Restricted Access
Abseil from the top of Brazen Butress.
This crag is not in the MoD range. There are some bird nests in the Chimney area ( behind Brazen Buttress) but climbing is unrestricted at present as long as climbers minimise disturbance - i.e. don't hang around any longer than necessary where birds are flying in and out of the area. Bird nesting can vary a lot here from year to year - please do a visual check before starting your route, particularly around 'The Cracks' to 'Star Gate' area. A sign will be placed above Brazen Buttress if there is a seasonal restriction in place and this website will be updated.
Seasonal Restrictions
Dates: 1 March to 1 August
Reason: Nesting Birds
Rockfax Description
A highly entertaining route that gets you into some spectacular situations. It can be much harder when wet - which it often is. Alternative escape is difficult so be confident at this grade. It is probably best to do it in the three short pitches to avoid rope drag. Start by scrambling through the upper through-cave dropping down and heading left to the very back of the chimney.
1) 12m. Climb the chimney mainly on the left wall, to a stance.
2) 15m. Traverse out and left along a massive juggy hand-rail, to the mouth of the cave. Pull up then step left to a triangular niche.
3) 10m. Move right out of the niche and climb a crack to a short corner and the top. This is the top of The Cracks. © Rockfax
FA. R.Crewe, K.Winkworth 25/Mar/1978.
Ticklists
Pembroke Rockfax Top 50 , Pembroke VDiff-HVS , Orange Spot Pembroke , UK Holiday Plans , Beginners Pembroke , 2020/21 Trips , Climbs I want do next , ROCKFAX TOP 50s upto e3 , Pembs Classics
Feedback
| User | Date | Notes | ||
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| ClareSee | 31 Aug, 2022 |
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βeta: P2 and P3 are nice, Severe like climbing. P1 is a scary, hard VS with muddy, slimy rocks and loose blocks at the top. | βeta? | |
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βeta: P2 and P3 are nice, Severe like climbing. P1 is a scary, hard VS with muddy, slimy rocks and loose blocks at the top. |
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| Kiddie68 | 2 Aug, 2022 |
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βeta: A great fun route with contrasting pitches. Access from lower through cave, right of Brazen Buttress. At top of first corner pitch, take traverse left to stance, not to top and over or you’ll have to descend. | βeta? | |
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βeta: A great fun route with contrasting pitches. Access from lower through cave, right of Brazen Buttress. At top of first corner pitch, take traverse left to stance, not to top and over or you’ll have to descend. |
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| eldre070 | 21 Sep, 2021 |
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βeta: Dave did P1 and P3. Green P1 quite hard at 4a. P2 was amazing. | ||
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βeta: Dave did P1 and P3. Green P1 quite hard at 4a. P2 was amazing. |
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| Nomisr | 16 Sep, 2021 |
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βeta: First pitch on lead i reckon is solid VS | βeta? | |
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βeta: First pitch on lead i reckon is solid VS |
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| DubyaJamesDubya | 4 Jun, 2021 |
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βeta: Felt like VS to me. Possibly 'HS climbing in VS situatons!'. It is quite easy to avoid the the muddy rock at the top RHS of the chimney by sticking to the rock on the left. The belay gear should be placed high at the back of the stance not under the rocky block. The other pitches are on sound clean rock. | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: Felt like VS to me. Possibly 'HS climbing in VS situatons!'. It is quite easy to avoid the the muddy rock at the top RHS of the chimney by sticking to the rock on the left. The belay gear should be placed high at the back of the stance not under the rocky block. The other pitches are on sound clean rock. |
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| neuromancer | 28 Sep, 2020 |
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βeta: Ignoring technical difficulty, the first pitch needs an X grade. I took several football sized rocks out of the wet sandy mud. It is lucky my belayer was good at dodgeball. The belay 'boulder' is loose and rocking, and your backup is placed in cracks formed between stones embedded in mud. If you want to climb the upper pitches, just climb the cracks (which is also full of loose rock, but at least it's dry loose rock). | βeta? | |
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Show beta
βeta: Ignoring technical difficulty, the first pitch needs an X grade. I took several football sized rocks out of the wet sandy mud. It is lucky my belayer was good at dodgeball. The belay 'boulder' is loose and rocking, and your backup is placed in cracks formed between stones embedded in mud. If you want to climb the upper pitches, just climb the cracks (which is also full of loose rock, but at least it's dry loose rock). |
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| Pero | 10 Sep, 2019 |
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βeta: The rocks at the top of the chimney appear to be simply embedded in mud. | βeta? | |
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βeta: The rocks at the top of the chimney appear to be simply embedded in mud. |
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| Alan James - Rockfax | 9 Sep, 2019 |
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βeta: I have bumped this up to HS to reflect the votes. For some perspective it is worth noting that this route was given Severe in 1978 and stayed that way in every guidebook until 2011/12. It also received no stars for most of that time so didn't see many ascents until Rockfax gave it Top50 Status in 2009. | ||
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Show beta
βeta: I have bumped this up to HS to reflect the votes. For some perspective it is worth noting that this route was given Severe in 1978 and stayed that way in every guidebook until 2011/12. It also received no stars for most of that time so didn't see many ascents until Rockfax gave it Top50 Status in 2009. |
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| Montecore | 18 Aug, 2019 |
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βeta: Surely a VS (per Climbers Club guide) not a Severe... | βeta? | |
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βeta: Surely a VS (per Climbers Club guide) not a Severe... |
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Logged Ascents
Guidebooks for Mother Carey's Kitchen
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Diedre Sud
Grade: HS 4a ***
(Mowing Word)