Overview
| Overview |
Rock ClimbingThe routes at St. Non's Bay are strung along the length of its broad and are largely confined to seven separate walls or sub-bays. These are namely Velvet Wall, Corduroy Slab, Lunar Bay, Pinnacle Bay, Initiation Slabs, Good Friday Slab and Square Bay. Of these, Initiation Slabs is by far the best, having a good number of routes in a good number of grades. There are also good routes on the Velvet Wall and Square Bay.Routes are listed from left to right, and are graded and rated with the aid of the Climbers Club Guide to Pembroke, the Pembroke Supplement and the new Rockfax Pembroke guide, so for full descriptions, please refer to these books. In addition to these sources, Rockfax’s website has descriptions for the routes included in their book, which can be viewed on their online route Database. Routes are rated using the British Adjectival Grading System. A conversion table of international climbing grades by SP member Corax is available: download it here. With the exception of Tenby South Beach Quarry, bolting is strictly prohibited everywhere in Pembroke, so don’t even think about it here. Route Symbols:
Velvet WallThe Velvet Wall is on the far western side of the bay. Despite being located just under the coastal path, it is completely hidden from the surrounding area.
Corduroy SlabRight (south-west) of the descent to Velvet Wall is a small square-cut bay. Another 30 metres or so to the right again is an east facing black striated slab, known for its deep cracks as Corduroy Slab. The base can be gained through easy scrambling at mid-tide.
Lunar BayThis area can be found 200 metres east of the chapel and is beneath the highest point reached by the coastal path. It consists of three buttress, the most westerly of which is split by a fissure near its eastward tip and is known as Keyhole Buttress.  
Pinnacle BayThis is the buttress to the right (east) of Keyhole Buttress and is accessed by abseiling down said buttress.
Initiation SlabsInitiation Slabs is located on the western side of a small zawn just to the west of the chapel. It's an idyllic little spot with some fantastic little routes. Access is gained by abseiling from one of two stakes. At high tide, hanging belays are a necessity. 
Good Friday SlabSouth of the zawn containing Red Admiral is a wide 15 metre high slab on the north side of a shallow, V-shaped zawn. Its base is accessible for two hours either side low tide.
Square BayThis is the obvious rocky bay some 50 metres east of Initiation Slabs. Approach by scrambling down rocks on its western side, or better, by abseil.
Weather Conditions and TidesWeather ForecastThis section displays the weather forecast for Solva, which is located to the south of St. Non's Bay. It isn't the closest settlement to the crag, that honour goes to the eponymous city of St. David's, unfortunately the tool for St. David's doesn't seem to work. Either way, this still gives a pretty good indication of what the weather will be like on the crag, as both Solva and St. Non's sit at around sea level. Tide TimesTide times can have a significant impact on where and when one climbs. It is therefore extremely important to check the timetables before embarking on trip to the area. UK tides information for all standard and secondary ports is provided by the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO), and displayed on the BBC's website. The link below provides a link to the nearest monitoring station to St. Non's Bay:
When to Climb and Essential GearThe most reliable conditions are in the summer, but the low altitude of the crag may make it a viable option in winter. The gear needed depends entirely on the routes you plan to do. Easier routes will only require a moderate rack, while harder routes will require a something more comprehensive; a good compliment of friends or other camming devices will certainly help. A singe 50 metre rope should serve well on most easy routes, however, twin or double ropes would be a wise choice for the harder stuff. In addition to your usual gear, you might want to bring along an abseil rope to speed up access to the base of the crag.Getting ThereAlthough there are a variety of ways to get to St. Non's Bay, which is located just the south of St. David’s, most will probably be coming from the west. If so, when approaching from Carmarthen (SN 405 196) take the A40 Truck Road signposted for Saint Clears (SN 274 160). At the Saint Clears roundabout, continue along the A40 towards Haverfordwest (SM 962 158). Here you will need to leave the A40, take a short detour through the town, and take the smaller A487 which will signpost St. David’s (SM 753 253). Enter the city and continue to the 'roundabout' with a Celtic cross at its centre (SM 753 253). Take the first exit left, which is signposted to 'Porth-Clais 1.5 miles'. Follow this for around 200m and take the first left, which is signposted 'St. Non's Cahapel ¼ mile. Follow this and park at the free car park at St. Non's Retreat (SM 751 244). Walk down the path past the chapel and the well to the coastal path and take your pick of crags. Red Tape and AccessNo red tape here!Although unlikely it's worth checking the countryside access map provided by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) regarding whether or not any restrictions on movement in the area are in place. Countryside Access Map Camping and AccommodationThere’s an almost unlimited supply of accommodation within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park so it would be inappropriate to list it all here. The city of St. David’s and its hinterland is particularly well provided for. For budget accommodation it’s worth checking out some of the following sites:Youth Hostel Association in Wales Independent Hostel Guide Campsites in Pembrokeshire For everything else and more see Visit Pembrokeshire’s website. Maps
Guidebooks
External Links St. Non's  St. Non's Government Bodies and Other Organisations Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Council for National Parks Association of National Park Authorities Pembrokeshire County Council Carmarthenshire County Council Ceredigion County Council Countryside Council for Wales Forestry Commission Wales Environment Agency 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 South Wales Mountaineering Club The Climbers Club UKClimbing Weather Weather from the Met Office BBC Weather Weather Channel UK Tide Tables BBC Tide Tables UK Hydrographic Office Tourist Information Visit Wales Visit Pembrokeshire South West Wales Tourism Partnership Local Information from Pembrokeshire Pages Local Information from Pembrokeshire Online 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 Cicerone Guidebooks Climbers Club Guidebooks Rockfax Guidebooks 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 Sea Trust Pembrokeshire Bird Group Welsh Language Welsh Language Board Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg Welsh language pressure group Cymuned Welsh language pressure group Yr Urdd (Welsh Youth Association) Welsh-English / English-Welsh online translator Welsh-English / English-Welsh Online Dictionary Welsh-English / English-Welsh Online Lexicon Images |
