Corkscrew

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 51.95707°N / 5.14375°W
Additional Information Route Type: Trad Climbing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Time Required: Less than two hours
Additional Information Difficulty: HS 4a (5.6-5.7 YDS)
Additional Information Number of Pitches: 2
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Firstly let's make one thing clear - Craig Llong is a great place to climb; it's beautiful, it's serene and it's atmospheric and as such, it's home to some wonderfully engaging and unusual routes. Unfortunately, for the low to mid grade climber all of these wonders hang frustratingly out of reach, mocking them from the Extremely Severe echelon of the grading spectrum. So what for those mere mortals, of which I am most certainly one, who can't quite manage to climb to E5 and higher? Well in short, not a whole lot.

I describe this route largely as a warning for those wishing to climb here, because Craig Llong's low to mid grade routes are, if nothing else, highly variable in nature. Corkscrew (Hard Severe 4a) is a typical example of what's on offer. A straight forward and deceptively secure start is followed by a rapid decline into friable and loose rock, unwanted vegetation and poor protection; not the sort of thing one looks for in a climb.

FA: N. Allen and D. Carnell, May 28th 1990.

Getting There

Craig LlongThe Second Wall
(Photo by Nanuls)
Craig LlongEnd of a good day
(Photo by Nanuls)
Craig LlongOn the second pitch
(Photo by Nanuls)
Craig LlongView from the top
(Photo by Nanuls)

Corkscrew

When approaching from Carmarthen (SN 405 196) take the A40 Truck Road signposted for Saint Clears (SN 274 160). At the Saint Clears roundabout, take the A40 Trunk Road towards Haverfordwest (SM 961 159). At Haverfordwest, continue on the A40 north. Just after Scleddau (SM 942 346) turn left and take the A4219, and then left again once you reach the T-junction for with the A487 (SM 933 358). Continue towards St. David's and turn off right at Square and Compass (SM 844 310) for Trefin (SM 839 325). Park at Trefin and take a footpath north to join the coastal path (SM 834 329). Walk east along the coastal path to Trwyn Llong and Craig Llong.

Descend the grassy ramp to a position below the Second Wall. Above you should be the break that gives Classic Walks (Severe), and if front of you a gradual ramp that is horizontal to its base. The ramp is the start of this route; start at its seaward most edge.

Route Description

Pitch 1 (24m): Ascend the gentle rake with ease and move left to belay from a grassy recess. Place long runners to avoid serious rope drag.

Pitch 2 (4a, 30m): Move back right and climb awkwardly up the corner to the top of the rake. Move up right to reach the large flake that crosses the cliff face. Traverse up and left, taking care not to shower your second with lethal 'microwave' size blocks and follow the weakness to the top of the cliff. Stop, take stock, and breathe a sigh of relief.

Essential Gear

A suit of armour... and a variety of gear from small to large wires to a variety of cams. Large gear is very useful on the first pitch, and some extra slings will be handy for extending them. While not essential, double ropes would be helpful for avoiding rope drag.

A first aid kit might be a very good idea.


Pwll Llong (Photo by Nanuls)

Maps

Open Space Web-Map builder Code
Navigation Maps

Ordnance Survey 1:25k Explorer Series OL 35 North Pembrokeshire/Gogledd Sir Benfro

Ordnance Survey 1:50k Landranger Series 157 St David’s & Haverfordwest/Tyddewi a Hwlffordd

Road Maps

Ordnance Survey Tour Series 11 South & Mid Wales

Guidebooks

Pembrokeshire Coast: The Official National Park Guide Pembrokeshire Coast: The Official National Park Guide by Alf Alderson, John Cleare and Ian Mercer.

A handy book full of useful information and interesting facts about the National Park.
Climbers’ Guides to Wales: Pembroke Volume 1 Pembroke North Climbers' Club Guides to Wales: Pembroke Volume 1: Pembroke North by Steve Quinton

A superb and extremely comprehensive guidebook to the climbing in North Pembroke; includes descriptions of most of the routes at Craig Llong.
Rock Fax Guide: Pembroke Rock Fax Guide: Pembroke by Alan James and Mike Robertson

Not quite as comprehensive as the Climbers’ Club guide, but lavishly illustrated with tons of large photo diagrams and topos.

External Links

Craig LlongTrwyn Llong (Photo by Nanuls)
Craig LlongCraig Llong (Photo by Nanuls)

Government Bodies and Other Organisations

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority

Council for National Parks

Association of National Park Authorities

Natural Resources Wales

CADW

Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments in Wales

Dyfed Archaeological Trust

The National Trust

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Outdoor Organisations and Companies

British Mountaineering Council

Pembrokeshire Climbing Club

Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter Group

UKClimbing

Weather and Tides

The Met Office

BBC Weather

BBC Tide Tables

UK Hydrographic Office

Tourist Information

Visit Wales

Visit Pembrokeshire

Travel Information

Welsh Public Transport Information

UK Train Timetable

Accommodation

Youth Hostel Association in Wales

Independent Hostel Guide

Campsites in Pembrokeshire

Maps and Guidebooks

Ordnance Survey

The Climbers’ Club

Cicerone Guidebooks

Rockfax

Mid Wales Climbing

Cordee Travel and Adventure Sports Bookshop

Wildlife and Conservation

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre

South West Wales Wildlife Trust




Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.