[slackline]

If you do head north of the border don't forget to check the Midge forecast 

[SA Chris]

The point is, it makes Pembroke look increasingly more appealing.

No diggety. If you've never been to Pembroke, there is some great trad to be had, especially if you are the right side of the bird ban, so you can avoid having to clim on the horrific polish at the honeypots like St Govans and Stennis Head.

And get to North Pembroke too when the arms get tired.

[SA Chris]

If you do head north of the border don't forget to check the Midge forecast 

I trust you are joking, as that is utterly useless. Midge levels are so "microconditions" dependant that even moving 50m from a gully onto a buttress, or from shade into sun can nmake a world of difference.

[slackline]

For once I was, saw it mentioned in this...

BBC News article

[cheque]

Tat that looked fine got pulled a bit with rope drag revealing all kinds of horrors where it'd been in the rock. There was even a wooden block driven behind a flake FFS

My feelings are that most of this tat is at best unneccesary and at worst dangerous. With a half-decent modern rack you rarely need any of it, and I'd rather look up and know what I'm dealing with than see a load of encouraging tat that turns out to be worthless. I started a campaign of removing it last summer but didn't get very far - on the first route I tackled I was accused of elitist behaviour.  Seems folk would far rather have some kind of pseudo-trad scene where they treat it as sport climbing but with a bit of 'adventure' added by the gear being varied.

I quite like old pegs as historical pieces, but five-year old tat around pencil-thick threads I really don't get. Put a bloody wire in. Sent a guy up Black Grub last week and he commented he didn't feel he could take E3 as he didn't need to place a runner. Is this good? The middle of the wedge seems to be about lime trad favouring convenience over adventure...

Agree with this 100%, particularly when there are crap old threads blocking the hole of servicable pegs (the Thorn springs to mind). Needlessly dangerous.

[chris j]

The point is, it makes Pembroke look increasingly more appealing.

Not as tourist-ridden as the South West but the big question there will be whether the MOD are firing on the ranges through the week, I remember some news a while back on t'other side that they were seeing heavier use than normal in June.

[Paul B]

I trust you are joking, as that is utterly useless. Midge levels are so "microconditions" dependant that even moving 50m from a gully onto a buttress, or from shade into sun can nmake a world of difference.

I think the Weather is pointing us that way, there's a few bits I'd really like ticking off in North Wales as well.

Shame the weather doesn't look that good for the coming weekend. Still not really sure where it leaves us.

The point is, it makes Pembroke look increasingly more appealing.

Not as tourist-ridden as the South West but the big question there will be whether the MOD are firing on the ranges through the week, I remember some news a while back on t'other side that they were seeing heavier use than normal in June.

anybody know where this info can be found?

(and if someone wouldn't just mind wiping my arse as well...sorry for all the punterly questions of late)

[reeve]

There is this page: http://www.pembrokeshireranges.com/Castlemartin%20Programme.html

but it doesn't tell you much beyond them booking in to fireon every mid-week day available. I understand that they're not firing throughout August, although the page for then is blank.

[slackline]

I'll pass on wiping your arse thanks, but you might find the Climbers Club Tide Calculator useful if going near the sea.

Best to avoid getting wet (I did thankfully!)...

Lucky Strike (E1/2 5b), Rusty Walls, Pembroke

[Paul B]

(are they 100% crops?)

I'd already wishlisted the routes pictured on your Flickr stream 

[chillax]

Pembroke is ace. B-Team Buttress at Crickmail Point is another excellent E1. Oh and if your better half doesn't like traverses, make sure the bottom of Lucky Strike isn't damp. I remember sketching that bit on second last year thinking "fuck, if I come off here I'm in the sea". Having said that its easy climbing and she's probably a much better climber than me so its unlikely to be something to worry about 

[SA Chris]

And don't do Riders on the Storm, unless you want divorce.

North Pembs, Mother Careys, Lydstep, Giltar etc are all unaffected by firing.

[nodder]

And don't do Riders on the Storm, unless you want divorce.

I remember someone convincing me that this would be a great deep water solo at high tide so three of us set off down and then across it, turned out they may have been right, apart from the fact it was low tide.  I was very scared, memorable though.

Recon that pembroke is my favorite place i ever did proper climbing, mind you i am not at all qualified.

[SA Chris]

Even at high tide wouldn't fancy the exit chimney, which is a bit awkward IIRC.

[slackline]

They're about ²/₃ of originals.

Did Strait Gate at Mother Scarey which was very good, and the others round the corner (Inner Space I think was one that my friend says was "interesting", might not suite Nat though).

Eaves Dripping was the other route we did at Saddle Head.

[Paul B]

Its mainly steepness that stops her. She regularly outclasses me in other arease but thankfully I've still got strength for now (wel all know how far that gets you  )

Out of interest which guidebook is the best for Pembroke? I've heard mixed things re: the rockfax guide and to be honest I'd rather buy other people guides in preference.

[slackline]

Welcome to borrow the Climbers Club guides I have (supposedly a new edition in the pipeline I found out after buying them).

Friend had Rockfax guide and we used both.

[duncan]

Out of interest which guidebook is the best for Pembroke? I've heard mixed things re: the rockfax guide and to be honest I'd rather buy other people guides in preference.

There are two choices: Climber's Club or Rockfax.  The CC guide is typical of their output 15 years ago: comprehensive, reliant almost entirely on written descriptions that are frequently tortuously self referential, extremely difficult to use.  If you've never been to the place before and don't have a native guide, you are very likely to spend considerable time trying to work out where everything is.  There are 5 (!) volumes of replacement in the pipeline which, judging by more recent CC guides, should be excellent.  Supposedly out 2011-12. 

The new Rockfax is also typical of their output.  It is a efficient tool for finding your way to and up the selected climbs it covers.  It's full of high-quality topos and maps.  Every route gets three stars, the sky is always blue and T-shirts are always red. 

If I was going to Pembroke tomorrow for the first time the Rockfax is the only sensible choice.  I'll also be buying some or all of the CC guides when they finally hit the shops.    Borrowing some is perhaps the ideal solution!

[Bonjoy]

Like Duncan says, get the Rockfax it will make life a LOT easier on your first trip. Though selective it will have all the routes you’re likely to want to do in it.
If firing is an issue (or even if it isn’t) get yourselves to Mother Carey’s. Brilliant crag. Some steep bits on some of the classics like Deepspace and Zeppelin but typically juggy on these bits, I’m sure Nat will not have a problem. Rock Idol is super classic at E1.
If conditions/firing are ok you should go down Huntsmans Leap, just to experience the place, even if you only climb the easiest line out (E1/2). A much better exit would be Bloody Sunday at a very well protected and soft E4.
The bottoms of some routes get very greasy in certain conditions but you can usually find routes which aren’t to badly affected, e.g. at somewhere like Stennis Head where the climbing starts some way above water level. Often the greasyness gets less throughout the day and is gone by early afternoon. The exposed crags are very quick drying after rain.
By North Pembroke people generally mean Carreg y Barcud, most of the other crags are pretty obscure and untraveled. CyB is a series of slate like slabs made of very hard shale. The climbs are mostly fantastic and often surprisingly well protected slab routes, though the crag doesn’t have the grandeur of south pemb.

[SA Chris]

Its mainly steepness that stops her.

She won't be a happy bunny then. Most stuff in S Pembs is more or less vertical, with a few exceptions; notably Bow Shaped Slab, Crystal Slab and Saddle point.

Carreg Y Barcud, Porth Clais, Caerfai etc in N Pembs are more slabby and have a much friendlier atmosphere

[SA Chris]

By North Pembroke people generally mean Carreg y Barcud, most of the other crags are pretty obscure and untraveled.

Porth Clais probably gets as much traffic as CyB, some good easier routes, and Caerfai is probably not far behind. Plus you can visit St Davids, Britains smallest city, and go for a swim at Newgale Beach.

[dave]

I remember using the old CC guides in pembroke, every route was a case of "5 miles left of the previous route is a crag made of rock. This route climbs it". Great if you're cruising around the coast in a dingy but fuck all use for anything else.

carreg Y barcud is a great crag - even a seacliff pussy like me didn't get scared there. A bit further north there's another slabby crag, can't remember the name but its got a good easier wall of HHS/VSs and another slab with a great HVS and E2 on it.

[SA Chris]

A bit further north there's another slabby crag, can't remember the name but its got a good easier wall of HHS/VSs and another slab with a great HVS and E2 on it.

Sounds like Caerfai, Although Amorican has been downgraded to VS.

[dave]

Yeah I think I was thinking of amorican and uncertain smile.

[SA Chris]

Certainly.