Contributed by Lottie Grigg Apr/17 - This public hilllist has been seen 2,792 times

Many of us fresh Cardiff Uni Mountaineering Club members are bitten quickly by the outdoor climbing bug and want to get out with the club as much as possible. The CUMC ticklist provides many great climbs at all grades but it can be hard to know where to look for good-quality lower-grade climbs! For that reason, Camilla (@camulv) and I have been working on this list of CUMC beginner classics (with recommendations, naturally) for some easily accessible climbing entertainment.

Stipulations:
- sport up to 6a
- trad lead up to S
- trad second up to HVS (much wider range available on main CUMC ticklist, these are mostly especially popular classics that are aspirational 2nd/3rd year leads and nice to be aware of)
- boulder up to f5

These are all grades accessible by the end of your first year of climbing with CUMC! Within each section, climbs are ordered by grade; within grade, rough distance from Cardiff.
*Note that some are not in the UK but from the fresher-accessible Fontainebleau bouldering trip (Easter) and El Chorro sport climbing trip (Christmas)
**For further Valleys sport, see "South Wales by Train (from Cardiff)" ticklist by training sec 15/16 @Rob McGurk

PLEASE ask if you are at all unsure about a technique - do not endanger yourself or others. This ranges from safely leading, lead-belaying, and abseiling to correctly lowering off or removing your trad leader's gear.

Happy climbing!

Julie on Christmas curry, Tremadog  © ayuplass
Julie on Christmas curry, Tremadog
© ayuplass, Jul 2008

37 users are subscribed to this hilllist, and none have completed the full list.
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User Percentage Latest Log
1st David Maddison 71% 2 Sep, 2023
2nd myrddinmuse 60% 19 Feb, 2023
3rd mikej 46% 30 Sep, 2015
4th BHuthers 43% 22 May, 2021
4th Lottie Grigg 43% 27 Aug, 2022
4th John1458 43% 25 Nov, 2023
5th GHawksworth 42% 6 Aug, 2021
6th wnicholson 37% 4 Jun, 2022
7th Danhan 35% 28 Jun, 2022
8th rosatb 34% 1 May, 2023

Map of routes in this ticklist

Least routes Most routes

Note: Only showing summits, scrambles, winter routes, and low grade climbs

Distribution of grades

Top 12 photos of this hilllist

Chris Bonington still climbing at 78. Legend

Little Chamonix
Chris Bonington still climbing at 78. Legend
© Paluchi

Cardiff University Mountaineering Club enjoying the thrills of sea cliff climbing in Pembrokeshire

Sea Mist
Cardiff University Mountaineering Club enjoying the thrills of sea cliff climbing in Pembrokeshire
© Huw Mithan

Climbers on the Longstone Pinnacle, Symonds Yat

Vertigo
Climbers on the Longstone Pinnacle, Symonds Yat
© JHC

The despair felt on Under Milk Wood

Under Milk Wood
The despair felt on Under Milk Wood
© steve-grigg

"Katie, can you climb Little Chamonix in a dinosaur suit?" "You bet Jurassican!"

Little Chamonix
"Katie, can you climb Little Chamonix in a dinosaur suit?" "You bet Jurassican!"
© Luke Briggs

Tim Rolfe on Sea Mist, Saddle Head, Pembroke

Sea Mist
Tim Rolfe on Sea Mist, Saddle Head, Pembroke
© pencilled in

Upside down send

Idwal Squeeze
Upside down send
© LewisHobson

Such a perfect day...

Bosigran Ridge a.k.a Commando Ridge
Such a perfect day...
© Cusco

The Crack

The Crack
© Chris Ellis

Will Birkett races up the top pitch of Little Chamonix as night falls, the final route of The Lakes Classic Rock Round.

Little Chamonix
Will Birkett races up the top pitch of Little Chamonix as night falls, the final route of The Lakes Classic Rock Round.
© Tom McNally

Enjoying Commando Ridge

Bosigran Ridge a.k.a Commando Ridge
Enjoying Commando Ridge
© BStar

Soloing Commando Ridge

Bosigran Ridge a.k.a Commando Ridge
Soloing Commando Ridge
© Hamish Frost


Add Climb name Grade Ticks? Height Crag name
SPORT
Dissertation Distraction 4a 222 ? Taff's Well
Leopard Prints 4a * 188 15m Foxhole
Jagged Face 4a * 746 ? Bus Stop Quarry
Bulbus Tara 4b * 278 35m • 2 Taff's Well
The Trevena Fish Hotel 4b * 92 ? Rhossili Beach
Fistful of Tenners 4c *** 523 ? Rhossili Beach
Sector Canada Access 4a * 374 28m Frontales
Sorbet de Limón 4c ** 265 22m Escalera Arabe
Er Suzuki 4c * 331 10m Valle de Abdalajis
He Sawed 5a * 82 ? Mountain Ash
Coral Corner 5a * 3 12m Foxhole
Dawson's Corner 5a *** 218 ? Rhossili Beach
Vas Pisando Huevos 5a * 695 19m Frontales
Bano de Tierra 5c ** 282 15m Valle de Abdalajis
Weeping Stump 5b * 115 24m Mountain Ash
Final Relief of the Blue Ball Artist 5b * 28 15m Ton Pentre (Ystrad)
Holds May Spin 5b ** 136 ? Rhossili Beach
Angry Pirate 5c * 311 ? Taff's Well
Kiss the Gunner's Daughter 5c * 289 ? Taff's Well
Butt Out 5c 74 17m The Gap
Galena Puts Lead In Your Pencil 5c ** 47 ? Castle Upon Alun...
Rockover Beethoven 5c * 347 ? Navigation Quarry
Mental Mantles 5c * 1132 16m Tirpentwys
Squash Match 6a * 180 ? Navigation Quarry
Rocky 6a ** 1230 13m Tirpentwys
Groping for Jugs 6a *** 230 12m Bargoed
Lemon Soul 6a *** 438 ? Rhossili Beach
TRAD LEAD
Great Cleft D 199 ? Fall Bay to Mewslade
The Ordinary Route D ** 3524 140m • 4 Idwal Slabs (aka...
Spiral Stairs VD *** 1609 84m Dinas Cromlech
Overlapping Ridge Route (First Pinnacle Rib) D ** 1515 150m Tryfan
Mucky Gully D ** 1996 ? The Dewerstone
Staircase D ** 1683 18m Sennen
Pine Tree VD ** 225 ? Taff's Well
Snoozin' Suzie VD ** 2189 40m Symonds Yat
Central Rib Route III VD *** 442 ? Wintour's Leap
Bottle Buttress VD 4a ** 738 78m • 4 Wintour's Leap
Pinnacle Crack VD 660 24m Port Eynon
Classic HD * 753 19m Port Eynon
Amble VD 278 ? Fall Bay to Mewslade
Joggled Wall VD * 683 18m Three Cliffs Bay
Small Beginnings VD * 922 24m Saddle Head
Little Chamonix VD *** 8543 70m • 4 Shepherd’s Crag
The Crack VD ** 1013 20m Porthclais Area
Flying Buttress VD *** 3096 87m • 6 Dinas Cromlech
Hollybush Crack VD *** 7252 14m Stanage Popular
Heaven Crack VD *** 5855 10m Stanage Popular
Colonel's Arete VD ** 1944 ? • 4 The Dewerstone
Bosigran Ridge a.k.a Commando Ridge VD *** 3457 161m • 8 Bosigran Ridge Area
Zig Zag VD ** 1904 15m Haytor
Bowfell Buttress HS 4b *** 1143 110m • 4 Bowfell
Grooved Arête HVD 4a *** 4313 230m • 8 Tryfan
Helfenstein's Struggle HVD 4a ** 626 16m Stanage Plantation
Flying Buttress HVD 4a *** 8579 24m Stanage Popular
Central Rib Route I S 4a *** 2008 63m • 4 Wintour's Leap
Vertigo S 4a ** 1526 ? Symonds Yat
Gethsemane S 4a ** 776 ? Fall Bay to Mewslade
Column S 4a * 798 19m Port Eynon
Dulfer S 4a * 844 19m Port Eynon
Initiation Flake S * 870 12m Three Cliffs Bay
Sleepwalk S 4a ** 1529 61m • 4 Avon Gorge (Sea...
Giltar Slab Route S 4a *** 474 45m Penally East
Urchin S 4a * 890 24m Saddle Head
Infra Red S * 688 24m Saddle Head
Black Hawk Hell Crack S 4a *** 6574 14m Stanage Popular
TRAD SECOND
Christmas Curry S 4a *** 3603 75m • 4 Craig Bwlch y Moch...
Zelda HS 4b *** 1952 55m • 2 Wintour's Leap
Sea Mist HS 4a ** 2609 30m Saddle Head
Christmas Crack HS 4a *** 7903 16m Stanage Popular
Tennis Shoe HS 4b *** 3473 137m • 5 Idwal Slabs (aka...
Whitt VS 4c *** 1071 37m • 2 Symonds Yat
Questor VS 4c *** 1148 34m Wynd Cliff
Under Milk Wood VS 4a * 299 21m Three Cliffs Bay
Scavenger VS 4c *** 1067 26m Three Cliffs Bay
Valkyrie VS 5a 48 ? Fall Bay to Mewslade
Nemo VS 4c 344 18m Port Eynon
Osiris VS 4c *** 837 36m Fall Bay to Mewslade
Isis HVS 5a *** 505 ? Fall Bay to Mewslade
BOULDERING
Fissure Est du Piaf (Blue 21) f3 145 ? L'Elephant
Orange 9 f3 66 3m La Roche aux Sabots
La Plage f5+ 49 ? L'Elephant
Idwal Squeeze V1 *** 214 ? Idwal Cottage Crag
146 stars 116,307 2,374m 132
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