Girlguiding UK Climbing and Abseiling Scheme

This is a very good crag for beginners with a large face at a easy angle, bolted at the top with easy access to the bolts. Ideal for group use, and busy as a result. The crag is also right next to the car park.

SPA required

Folllow the A465 to Glynneath, take the A4109 briefly then turn right on the B4242 to Pont Nedd Fechan (this shortly branches left - look out for the turn). Once in Pont Nedd Fachan, fork right at the apparent centre down a lane, through an area of housing, to the car park for the waterfalls. The crag is at the car park.

Overall: A very good crag. Get there early!

Llangorse Rope Centre

Level 1

Gilfach Farm, Llangorse, Brecon Beacons, LD3 7UH. Tel: 01874 658272 www.activityuk.com

This is an extensive indoor complex with a climbing wall partly made of real rock sunken into a pit dug down within the building, to give a good sized wall. There are also ropes elements here.

Should you wish to instruct here you need either an SPA or a GA Level 1 qualification. If you hold the GA Level 1 you'll need to have an interview with the manager so that he is happy that you are up to their standards and operate along with their procedures.

If hiring their centre staff, these are all qualified in house by an MIC or are SPA holders. As climbing walls or abseil towers and ropes courses are not licensable, they don't hold an AALA licence. However, their in-house qualification is MIC assessed and is therefore quite acceptable.

Should you wish to climb outside on the crags in this area, Llangorse do have local AALA licence holders who run climbing sessions for them - please call.

Prices: £10 per person for a 2 hour session, all instruction and equipment provided.

Instructing yourself: £3 pp for climbing; £5pp for climbing & abseiling.

Overall: A very good, well-managed centre with a wide variety of activities. Recommended.

Brecon Leisure Centre, Brecon

Level 3

Penlan, Powys, LD3 9SR. Tel: 01874 623677

An 8m high leading/ top roping & bouldering wall. Outside instructors need SPA minimum; their own in-house staff are trained & qualified via Llangorse Rope Centre (see above). This is acceptable for Guide Association members. If using their instructors, they need a few days' notice. GA Level 1 not accepted.

Prices: Exclusive use of the wall: £16.50/hour or £1.65 adults/ £1.35 children.

Harnesses and karabiners/belay plates for hire but no helmets or rock boots.

Overall: A reasonable local wall

Silver Cross Scout Site, Swansea

Not Approved

M4 Junction 47, take the last exit at the roundabout to A48 Morriston/ General Hospital and there is a roundabout by an industrial esate after a few hundred yards. Just after this 100 yards is a tiny road going left into the trees, unmarked, which goes over a bridge back over the motorway. After the bridge, left, is a gate. Go through this, parallel back along the motorway for a few hundred yards to a gate on the right. This is Silver Cross.

A small local Scout site with a scaffolding tower. 1 side abseil, 1 side some climbing holds.

Frankly a grim location with a small and unattractive tower which would be a poor introduction to any outdoor activity for youngsters. No qualified supervision available other than Scout certificates (not acceptable). The warden will not permit others to use his equipment.

So GA members would have to go here with their own instruction and equipment. However, given the amount of superb climbing and abseiling available, indoors and out, within easy reach of here I would suggest you give this place a big miss.

Overall: Not recommended for Guide Association members; do not use this site. The inspector was not convinced that the necessary culture of maintaining current best practise in climbing is present; and overall the location is not a good introduction to the activity in the opinion of the inspector.

Welsh International Climbing Centre

Level 3

Taff Bargoed Centre, Trelewis, CF46 6RD, Tel: 01443 710749 Fax: 710789

One of the largest walls in the UK, this is a superb facility with everything you could want from a climbing wall.

To instruct there yourself you need to be SPA qualified; 1:6 ratio or 1:10 with a capable assistant. You must present your SPA certificate and 1st Aid certificate in order to be issued with an instructor card. It is not a requirement to show proof of the GA's Liability Insurance, but they would prefer to have this for their records if possible.

The centre has a leaflet 'Special Deals for Scout and Guide Groups'. This details prices; groups in multiples of 6 are most cost-efficient (from £39 an hour for 6; £60 for 2 hours.) Also special deals e.g. Monday or Friday £60 for 2 hours instruction for 6, including drink and chips & beans supper.

If you wish to use their instructors, these are trained at Pencoed College. Please ask for SPA qualified staff until more details are avaialble about that qualification.

Open 9.00am - 10.00p.m. daily.

Overall: Excellent; highly recommended.

Morlais Quarry, Merthyr Tydfil

Level 3 (SPA)

This is a huge limestone quarry with several levels and facets. It is a good location for climbing except that a great deal of care must be taken with setting up belays. There are a number of stakes (uncertain origin - test and use with care and backup), and some sections with no belays at all. There are areas away from the main section used for climbing if you look for them - some sections with an apparently flat grassy belay-free top to the crag actually have stakes in the grass. SPA minimum; visit the crag before you take a group there and reconnoitre thoroughly.

Parking locally is unsafe except at the Pontsarn Inn. It is essential to contact the landlord and pay for parking (it's not expensive, and worth the security) The landlord is very happy for groups to park there. Call Pontsarn Inn 01685 374786 (Clive Thomas) or www.pontsarn.co.uk

There are several other activities available via local providers such as mountain biking, caving, gorge walking and hiking. You are also welcome to camp for free in the field 'as long as some revenue goes to the pub'(!)

Twnnau Gwynion, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil

Level 3

This is a crag mentioned in local lists of crags used; the approach road to it has now been blocked off to vehicles but many 4WD and bikers use the area recreationally.

I am assured that it is possible to get there on foot along the road in about 45 minutes; the best access this way is not to park on the road itself (thefts) but to park at Carpetright, next to Asda at the retail park in Dowlais. The small road to the crag begins unexpectedly at the back of Carpetright in the car park, and wends its way to the crag in an indirect fashion.

However, since 2005 there has been a right of way through Garth Farm at GR 064095. This is much quicker. The farmer (Miss Parsons) is most unhappy about this and strongly opposes groups walking through her farm. There are no signposts indicating the Right of Way. She is even more unhappy about groups using the crag, which is on common land, and disturbing her animals. There is no current resolution to this situation; Miss Roberts is convinced that using the crag is illegal which would seem not to be the view of others concerned. Please be prepared for a vigorous discussion should you access the crag via Garth.

The crag itself is a good small crag with plentiful stake belays at the top, ideal for groups.

SPA necessary - take care with inspection and use of belay stakes.

Islwyn Scout Campsite

Near Pantysgawen Farm
Homeleigh, Newbridge, Gwent

Newbridge, Caerphilly GR 203977

Level 1

Warden/Contact Address
Clive Harrison (Parc Manager)
10 Addison Street, Blackwood
Gwent
NP12 1ES
Tel: (01443) 839458

Website: www.islwynscoutparc.org.uk

This Scout campsite and centre has a variety of facilities including a large indoor barn with a climbing/abseiling wall. The wall is not high but has 4 climbing routes, bolt on holds with karabinerds at the top easily accessed using the stairs. The abseil is again short, but ideal for younger particiapnts. The whole setup is extremely safe and would be very easy to manage.

The centre do have some equipment that visiting instructors can use. To instruct your own group here you just need to contact the site and show proof of your qualification. The centre currently don't have any staff quailified with anything other than Scout certificates, so you would have to provide a suitably qualified instructor.

Dolygaer Scout Activity Centre

SPA until further inspection - not to be used until renovation work has been completed.

Nr Pontsticill
Mid Glamorgan
CF48 2UT

Warden/Contact Address
Mr. Ward
11 Verlands Way
Pencoed
Bridgend
Mid Glamorgan
CF35 6TY
Tel: 01656862767
Email:lenbo@tiscali.co.uk

This 26 bed centre has a small crag which is the side of a railway cutting right outside the door (the building used to be a station). Currently (September 2005) the crag is very overgrown, but it has been used for climbing previously and the warden is planning to clear the site and re-establish stakes for belaying at the top as well as some safe access to the top of the crag. It will then be a fine facility. The crag is only about 5 metres high but could yield about 8 routes potentially.

The centre currently don't have any staff qualified with anything other than Scout certificates, so you would have to provide a suitably qualified instructor.

Channel View Leisure Centre, Cardiff

Level 1

Jim Driscoll Way
Grangetown
Cardiff
CF11 7HB
Tel: 029 2037 8161

This leisure centre has a good wall with autobelay devices on the end of a sports hall indoors. A new outdoor bouldering wall is also due soon (Sept 2007) . Information about the centre can be found at: http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?Parent_Directory_id=2865&nav=2868,2967,3001,3707,3715

The centre are happy for visiting staff to bring groups and accept any outside qualification if the instructor signs to take responsibility. The centre's own staff have an in house qualification which is acceptable to GGUK as it is administered and assessed by an MIC holder.

Porthcawl Point

Level 4

Location: Park at Rest Bay and walk eastwards along the cliffs for about 10 minutes untl there is an obvious headland. The crag is at the base of this.

This crag is fine for group use but is tidal and therefore should be used by MIA/MIC holders only. The SPA doesn't permit holders to instruct at tidal locations.

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