Just south of the village of Llwyngwril and known more locally as Aliens sunbeach, this stretch of water worn sea cliffs is an excellent venue.
Accessible 3 hours either side of low tide and only 300 metres walk south from the caravan park (careful, gates close 6 pm!) it faces west and catches lots of sun and wonderful sunsets over Cardigan Bay.
Dolphins, seals and leaping fish give alternative entertainment between routes. There is a central area of 15 metre high slabs with belay stakes used by local outdoor centres which is a good introduction for beginners as the rock is safe, clean, and relatively easy angled.
There is also scope on some of the immediately adjacent walls and grooves for 12-15 metre lines and the topo shows which have been climbed to date ( to my knowledge ).
It is, however, the bouldering problems and potential for lots more that gives this place its unique appeal. The hard smooth rock has been heavily sea eroded leaving many “waves” of stone with rounded crests and almost featureless faces. Ability to mantle up over the lips is a must and most of the work is triceps tripping.
The first bay (from the walk in along the shore) has problems mainly on its left hand side, extending around rightwards. There is nil at the back of the bay but the right curve has some fascinating worn grooves that were once about V1 but which, as they get smoother season after season, are progressing into V3 and above.
Next right are two boulders, the first with a prominent north prow, traverse at V5, and the second boulder a lower, longer and much smoother affair, left to right traverse V3 with a V4 finish.
The last few years has seen some rockfall next which has not affected much before entering the next bay. Guarding the left hand side of the bay is a leaning prow that has been explored and in the back of the bay is a blank wall. Next right are two cracklines at E1 5b which are very reasonable solos (no fiddling with gear)
The beginners slabs are next after which another bay has a short steep wall leading into a slab : several problems breach the wall: good dry conditions really important as using the friction on this smooth rock is the only way up. The left edge of the wall and slab has two good problems one each side of the edge. Easy descent rightwards to the corner and a simple scamble down.
The next wall along is even better and again has a smooth, steep lower section with a very easy angled slab above. Only a couple of things here are very hard : the classic is the lone hold in the centre of the wall which is all there is to friction up to the distant, (rounded lip ), a really good Gary Morgan V4 called Seren. Also done by Gary at V4 , the left leaning prow at the right edge of the wall.
After some easy rock there is another undercut wall leading to a very small bay. There are 5 ways up through this wall with the descent down the easy steps on the left. None harder than V4.
The right boundary of the tiny bay has an orange slab, left edge V2, right edge V1 , scramble back down the centre.
Far south boulder: big and black this gives good entertainment and good warm ups and is the site of Matthew Isles V7, an exercise in a footfree ( almost ) handladder on small slopers on the southeastern tip of the boulder which he started sitting below the tip.The wall opposite has a good E1 5c crack and a HVS 5a corner, then Gary’s V2 problem arête and his V3 face climb next right .
Finally the short arete at the right end of the crag is a good V3 haul to good holds.
Mid-Wales Climbing 