hand holds appear fairly positive and there’s some good threads for placing protection. However its mostly barnacles for feet ! The incoming roar of the tide and waves snapping at our heels certainly adds to the ambiance and I struggle to hear Ben shouting profanities on his way over trying to remove the gear.
The adventurous 1st Pitch Traverse of Razorbill (it goes from left to right)
Next up is a steep slab climb to an overhang and once again Ben steps up and makes it look easy with his precision footwork before hitting the crux below an overhang. He’s out of sight now and It takes a few minutes to work out but seems an eternity as the tide is getting closer by the second. ‘Hurry up Ben I say to myself inside my head’. I look across to the other side of the bay and I can see a small crowd of onlookers forming on the top of the cliffs watching the entertainment in anticipation and then I hear the word “Safe” echo out from above. It’s Ben he’s reached the belay, the ropes pull tight and its my turn to climb and not a second to soon as the water is pooling at my feet with the rapidly rising tide. It’s an exposed pitch and certainly adventurous as it winds up the cliff face to a ledge where we are once again acquainted. An exchange of pleasantries, a wave for the cameras and I’m off up the steep wall of the final pitch. Once again it’s exposed but protected, I take the right hand crack of the two and pull over the cliff top to safety to be greeted by Stew and Dave who are waiting tentatively with the keys to the van and our taxi home.. a four hour journey north.
The final pitch
In summary I was completely blown away by the amazing quality and variety of the rock climbing on offer in Pembroke.
Somehow I think we’ll be back in the not too distant future !!
* There’s a valid reason why the route appears in the “Classic Rock Climbs of Great Britain”, the “50 Best HS Routes in the UK”, “100 Best Limestone Climbs in Britain”, the “BMC 70th Anniversary Ticklist” and last but not least “Libby Peter’s Hard Severe Hit List..
