UKC

50m, 2 pitches.

Rockfax Description
A popular climb that has a particularly fine top pitch. Start below the big diamond-shaped wall, left of the polished slab.

1) 4c, 20m. Climb left up a crack to an overhang. Now make a hard move up and right up two cracks and into the base of a groove. An easier alternative is to step left at the overhang and then move up right along a ramp to the base of the groove. Climb the groove to an exciting exit left at the top to a belay.
2) 5a, 25m. Climb the slab up and left to the base of a wide crack. Climb this to where it gets too wide and step out right onto the arete and follow easier ground up and left to a ledge below a steepening crack. Arrange gear and step left onto the headwall to gain a steep crack on the left which leads to the top. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
Post pitch 2 rockfall November 2023.

It's has been reclimbed but is a significantly bolder proposition. From the p1 belay climb up the slab as before then climb the steep right hand wall boldly on good holds.

Ticklists

North Wales Rock Graded List , North Wales 100 Classic Climbs , Top Five HVSs In The UK? , Bangor BUMS Uni-Life Ticklist , AMC Uni Ticklist , Ultimate HVS ticklist , The best the UK has to offer for mere mortals (apart from the lakes cos its always wet) , The V.S.+ Ticklist , High Quality Adventure routes , 100 Best Wales Mid Grade Climbs , Glyn's North Wales mid-grade ticklist , UK Holiday Plans , George's Ultimate Easy to Mid-Grade North Wales Trad Ticklist , Libby Peter's HVS Hit List , York University Students path to greatness , Definitive *** Tremadog , Target Routes 2019/2020 , North Wales Summer 21' , Summer 2021 , I’ve climbed a thousand VDiffs but I wanna be a HVS climber , Llanberis/Ogwen/Tremadog List , Wales Trip - 2022 , 3 Star - North Wales HS - HVS

Feedback

User Date Notes
Steve Long 24 Nov, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: The main pitch has indeed lost the layback crack, but the wall and arete of Merlin can still be climbed via an awkward entry. A small wire placed with care protects this move, otherwise its pretty bold. After this its straight up to rejoin the original line of Merlin Direct, still just as excellent.
Show beta
βeta: The main pitch has indeed lost the layback crack, but the wall and arete of Merlin can still be climbed via an awkward entry. A small wire placed with care protects this move, otherwise its pretty bold. After this its straight up to rejoin the original line of Merlin Direct, still just as excellent.
Tim Neill 18 Nov, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Post Rockfall, Autumn ‘23. Still a lovely route, entirely possible and only a fraction more difficult. The section up the rib just right of the recent rockfall is a fair bit bolder without the good jams and gear it used to have for that section. Otherwise the rest of the climb is the same. Perhaps now a top end HVS rather than its previous entry level standard. Plenty of loose debris just to the left of the midway stance.
Show beta
βeta: Post Rockfall, Autumn ‘23. Still a lovely route, entirely possible and only a fraction more difficult. The section up the rib just right of the recent rockfall is a fair bit bolder without the good jams and gear it used to have for that section. Otherwise the rest of the climb is the same. Perhaps now a top end HVS rather than its previous entry level standard. Plenty of loose debris just to the left of the midway stance.
Larry Benoy 15 Aug, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Lots of loose VERY blocks directly above belay at beginning of P2, take care
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Lots of loose VERY blocks directly above belay at beginning of P2, take care
ipfreely 15 Jul, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Superb route. I led P2 - Ross P1, which has a tricky section moving right toward the tree as the feet are a bit poor, P2 is an absolute peach, a couple of tricky moves on the slab just before the big crack, The crack itself is a lovely jamming romp, had to shuffle my blue cam up a couple of times, I would highly recommend Not putting any gear behind the big flake on the right or pulling on it, it’s not at all necessary. Up a bit more then The move left looks hard, but the thin crack over there is lovely finger locks. 1 tricky little move right at the top.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Superb route. I led P2 - Ross P1, which has a tricky section moving right toward the tree as the feet are a bit poor, P2 is an absolute peach, a couple of tricky moves on the slab just before the big crack, The crack itself is a lovely jamming romp, had to shuffle my blue cam up a couple of times, I would highly recommend Not putting any gear behind the big flake on the right or pulling on it, it’s not at all necessary. Up a bit more then The move left looks hard, but the thin crack over there is lovely finger locks. 1 tricky little move right at the top.
Emlyn Price 20 May, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Large loose flake at the top of the Crack which sounds hollow and seems to be Detatched, directly in line with belayer.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Large loose flake at the top of the Crack which sounds hollow and seems to be Detatched, directly in line with belayer.
g1m147 8 Sep, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Pitch 2.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Pitch 2.
Rowan Page 9 Jul, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Absolute quality and very steady on jugs
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Absolute quality and very steady on jugs

Logged Ascents

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Guidebooks for Craig Bwlch y Moch (Tremadog)

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Voting
High E1
Mid E1
Low E1
High HVS
Mid HVS
Low HVS
High VS
Mid VS
Low VS
Votes cast 273
High 5b
Mid 5b
Low 5b
High 5a
Mid 5a
Low 5a
High 4c
Mid 4c
Low 4c
Votes cast 256
Votes cast 254
Style of Ascent
Alt Leads
Lead
Followed
Soloed
Toproped
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
Flashed (β)
Dogged
DNF
Redpoint
Ground Up
Not Set
Route of Interest
Avernus

Grade: HVS 4c ***
(Trwyn y Gorlech (Lleyn))

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