UKC

4 pitches.

Rockfax Description
This is what most people come to climb and it is a great outing, one of the best in the World! The original route is described here and it requires an equally matched team, as the traverse on the last pitch is no place for a fall. Start below a corner/groove capped by an overlap.
1) 4c, 40m. Climb the left edge of the groove to reach the high tide starting ledges. From here, move up and right to a ledge below a conspicuous V-notch in the arete.
2) 4c, 22m. Follow a horizontal line of weakness leftwards, past a difficult section to a hanging belay in the crack of Wen.
2a) High Tide Start, 4c, 30m. For the high tide ledge start climb straight up to join the traverse-line and go to the Wen crack belay in one pitch.
3) 4c, 37m. Climb the wide flake-crack leftwards to a small ledge at 15m. Continue on the same line up flakes for 10m and then traverse left to good holds that lead down and left for 5m to a belay in a niche in the Concrete Chimney.
4) 4c, 40m. This is the most coveted pitch on the climb; the route finding is a work of art, and somehow you climb across an overhanging wall in balance all the way. From the belay, head up the left arete to a line of holds leading left below the roof. Where these holds run out, descend the steep slab, aiming for a fin of rock. A crux move down onto this and then left sees the difficulties over. Move left into a groove, and then horizontally left past another groove, to eventually step down onto a slab. Traverse the slab to a hanging groove with an aluminium peg at its base. A committing move up this leads to an exit left at its top. Walk way back along a small path to a large block bay. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
A major UK classic taking a rising traverse leftwards across Wen Slab to a sensational finale where the zawn drops away below your feet. The climbing itself is not hard but the grade is well justified due to the exposure and the consequences of either the leader or the second falling off the final pitch into empty space. Carrying prussics is highly recommended. Traditionally climbed in four pitches but the first is often bypassed in the common event of big seas.

Ticklists

Hard Rock , Top 25 UKC Wishlist Rock Climbs , North Wales Rock Graded List , Very good routes in the UK , HVS Adventures , Full of Myself - Johnny's Book namecheck , ROCKFAX Style Top 50: North Wales , MIA logbook must haves! , Darrencabowabo,s hit list , Must-do routes , CLIMB Mag's Top 100 routes in Britain , My List , North Wales 100 Classic Climbs , ROCKFAX - Top 50 North Wales Climbs , Get out on Rock , Ultimate HVS ticklist , The BMC 70th Anniversary Ticklist , Bangor BUMS Uni-Life Ticklist , AMC Uni Ticklist , MUMC Ticklist , ICAS Climbing Club , Radical Rockcats 2nd Year of Uni Ticklist , North wales road to ruins HVS , 2016 Targets , The best the UK has to offer for mere mortals (apart from the lakes cos its always wet) , High Quality Adventure routes , 100 Best Wales Mid Grade Climbs , Chris H's 100 Mega Classic Trad , Caelan visits , Hobo Unicorn Essentials , Best Mid Grade Sea Cliff Traverses , Glyn's North Wales mid-grade ticklist , Extreme Girdle , UK Holiday Plans , Pre-MIA Wishlist , The Big Easy Mountain Route Club , George's Ultimate Easy to Mid-Grade North Wales Trad Ticklist , Libby Peter's HVS Hit List , North Wales HVS , Hard Rock 2020 , Cool Names , York University Students path to greatness , Target Routes 2019/2020 , Jack And Sophie's Super Fun Timez , Traverses of trady radness , May Trip Target List , Big Boy Pants , 2020/21 Trips , The Post-Lockdown Vanventure Ticklist , Outragous Positions , The Gogarth Rock Cat's Apprenticeship. , Hard Rock & Other Classics , 2021 , Welsh Roadtrip , Dream Challenge (The BIG ONE) , Summer Ticklist , Ones to smash out! , Wales Trip - 2022 , R&T , Year 2 ticklist , Dan’s Delights , Llidberis , ROCKFAX TOP 50s upto e3 , Another lifelist? , HS-HVS adventures , Ben's Trad Ticklist , Consolidation VS-HVS , Dream lines , North Wales To Do List , Dewimpification , 3 Star - North Wales HS - HVS , British Rock Tour April '24 , UKC Other Rock Types Top 20 Wishlist Climbs , 2024 Ticklist

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User Date Notes
Aither 8 Oct, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Left 3x alpine draws 3x DMM wall nuts on route. Also after finally getting to the top our green half rope was stuck far down which is now attached to the ab anchor. Please if you can, retrieve any of the gear and message me or the nuts are tough tagged with my partner's Noah's details who you can also contact. Will reward for it's safe return, huge thanks in advance for anyone who does or attempts too.
βeta?
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βeta: Left 3x alpine draws 3x DMM wall nuts on route. Also after finally getting to the top our green half rope was stuck far down which is now attached to the ab anchor. Please if you can, retrieve any of the gear and message me or the nuts are tough tagged with my partner's Noah's details who you can also contact. Will reward for it's safe return, huge thanks in advance for anyone who does or attempts too.
Thin Boyz 30 Jul, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Lost 6 nuts and a quickdraw in one single epic here on the 29th July. Finders keepers! If you manage to get the big purple one out of the start of the P1 traverse let me know, it has large sentimental value.
βeta?
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βeta: Lost 6 nuts and a quickdraw in one single epic here on the 29th July. Finders keepers! If you manage to get the big purple one out of the start of the P1 traverse let me know, it has large sentimental value.
RaRaTheTiger 26 Jun, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Black diamond 60cm extender and nut left approx 5 meters above stance for final pitch, just right of the concrete chimney, in the top of a block to the right, you might spot from below on the traverse of previous pitch when you leave the 15m and 10m flake system to reach the concrete chimney- pls message me if retrieved but dont put yourself at risk to get it! If you climb The Concrete Chimney route you will pass it. On pitch 3 (pitch 2 if high tide start) leader overshot, after climbing the 15m flake crack and next 10m of flakes, missing the traverse left at this point and instead continuing on diagonally up & left to some high in situ tat on a thread (possibly from a neighbouring route) before traversing left too high and missing the "good holds that lead down to and left for 5m" to belay nich in concrete chimney. As a result leader reached chimney, approx 5 meters above intended stance, which was tricky to move into and downclimb at this point to make a higher stance in the chimney. When I seconded I needed to leave the extender and nut in at the point leader accessed the chimney to protect the downclimb and stance. Lead last pitch by downcliming a few more moves to get to the intended stance point then back on route left for the last traverse pitch. Exciting to get there but worth the work! Exposure intense, wild!
Show beta
βeta: Black diamond 60cm extender and nut left approx 5 meters above stance for final pitch, just right of the concrete chimney, in the top of a block to the right, you might spot from below on the traverse of previous pitch when you leave the 15m and 10m flake system to reach the concrete chimney- pls message me if retrieved but dont put yourself at risk to get it! If you climb The Concrete Chimney route you will pass it. On pitch 3 (pitch 2 if high tide start) leader overshot, after climbing the 15m flake crack and next 10m of flakes, missing the traverse left at this point and instead continuing on diagonally up & left to some high in situ tat on a thread (possibly from a neighbouring route) before traversing left too high and missing the "good holds that lead down to and left for 5m" to belay nich in concrete chimney. As a result leader reached chimney, approx 5 meters above intended stance, which was tricky to move into and downclimb at this point to make a higher stance in the chimney. When I seconded I needed to leave the extender and nut in at the point leader accessed the chimney to protect the downclimb and stance. Lead last pitch by downcliming a few more moves to get to the intended stance point then back on route left for the last traverse pitch. Exciting to get there but worth the work! Exposure intense, wild!
JoshRawson 22 Jun, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: What an awesome experience. Far better gear than expected, did it from the mid tide start. Louise did the down climb into the hanging belay, she did well! The walkie talk allowed her too much opportunity to talk about every single thing though... Last pitch was amazing, almost worth the 3 hour queue hahaha
βeta?
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βeta: What an awesome experience. Far better gear than expected, did it from the mid tide start. Louise did the down climb into the hanging belay, she did well! The walkie talk allowed her too much opportunity to talk about every single thing though... Last pitch was amazing, almost worth the 3 hour queue hahaha
R_Jo89 20 Jun, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: After work jaunt. Topped out at 11pm. Navigating the last pitch with just a headtorch was an experience
βeta?
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βeta: After work jaunt. Topped out at 11pm. Navigating the last pitch with just a headtorch was an experience
Deano.Nev 15 Jun, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: What a climb !! Nothing too hard, lovely steady moves the whole route ? Will be back again.
βeta?
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βeta: What a climb !! Nothing too hard, lovely steady moves the whole route ? Will be back again.
Alfie Hollingsworth 12 May, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Absolutely epic although got serious hot on the final slab in the afternoon sun. Lost a red offset, if anyone was there would love to be reunited with it.
βeta?
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βeta: Absolutely epic although got serious hot on the final slab in the afternoon sun. Lost a red offset, if anyone was there would love to be reunited with it.
Dave__horner 9 Apr, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Best route I've ever done
βeta?
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βeta: Best route I've ever done
Adam_bravery 14 Sep, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Purple cam stuck on final pitch after crux. If you can get it out, the uni of Nottingham climbing club would like it back please
βeta?
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βeta: Purple cam stuck on final pitch after crux. If you can get it out, the uni of Nottingham climbing club would like it back please
robert7249 29 Aug, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Terrifying and brilliant. Fell off the crux move, the red cam is now my favourite, I’ll look after that thing like it’s a baby I gave birth to. Topped out just the sun went down, starting the route at 18:00 to beat the crowds was a silly idea, but we had the place to ourselves. Won’t be back
βeta?
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βeta: Terrifying and brilliant. Fell off the crux move, the red cam is now my favourite, I’ll look after that thing like it’s a baby I gave birth to. Topped out just the sun went down, starting the route at 18:00 to beat the crowds was a silly idea, but we had the place to ourselves. Won’t be back
lbenn1 10 Aug, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: There is a pretty stuck cam of mine on the rising flake of the penultimate pitch, if you can get it out and return it I have some beers waiting!
βeta?
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βeta: There is a pretty stuck cam of mine on the rising flake of the penultimate pitch, if you can get it out and return it I have some beers waiting!
Tall Oak 1 Jun, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Led P2 with Max on P1 and P3 (starting from high tide mark). What a route. Perfect day. Perfect weather (save for the windy and cold start). The traverse is euphoric! The route really is worth the esteem it is given.
βeta?
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βeta: Led P2 with Max on P1 and P3 (starting from high tide mark). What a route. Perfect day. Perfect weather (save for the windy and cold start). The traverse is euphoric! The route really is worth the esteem it is given.
JaySheppard 6 May, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: In an effort to make the most out of the day, we set off early, determined to be the first on route on what was sure to be a busy bank holiday weekend. Our plans were stifled somewhat by arriving at the crag to find the route wet. We waited, hoping that an extra hour or two might provide enough drying time but we were quickly forced into early action by a line of climbers marching over the horizon, all come to climb the route. I quickly descended our ab rope to setup our first hanging belay near the base of the cliff, feeling incredibly isolated as I hung there alone trying to secure myself to the cold wet cracks at the start of the route. Dicken soon joined me and we were away but in a cruel twist of fate conditions only worsened from there, the wind picked up to something mighty and it even started to rain. Rope management and keeping warm became a huge challenge as we swung leads. The wind did it’s best to tangle ropes at every opportunity and whoever was sat belaying was left exposed with their body temperature slowly dropping. Sometime during all this struggle, the other climbers watching and waiting for their turn decided today clearly wasn’t the day to climb this route and promptly bailed, leaving us alone as we approached the final pitch. As I was hiding from the wind as best I could in a small chimney at the final belay, Dicken arrived shivering not wanting to continue. I urged him into hopping straight onto the final pitch as the best option for keeping warm. Finally under the cave roof we were offered some shelter from wind and rain. The final pitch was an absolute delight to climb, hopping and walking around huge features, gently balanced on perfectly positioned (although often soaking wet) holds throughout. Well worth the hype, all the other climbers who bailed are clearly soft!
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: In an effort to make the most out of the day, we set off early, determined to be the first on route on what was sure to be a busy bank holiday weekend. Our plans were stifled somewhat by arriving at the crag to find the route wet. We waited, hoping that an extra hour or two might provide enough drying time but we were quickly forced into early action by a line of climbers marching over the horizon, all come to climb the route. I quickly descended our ab rope to setup our first hanging belay near the base of the cliff, feeling incredibly isolated as I hung there alone trying to secure myself to the cold wet cracks at the start of the route. Dicken soon joined me and we were away but in a cruel twist of fate conditions only worsened from there, the wind picked up to something mighty and it even started to rain. Rope management and keeping warm became a huge challenge as we swung leads. The wind did it’s best to tangle ropes at every opportunity and whoever was sat belaying was left exposed with their body temperature slowly dropping. Sometime during all this struggle, the other climbers watching and waiting for their turn decided today clearly wasn’t the day to climb this route and promptly bailed, leaving us alone as we approached the final pitch. As I was hiding from the wind as best I could in a small chimney at the final belay, Dicken arrived shivering not wanting to continue. I urged him into hopping straight onto the final pitch as the best option for keeping warm. Finally under the cave roof we were offered some shelter from wind and rain. The final pitch was an absolute delight to climb, hopping and walking around huge features, gently balanced on perfectly positioned (although often soaking wet) holds throughout. Well worth the hype, all the other climbers who bailed are clearly soft!
Fakey Rocks 29 Mar, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Give youself 20-30 mins to walk in from carpark to gps 53.320180,-4.678137 ( gps for where the path splits with an obvious main path down to fog warning house). At the split you go straight ahead and then down a thin zig zag to promontory + position for ab for low tide start, or turn left here to find the approach off right for a high tide ab start. Its a bit more to the ab spot for high tide start which is a little tricky down a gulley + requires more care. If dry ground, you could follow the path towards the low tide abseil to here (53.320432,-4.680091) and then turn left along a slightly precarious path, (we did this) , or back at the main path you take the left branch to quickly find another soon leading off right. At the end of day we discovered an ab stake near the descent to the high tide ab gulley, so watch out for this too on approach , it sticks up pretty high!, perhaps there for for safer descent into gulley or other routes, dunno, we didn’t use or test it. Probably 20 -30 walk in, 30m+ to get sorted + set up your abseil? So 1 hr, plus however long it then takes you to gearup at carpark, or top of ab, if you are hoping to arrive in time to do the low tide start. Allow ~1.5 to 2 hrs from arrival at car park to be at the base of low tide start.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Give youself 20-30 mins to walk in from carpark to gps 53.320180,-4.678137 ( gps for where the path splits with an obvious main path down to fog warning house). At the split you go straight ahead and then down a thin zig zag to promontory + position for ab for low tide start, or turn left here to find the approach off right for a high tide ab start. Its a bit more to the ab spot for high tide start which is a little tricky down a gulley + requires more care. If dry ground, you could follow the path towards the low tide abseil to here (53.320432,-4.680091) and then turn left along a slightly precarious path, (we did this) , or back at the main path you take the left branch to quickly find another soon leading off right. At the end of day we discovered an ab stake near the descent to the high tide ab gulley, so watch out for this too on approach , it sticks up pretty high!, perhaps there for for safer descent into gulley or other routes, dunno, we didn’t use or test it. Probably 20 -30 walk in, 30m+ to get sorted + set up your abseil? So 1 hr, plus however long it then takes you to gearup at carpark, or top of ab, if you are hoping to arrive in time to do the low tide start. Allow ~1.5 to 2 hrs from arrival at car park to be at the base of low tide start.
EBeck 18 Jul, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Great Route
βeta?
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βeta: Great Route
NataliaK 24 Sep, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: Extend A lot on last pitch.
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βeta: Extend A lot on last pitch.
Ross0602 25 Jul, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: High tide start. Fantastic climb!
βeta?
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βeta: High tide start. Fantastic climb!
samlikesrocks 11 Jul, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: Exposed!
βeta?
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βeta: Exposed!
Mike-W-99 17 Sep, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: You do not need a double set of cams! More importantly your rack should have plenty of extenders.
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βeta: You do not need a double set of cams! More importantly your rack should have plenty of extenders.
Siongethinhill 16 Sep, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Take a double set of cams (1-4). Offsets! Big chocks also handy for penultimate belay!
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βeta: Take a double set of cams (1-4). Offsets! Big chocks also handy for penultimate belay!
jimbob1962 30 Aug, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: High tide start. Mark lead 1st 2 pitches , I got the last. Under pressure to finish as heavy rain was imminent,topped out just as rain started.mark did a grand job on the last pitch in wet conditions. Excellent climb, been on the list for years.
βeta?
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βeta: High tide start. Mark lead 1st 2 pitches , I got the last. Under pressure to finish as heavy rain was imminent,topped out just as rain started.mark did a grand job on the last pitch in wet conditions. Excellent climb, been on the list for years.
JohnnyMeakin64 10 Aug, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Get in super early to skip the inevitable queuing that will ensue!
βeta?
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βeta: Get in super early to skip the inevitable queuing that will ensue!
alvaroBV 24 Jun, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Loose large block/pinacle shaped rock sticking out at chest height around 10m before the end of the traverse of the last pitch, before you step down onto the slab section. Won't take long until it falls. Don't go up too quickly in P1 otherwise you will do P2 of Zeus which is an E2 5b, as it happened to me.
βeta?
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βeta: Loose large block/pinacle shaped rock sticking out at chest height around 10m before the end of the traverse of the last pitch, before you step down onto the slab section. Won't take long until it falls. Don't go up too quickly in P1 otherwise you will do P2 of Zeus which is an E2 5b, as it happened to me.
RSabin 23 Jun, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Some loose rocks in traverse section just before the final groove.
βeta?
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βeta: Some loose rocks in traverse section just before the final groove.
Alpinelegend69 29 May, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Lived up to exceptions. Ropes got stuck when pulling them from the abseil which always adds a bit of spice
βeta?
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βeta: Lived up to exceptions. Ropes got stuck when pulling them from the abseil which always adds a bit of spice

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Guidebooks for Gogarth North Stack and Main Cliff

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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 411
High 5a
Mid 5a
Low 5a
High 4c
Mid 4c
Low 4c
High 4b
Mid 4b
Low 4b
Votes cast 401
Votes cast 398
Style of Ascent
Alt Leads
Lead
Followed
Soloed
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
DNF
Flashed (β)
Dogged
Ground Up
Redpoint
Not Set
Route of Interest
Scavenger

Grade: HVS 5a ***
(Gogarth North Stack and Main Cliff)

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