UKC

Hi all,

This weekend I'll be heading to Tremadog for the first time and am wondering which is the best climbing guide to buy. The CC Trem book seems to be the most up to date but I've also seen the Rockfax effort and I like their guides... Any ideas/preference?

I can lead up to VS and am comfortable on multi-pitch routes if that helps.

Thanks in advance!

Ben.

In reply to BenPitt: Will you be a regular visitor to Tremadog? If so, go for the definitive guide, otherwise I would recommend you opt for a more regional / visitors guide that covers most of north Wales. Saves you having to buy hundreds of pounds worth of guidebooks if you happen to decide to go elsewhere for a change.

In reply to BenPitt:
The CC definitive guide is really nice - it's not one of those oldschool ones where you spend forever scratching your head and trying to find a route based on a rather abstract drawing and some vague comments about an ill-defined chimney near an "obvious" boulder...

It's also got a fair bit of other stuff in it eg Nant Gwynant and Aberglaslyn.

the new CC one is very good.

dont get the old CC one if you havent been to tremadog before or you will spend the whole time trying to find a route!

North wales rock is ok for the classics.. havent used the rockfax one.

Thanks all for your advice. As Tremadog isn't too far and I've got lots of climbing to do I think I'll go for the CC guide. should keep me busy for a while

Cheers.

Ben.

In reply to BenPitt:

Here's a few of my favourites up to soft touch HVS. In rough order of difficulty (getting harder as you go down). All excellent quality....

Severe

Poor Man's Peuterey
Christmas Curry

Hard Severe

Creagh Dhu Wall
Christmas Curry with Micah Eliminate finish

VS

Yogi
Merlin
One Step in the Clouds
Scratch
Grim Wall

HVS (soft)

Scratch Arete
Merlin Direct

In reply to Skyfall:

Thanks for the advice! Couple on there that I was going to try and a couple of others that I'd not seen. Appreciate the heads up.

Now fingers crossed for the weather...

In reply to BenPitt:

Claptons Crack is another brill VS and Grotto Direct is a good soft HVS

Mensor is also superb and has to be one of the most underrated routes at Tremadog.

Alcatraz and Olympic Slab are another pair of good VSs at Pant Ifan.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Is the hassle of getting to Clapton's Crack really worth the 15m of good climbing? I wasn't totally convinced. I wonder if you could do the first pitch of Kestrel Cracks (which is a brilliant VS pitch) and then abseil down and left to get to it? That would be a bit of an adventure if it was possible.

I'll put a vote in for Plumbline at Craig y Gesail (the one nobody goes to). It's brilliant.

In reply to adam06:


I can second this. Was there a few weeks back, bloody nightmare finding routes, then navigating them

In reply to victim of mathematics:

I've never tried that! I thought it was worth the scramble.

Colin you should do the first pitch of the Neb with the Broken Edge finish. One balancy 5c move with high runners in Kestral Cracks P2. The first pitch is brilliant E1 climbing.


I think I've done that one. I once spent a very enjoyable day doing all the ** VS on Craig Y Gesail.

To the OP: Bramble Buttress is one of the best Diffs around. As good as any in Snowdonia.

Thanks again for all your suggestions. Have now got a hefty tick list. My partner thinks we're in for an easy one this weekend. She may have to think again

In reply to BenPitt:

If you are looking for a nice intro to Tremadog but want to tick a two or three of the major classics fairly quickly, then start on Christmas Curry (do the normal version at Severe maybe which still has a fab top pitch) and then get on one of the easy VS's. One Step in the Clouds is a lovely open route and would have you buzzing I'm sure (the early v-groove is the crux for many). Because of its reputation and name (!), it became popular to knock the route but it is a gem. All the classics do get busy and you can find yourself queueing (if it looks too long a wait then go find another).

Practical tips:

Most people park at Eric's and pay the £1 and have coffee and food there. Great café.

There are two main crags within easy walking distance of Eric's - Craig Bwlch y Moch and Pant Ifan (the latter being further away). From Eric's you can see Pant Ifan across the road away on the left, Bwlch y Moch is just to the right across the road. It's about a 10-15 minute walk up to Pant Ifan -up the road and then across a large boulder field before going up through some woods.

If you are climbing at Bwlch y Moch, don't bother taking rucsacs. Walk there either with rock shoes on or take light trainers and carry them up for the walk off. There's no point leaving gear at the base of the route as it will be a bit of a pain to go back for it.

The walk offs are interesting but not hard and probably only slightly slower than abseiling off (which often takes you down through other parties climbing) - so by and large it is better to walk.

It can be hard to spot routes once you are in the trees. Try to spot your buttress/route from the road first.

Have a great time, my favourite place to climb.

In reply to Skyfall:

Thanks for such an insightful response. It's much appreciated and I'm chomping at the bit to get out of the office and on the road! sounds like we're in for a great weekend!

In reply to BenPitt:

Hope you don't mind me borrowing your thread, Ben, but does anyone know if I can buy guidebooks nearby, maybe Eric's cafe?

In reply to mcdougal:

Eric's has guidebooks, or at least it did last year.

In reply to EddieC:

yes Eric's had guidebooks last weekend too

there also plenty of gear shops in the area eg. Joe Browns at Capel Curig if coming through there.

In reply to BenPitt:

No problem. It's quite common to get lost there so don't be afraid to ask other climbers where a particular route is etc. It tends to take a visit or two to get dialled into the place. Should have mentioned, for the walk offs, you generally keep walking up little paths up away from the crag top until you hit a fence then follow the path along that until you see the descent proper. They are usually down wooded gulleys with the odd in situ ladder thrown in for good measure.

In reply to EddieC & Skyfall

Cheers guys.

In reply to BenPitt:

No you're not. There's going to be too much rum consumed to do anything.

Love from Chris.

In reply to metal arms:

Ha! It was you who fell foul of the rum. And the cider. And the whiskey. And the beers...

The Trem guide was the best option after all. Thanks to all for their advice. Was a great day on Saturday and seconded my first E2 too!

I'll second the opinion on the old guide - I have this (the no star version) and I can't find at least 50% of the routes I've tried

In reply to duchessofmalfi:

They forgot their market (or at least mistook it for people who knew the crag already). The saddest bit was that removing stars actually increased traffic on the biggest and already well known classics. I'd rather be climbing an interesting 1 star route than queuing.