Combat Rock Area

Combat Rock Feels more like soft ish E1- 5b Worth one star.
Rhyfelwr E1+ 5b. Good micro now protects initial section. Above, climbing is more straightforward and safer than Combat Rock.
Drunken Laughs E1/2 5b. new route in the back of the alcove. Tackle the boulder wall to gain the flake crack and totter onto the bolt. all is left is the slab and the lower off is yours. [FA Matt Pugh, Mark Dicken]

The West Wall
Abb Point to the Quarryman Ledge has been replaced, as has the bolt belay on that ledge, which belongs to the wonderful world of walt... THis means it is possible to get to the bottom of Twll Mawr in 2 abbs. Handy for nesting season.


The Quarryman E8 6c,6b,6c,7a
Bolts on New York belay replaced. Most bolts replaced on top pitch.


The North Wall



Here it is as promised, it also includes abandoned projects and escape points..

Opening Gambit 178m MXS
The original route of Twll Mawr, it crosses a band best described as “Geologically Lively” and has significantly altered since Joe Browns probings in 1971, the description is currently on its third rewrite, hence the upgrade from HVS to MXS. Potential ascentionists should be prepared for substantial looseness on all pitches varying from mild exfoliation to tottering of Jenga proportions. Start at the top of a scree cone in a corner, below the Quarryman ledge.

1. 45m –. Pick your way up the scree coated ledges to arrive at the Quarryman ledge, where the bolt belay of the Wonderful World.. provides some safety.
2. 25m 4c. Traverse gingerly right wards to a deep groove, ascend this to a sloping ledge. This is followed to a “Bad Step” above is a large bay where a thread belay can be made amongst the boulders.
3. 33m 5a. Pick your way across the bay to its right arête. This used to be barred by a huge detached pillar known as the Banana flake, the tottering tower left by its demise should be treated with respect. Surmount the blocks to the left of the arête to gain some reliable gear in some hairline cracks. Monkey out onto the crystal ledge on the arête, and ignoring the 100m of air beneath your heels, mantle and gain the ledge above. A possible belay, but requires some inventiveness. Ascend the tower of blocks above the belay to gain a bay of steeply sloping scree. Good belay at the back at a slanting crack.

5, 6 and possibly 7. 75m 4c. Layback up the crack and take the easiest line up the variety of ledges above, belaying where applicable, until reaching a point where the faultline of Hamadryad terminates in a steep wall. The ledge here provides the final belay. Exit left along the ledge, over a hut roof.
Descent is either up towards heavens walls and over to Serengeti’s yellow wall incline, or down towards Watford gap, for the Bar of Soap scramble descent, or the Abb station of Drunken Laughs. (9/4/71) Replacement pitches 3& 4 climbed 02 M. Dicken, Tom Shaw. P3 re-reclimbed 5/10/07 M. Dicken J. Byrne.


Taith Mawr 283m E4 6a (got to be worth some stars..)
The Epic Girdle, ED2 is more like it! To get it in a single push will definitely require a summer’s day, prolonged dry weather and an early start. Begin by abbing into the Quarrymans ledge and belay as for Wonderful World..

1. 25m 4c. As for Opening Gambit pitch 2.
2. 18m 5a. As For Opening Gambit pitch 3, to the “possible” belay on the arête, big cams and an array of slings, hooks, whatever..
3. 25m 5b. Traverse right to the end of the ledge and drop down 1m onto a continuation ledge. This terminates in a ledge with a shot hole in it which will take a folded nut. Continue to gingerly traverse right with hands on a rail of flakes, which takes a sky hook here and there. Finally reach a vertical crack and some good gear. Drop down a little and continue traversing to a hanging flake. Ascend this to belay in the groove of Hamadryad.
4. 40m 5b. A poorly protected pitch. Follow Hamadryad until level with the Bastard Bush of Twll Mawr. Traverse underneath this to gain a big ledge on the right hand arête of the Hamadryad groove. Climb up a series of sloping ledges, keeping slightly right of the arete, until level with a gorse infested ledge in a corner on the right. This is your belay, bring secateurs.
5. 40m 5a. Climb the groove behind the belay until it is possible to step right and up onto a sloping ledge. Slither right to a big flat hold and continue until a jug allows upward movement. More slopey slithering follows rightward, below a perched terminator block, around a rib into the groove beyond. Clamber up onto the ledges on the right, gain the dolerite arete and mantle to the belay of True Finish.
6. 20m 4a. walk along the ledge and down to the Razor’s edge belay below.
7. 30m 6a. Now it gets serious, check the daylight and seepage, as the next 2 pitches are inescapable. Down climb Razor’s Edge a few meters to the first significant sloping ledge. To your right is a series of sloping holds terminating in a gap, above and beyond which there is a slate spike and another slightly higher foot ledge. Lasso the spike, and rock over up onto the ledge, poor cam slot above, and a rounded jug. Bridge across towards the arête on huge foot holds and limbo under the impending holdless headwall to gain the jug on the arête proper(crux). Scamper round, remembering to protect your second, and belay in the corner below.
8. 30m 5c. Climb above the belay until it is possible to pull out right onto a sloping ledge, shot hole protection. Insinuate right around the sharp arête and pop for the jug in the right wall. Campus to the ledge (pro), and continue right down a bad step to a vegetated ledge. Belay on the far right at a crack.
9. 45m 4b. Drop down to the heathery terrace. Traverse above the belay of Bushmaster, above the tunnel entrance, and up towards the chimney of Scorpion, drop right and proceed to the huge perched block at the end of the terrace. Surmount this and belay on the ledge above.
10. 10m 4a. Follow the ledge back left until it is possible to gain the Kyber Pass.

M. Dicken, J. Byrne (P1-4 5/10/08, P5-8 19/02/07, P9-10 M.D. solo 28/01/08) The

Punters Retreat 55m E3 5b
This is a handy exit from the belay at the end of Pitch 4 of Twll Mawr. If say, you got benighted, or scared. Leave the bay heading left to gain a series of sloping ramps. This should lead you to a blocky tower with a V shaped cam slot on its right hand side. Ascend this tower and head upwards to a steep bay with a stepped arête projecting from its middle, ascend the arête, shuffle left and ascend to a verdant shelf capped bay just below the top (possible belay). Climb onto the shelf on the right and bumble left around a sharp arête to an easier exit. M. Dicken, J.Byrne (5/10/07)

next line right after Opening Gambit is:
Hamadryad E3 5c.**
First pitch starts at a large dolerite boulder, weave up to the hanging slab, climbed on the right, then exited via a leftwards traverse to gain the ledge and belay. rest as for prev guide.

Then
Razors edge E3/4 6b step off the scree straight to the end of the 1st pitch by the chain. bolts replaced for the true finish and where relevent on razors edge. Razors edge breaks off right, the true finish (E4)* goes up,ascending seporate sections of the wall and seporate razors. (rebolted1/08) True finish pitch cleaned 08/08

Next right is:
Bushmaster E3 6a/b *
Amazing second pitch, Starts in the yellow groove with the NEW groove in the left wall (the result of the removal of hanging death) this is followed until its is possible to escape onto the left arete, which forms a rib upto a flat gorsey ledge below a steep slab- this is the belay! a mixture of the topo and the old guide will see you to the top.
Absolutely knackering groove, we combined it with the top pitches of scorpion, for that 1000 mile stare effect!

Last route starting at the bottom is:
Scorpion MXS
First bit is a tad loose, its easy ground, but the shelves are covered with slate blocks, these require tip toeing around.

THe line out of the tunnel right is R Kay's Puff The Cracked up Dragon grade?

The South Wall

The Bolt Belay for Wolfhound and The Birdman of Caer Bellan has been replaced. These routes are accessable from the abb station at the start of the traverse to the alcove.

Sport routes not in the old guide. bolts seem stainless or at least sound, rumoured to be in the low to mid F7's 40 and 30m odd respectively.

Right-hand line (In the Line of Fire?) - FA: S.Mayers 1990's
A good F7c+ with a thin upper section.

Left-hand line looks less good.


Practically esoteric E2 Checked original description and has definately fallen down, at least in part, and the area is now a tad unstable (further left of these routes as you look at the piccy).