Castle Upon Alun
From SWMC Guidebook
Contents |
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. New sports routes allowed.
PREAMBLE
Although quite large, only the left-hand wall of the quarry has so far been developed. It is a steep 70-85 degree slab of good quality, but one that only really dries out in late spring and summer. It may take a ‘peeling’ to remove the moss carpets on routes on the right hand side of the crag. There are a couple of trad routes, but most of the climbing consists of thin, but well protected sports routes in the 6b/6c range. Worth a visit, if cleaned up this would be an excellent summer venue for Bridgend area climbers when the tides are wrong for Witches point or Ogmore.
Recent re-gearing - July 2010
ACCESS
From Junction 35 of the M4 follow the A473 to Bridgend. Several stretches of dual carriageway and roundaboouts lead to a oddly shaped traffic controlled roundabout, just after the McDonalds (joy), with the left turn signposted to Ogmore By Sea. Take this left turn and continue for about a mile until a left turn is signposted to (Ewenny) Corntown, immediately after a river bridge.
Follow this road until after ¼ mile there is a shop on the right (Ewenny/Corntown Stores), where a narrow road forks off up the hill on the right. Take this road over the crest of a slight hill. The rd goes straight down for about 1 mile, where there is a solitary stone wall ringed house on the right.
Take the narrow road on the right immediately after the house, and follow this to a ford.
Cross the ford and continue for about half a mile, passing under a bridge to reach a small parking space next to the river. A footpath through the trees on the right is followed to reach the quarry after about 10 minutes walk.
The direct approach from the large parking area immediately beyond the ford, crosses the railway line via some steep steps visible from the locked gate. The quarry is about 100m to the left, just past an obvious rock cutting. Of course, this access route is strictly forbidden!
OS GR: SS 909 753 / 290912 (E), 175394 (N)
Nearest Post Code: CF32 0TL
Lat : 51.466967
Long: -3.571838
DESCENTS
Most routes have lower offs, else abseil from trees.
THE ROUTES
The routes are described from left to right as approached.
- Off the Rails - Fr.4+
Short ,first route,same Lo as next route. 7m
- The Fat Controller-Fr.5
Short wall behind tree. 8m
- Eugene Genie - Fr.7a
First line on main slab,thin to start,hard at overlap. 12m
- Cordoba Express- Fr.6c+ *
Start as for Eugene Genie to the first BR, step up, then move right to a good bucket. Finish directly with interest. 15m
- Matalanafesto - Fr.6c
Direct (2 bolt) start to Cordoba Express. 15m
- Barry Freight - Fr.6b+ *
The next bolt line to the right. BB on the left.15m
- A Freem Of White Horses - E3,5c
To the right is a slot at 6m. Gain this (good Friends) and make some thin moves slightly left, to finish up the wall on slots.
- California Freeming - Fr.6b
Climb to the Friend slot move slightly right and finish up a good crack. 15m
- Pubic Enema - Fr.6b+
To the right at the top of the crag is a square-cut groove. Gain this with some thin moves and climb it with care at the very top. 15m
- Freeming Of Jeannie - HVS,5a
A diagonal pocketed crack slants up and right to a slot at 15m. Make a committing stretch up to the BB of Branch Line to finish. 15 m
- Branch Line - Fr.6a
The slab to the right to step left into the previous route just after the top BR. Follow it to a BB. 15m
There are three unrealized projects to the right, then the earth slope rises steeply.
- Anal Retention - Fr.6c **
The route of the crag. Up and right of the alcove at the base of the crag is a white section of rock. Climb this by technical moves. 14m
- Banal Pretention - Fr.6c
Up to the right is a slot at 3m. Gain this by a technical sequence and continue with difficulty. 12m
- The Trainspotter - Fr.6b
At the top of the banking are two shorter lines. This is the left-hand one, with a tricky start. 11m
- Weak Lemon Drink - Fr.6b+
The line to the right has a hard start followed by a dyno for the big triangular pocket. Finish direct. 10m
FIRST ASCENTS
1.R Thomas 2005
2. Eugene Jones 2005
3,4 RT 1995
5,6 Andy Freem pre 1991
7 RT 1995
8.AF pre 1991
9,10,11,12,13 RT 1995
