UKC

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to go climb in the slate quarries close to Llanberis. I've not done much on slate and wonder if anyone has advice on where is good for a first timeand how does gear placements differ to Grit?

I'm climbing on Grit at HVS 5b as my best lead. I'm also taking along a couple of friends climbing 4c - 5a on second.

Cheers in advance,

Nick

In reply to Nick_Merriman:

if you can place gear, you can place gear. You might benefit from having a set of DMM offsets though. I find Slate climbing easier than grit. There's a good selection of routes in the VS/ HVS range in the quarries. Seamstress is a particular favorite.

In reply to Nick_Merriman:

Gear can be fiddly on the Slate - although the main difference is the prevelant use of bolts as trad gear. Small nuts and RPs are hnady, and be prepared for some big runouts and/or some "quirky" gear - slinging pipes is not unusual.

If you can lead HVS on the Grit and have a good head, you can probably climb E1 and possibly E2 on the slate - grades are often bumped up for the psychological nature of routes (IMO). Around the 5b tech level, Looning the Tube (Australia) is a good place to start, and Fools Gold (E1 safe 5c crux) in Bus Stop is probably worth your time. Solsitce and Equinox are also good, as is Gnat Attack if you fancy long but easy runouts (all Bus Stop). Seamstress and Seams the same in Serengeti are also good at the VS-E1 level.

Most of all, don't be afraid to explore the quarries - they're awesome!

In reply to Nick_Merriman:
You could start at the Bus Stop and do Equinox and ? but they aren't "typical" slate routes. Seamstress and seems the same are good intros and I would take some small pea nuts or micros. You also have the bolted routes but make sure you know the difference between the "trad" bolted routes and the "sports" ones

One of my favourite routes was "Bella Lugosi is dead" - E1 I think where you need a Friend 3 (from memory) at the top.

In reply to Nick_Merriman:

Bus Stop and Serengeti to get started I reckon.

RPs are useful above e1 I reckon.

The rock can be a bit snappy / wobbly, so check your placements even if they're already well worn.

Have fun, I love the slate!

In reply to Nick_Merriman:

There is now loads of easier sport climbing in the quarries, it's sort of fun in a not terribly great sort of way. I hadn't climbed on slate for over decade until last autumn - I had great memories of doing Combat Rock way back when and thinking it was great. Last Autumn I did Mental Lentils which I had wanted to do for ages but was actually not very good.

In reply to Nick_Merriman:

The choice of good routes expands as you get above HVS but there are good routes at that grade and below.

For HVS and below most of the best have already been mentioned but I would add:

Australia: Razorback, Mad Dog of the West

Serengeti: Neat Arete (short, low crux)

Twll Mawr: Booom, Blast and Ruin (not done it , but atmospheric and looks good)

There are lots of easier grade sport routes, e.g. in Australia, to supplement a day.

In reply to Nick_Merriman:


If this is the case, I would strongly suggest you stick to VS for your first half-dozen trad slate leads. Slate is as different from grit as it gets. And yes, gear can be fiddly.

A better bet might be to do F4s and F5s. This would allow you to explore a very different medium in comparative safety.

Good luck.

mick

In reply to Mick Ward:


True - but equally, people seem to do well as the holds are all positive and easy to adjust to, until you start doing tricky things.

I don't think there are 6 "good" VSs in the quarries (at least not ones that would make you want to come back, or that I can think of without looking in the guide) and trundling around on the sport routes at those grads really doesn't represent the quarries well. For any other rock I'd say dropping the grade is sensible, but if the OP takes to it (as many people do) then why potter around when the classics are available with a little increase in difficulty?