Trench Wall

Climbs 14 – Rocktype Limestone – Altitude 10m a.s.l – Faces N

Crag features
Trench Wall is the long wall facing N across the A55 between Old Colwyn and Llandulas.

It lies below and roughly at right angles to the previously-developed crags at Penmaen Head. It is considerably taller than it appears from the road because of a shrub-filled trench that runs along the base of the crag. The rock is much better than it looks from the A55 and all routes done so far are good.

The routes are approached by descending into the trench from the open area of grass that separates the crag from the A55. This grassy area is easily accessed from the usual Penmaen Head parking by descending past the other sectors and continuing down and right via some steps. The RH end of the wall begins just beyond an area of rock covered with wire mesh. The 13 routes done so far offer good climbing (much better than the apppearance from the road would suggest). There are already enough worthwhile routes to justify a visit by climbers operating in the 6a+ to 6c+ grade range. All routes done so far lie in two adjacent sectors near the righthand side of the crag and are equipped with stainless steel bolts and double ring lower offs.

The first sector, Greybeard's Wall, is the area of mainly grey rock that lies between 70 and 100 m L of the wire mesh and directly behind a small but prominent boulder in the grass field. The left hand part forms a broad convex pillar seamed with shallow grooves and has a prominent crack towards its R hand side. The right hand part is a concave wall with a wide brown streak near its top R hand corner.

The second sector, Sector Aretes, lies R of Greybeard's Wall, from which it is separated by some broken grassy grooves and corners. It is between 50 m and 70 m L of the wire mesh. It consists, unsurprisingly, of a series of aretes. Two are paticularly distinctive. The left hand of these starts about half way up the crag and has a slim borehole right up its nose (so to speak). The right hand one has a crack on either side. The crack on the left is prominent enough but the one on the right is probably the most striking feature on the entire crag. A blunt, slightly retiring buttress lies between the two aretes.

Weather forecast

Guidebooks
A55 sport climbs 2nd edition (2011)

Climbs at this crag

The Beacon Climbing Centre
Caernarfon, GWYNEDD
Dedicated centre. "After 18 years based on the Ceunant hillside, Beacon Climbing Centre relocated in July 2012 to a huge new modern facility, conveniently located on the Cibyn..."
www.beaconclimbing.com

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Moderator Updates to this page are checked by UKC volunteer harold walmsley

USER FEEDBACK Login as Existing User to add your comments I agree with Harolds comments on 2nd March. Of the routes I've done there has been no loose rock. The climbs are much better than their appearance might suggest. rockcat - 10/Jun/11 If Dave's comment is intended to imply that the routes are loose this is far from the case. They are more sound than most quarried limestone and on many routes the rock is excellent. Loose areas are mentioned in the descriptions. He hasn't logged any ascents so I don't know what experience the comment is based on harold walmsley - 02/Mar/11 take a tube of super glue dave555 - 27/Feb/11

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