UKH

Hello,

I am hoping to head down to Pembroke for the first time this weekend with the idea of going to either Giltar slabs (Penally East) or Flimstone/Bow-shaped slabs (Flimstone Bay) for some climbing.

How accessible/under water are these areas on a neap high of around 5.5/6m?  

Thanks

I think Bow shaped slab start would be under water, though you might be able to traverse in from the left to access the route at high tide in calm seas.

For Giltar Slabs, if the beach at the bottom is not exposed then there are options for building belays above the water level.

Abseiling down from the stakes above Wander Slab will get you to a niche/ledge from where you can belay for the routes on that section of slab.

Same for Giltar Slab route, though its best to ab straight down and belay above the water straight down as opposed to starting from around the corner.

If you were thus inclined you could just build a belay a few meters up the normal start on bow shaped slabs in calm seas, it would be semi hanging though. 

Can't comment on the crags in question, but here's a general piece of advice that could be useful if you've not done a lot of tidal crags:

You can of course ab down and take a hanging belay above the tide line on most, or theoretically all routes. However, if you've not done this before, and you decide to do so, be in no doubt that it is generally a monumental pain in the arse/legs/etc. It is basically awful. If you're abbing into a high-tide belay, make sure it's a good ledge, or be prepared to suffer and faff with ropes in horrible precarious ways. There is always a rope floating around in the sea or washed up visible from the Pembroke crags, and I suspect this could be the story behind a few of them. It can get better with practice, but whatever way you cut it, a hanging belay is only worth it when you've got no other options and there's sufficient pay-off.

Thank you for your replies. Are there any other crags you would recommend in South Pembroke that are less/non-tidal up to VS that might be better suited?

I have the latest Pembroke Wired guide if that helps. From reading, those two places seemed the better options.

This is where the aldi bag comes in. 

Stack the ropes into an aldi bag, leaving the bottom 3m out of the bag. 

Tie the two handles together using the top of the rope. Together=Top. 

Stack the remaining bottom on top, tie to one handle using a bowline. Bowline=Bottom. Or direct to the seconds harness. 

Second abs in first with rope bag, builds belay using his ends of rope. 

Leader abs in, ties on. Rope is stacked and ready in bag. 

Bag is either tied to ab rope for retrieval or carried by the second. Up jumper makes you look pregnant, down back to look like a camel, clipped to harness to look spectacular on a windy day. 

Saddle and stennis head have some routes of interest. Sea mist is pretty good

Saddle head? Crystal slabs?

It wouldn't be too bad to climb at bow shaped slab or giltar at high tide, they are so slabby it's not too uncomfortable to sort yourself out or belay as long as your happy sorting the belay in from the ab rope and not dropping your ropes in the sea! Obviously it would be better at low tide though.

Edit: just remember I I climbed flimston slab at high tide recently and allthough not the comfyest  belay in the world it was fine

Saddlehead and Stennis (although VS is the lowest there) are the two standard easier non-tidal destinations.

Like it! Actually I bought a rope bag for precisely this purpose on last week's trip, but the only hanging belay needed was totally unplanned, so it was the old coils-over-ankle job.