Introduction Corwar is a nice wee crag of excellent granite in western Kirkcudbrightshire and the closest rock-climbing venue to Newton Stewart.
Access To get here follow the A712 east from Newton Stewart for about 10km to a signpost on the right for "Corwar and Dallash". Turn off right here onto a forestry road, then left at the bottom of the hill, then left again at a fork just before a bridge. The crag is just a few minutes along this road on the left and very obvious. It will take about 20 minutes to walk the forestry roads if you follow this description. You can also cut more directly though the trees from the A712 to the top of the crag in just 5 minutes, but the crag could be a bit harder to find this way, especially if you have not been before - it isn't even marked on the map.
It is definitely worth bringing an extra rope to this crag. The routes are 30m long (though they don't look it!), so it is a good idea to have 30 or 40m of extra rope to set up a top belay off the tress first.
Descent From all routes descend steeply to the right (facing out from the crag) or abseil off the trees.
Guidebook Included on this page are a few of the best routes at the crag. I have climbed everything at Corwar except the E4. In fact I was involved in the first ascent of all the routes described here. For a definitive list of all the climbs in this part of Scotland see the SMC published Lowland Outcrops guidebook.
Dangers This is a friendly wee crag with impeccable, solid rock. On one or two of the routes protection can be a little bit hard to find, plenty of small to medium cams are recommended. The routes were all first climbed in about 1999 when the crag was discovered. Despite the superb rock quality Corwar is still a quiet venue and routes may need brushed clear of pine needles and moss before climbing them. The midges can be a killer in summer, especially after 4-5pm when the crag loses the sun!
Myself, John Biggar, leading the crux moves of The Peach at Corwar.
