DRAFT

Owing to myriad logistical issues Mich, Stu and Lynne were the first to arrive on Thursday evening, albeit at a different campsite to the one advertised due to capacity! They were duly waiting in the pub when Jo and I arrived, 1 minute too late to order any food! A ham sandwich from the car and a quick pint later it was back to the campsite to wrestle with the shelter we’d erected all night, as the wind tried it’s hardest to steal it. Needless to say, it did not survive until morning.

With that trauma behind us and with the weather still feeling fairly stormy (and discovering we couldn’t climb in Range West without attending an explosives briefing, the last of which had long since passed for this year), we convened in the car park at St. Govan’s. We made our way down to Saddle Head, to keep our feet out of the waves, ignoring the groups already heading back towards the car park having thought better of the idea.

We’ve no idea why, because after a short ab vs. scramble debate, we had a lovely couple of hours of having the cliff to ourselves before the Friday afternoon travellers descended.

Quake-flake (S): Mich/Lynne

Fel Gwyr (D): Sean/Jo/Stu

Forgotten Corner (HVD): Stu/Sean/Jo

Small Beginnings (VD): Sean/ Jo/ Stu

Nameless Wall (HS): Lynne/Mich

Sea Mist (HS): Mich/Lynne

??: Lynne/Mich

With more arrivals on the way, and more people falling foul of the serving times, we reconvened at the pub after tea on Friday evening to plan our attack for Saturday.

The Giltar Slabs at Penally East were to be the venue for the day. A beautiful situation and a lovely range of slab routes (would you believe?) however, grades appeared to mean nothing here and it did get a little repetitive! A day to appreciate the joy of being outside rather than perhaps the technicality of the climbing.

Giltar Crack (D): Sean/Jo, Lewis/Leah

Giltar Slab Route (S): Yvonne/Andy, Sean/Jo, Stu/Tom

45 Degrees in the Sun (VS): Lynne/Mich, Sean/Jo

First Impression (HS):

Slender Slab (S): Andy/Yvonne

Saturday night consisted of a hastily consumed pub meal, including a very hearty soup, before gathering around the campfire for some questionable chat!

Sadly, Sunday morning was pretty wet and miserable, so Jo and I made a break for home as I had some work commitments to get back to, whilst the others embarked on some 10/10 touristing for the day. Although a slither of dry rock was found for the afternoon!

Routes

More success was to be had on Monday for those lucky enough to still be there, who headed to Saddle Head to round off a cracking weekend.

Routes

"Pembroke is a world-class climbing area, renowned for its atmospheric sea cliffs and dramatic rock architecture. With an exclusively trad ethic, steep wall climbing, crack, and groove systems abound, while delightful areas of slabs and easier grade climbs can easily be sought out. Regardless of the climbing, the stunning scenery and great beaches make for a hugely popular holiday destination." - Paul Robertson, Pembroke Rock.

"For years the limestone cliffs of Pembroke had a fear inducing reputation as a destination only suited to those operating at the extreme end of the climbing scale, but this should not put lower grade climbers off today. For there has been a huge development of climbs below HVS in the last decade or two. The esoteric gabbro of St David’s Head and the slabby sandstone of the Southern Bays, both in north Pembrokeshire, certainly provide a fantastic alternative to the sheer limestone cliffs further south, and there are sections in Range West which have some of the best lower grade climbing in the country." - Emma Alsford, Climbers' Club.

For those in the know, Pembroke needs no introduction, for everyone else, a quick internet search will sell it to you in no time at all! There's a lifetimes worth of climbing to be enjoyed right across the grades, all that's needed is some familiarity with abseiling and basic multi-pitch skills (if you find yourself thinking "maybe this isn't for me", just get in touch. There's plenty of time through the summer to get you familiarised with these skills).

After the success of last years meet we will return to Parke Farm Camping which is located a few miles from Pembroke itself and gives easy access to all of the climbing to the South. We'll likely arrive int he evening of Wednesday 21st and leave on Tuesday 27th but feel free to pick your own dates to suit. Advance booking of the campsite is necessary. You are of course welcome to stay elsewhere, just let me know where you'll be and we can coordinate with you.

For those who aren't climbing or just fancy a bit of variety, you'll also be surrounded by the National Park, countless beaches, coastal paths, pubs and cafes so there's should be something to keep you entertained.

I hope you can join us and look forward to seeing lots of you there. Any questions feel free to get in touch.

Sean