There are classic routes, then there's A Dream of White Horses (HVS 4c)…
'Dream' sits at the top spot within UKC's Wishlist, above the likes of Cenotaph Corner and Cemetery Gates, routes which also transcend their three star status into something altogether different.
A lot of the route's legendary status has to come down to Leo Dickinson's famous photograph of the route, which was immortalised in black and white on the cover of the first ascentionist's book A Dream of White Horses, Recollections of a Life on the Rocks, by Edwin Drummond. It shows that broad expanse of the blank looking Wen Slab being engulfed by a huge wave, with the climbers just above, teetering across.
However, the route's reputation doesn't come as a result of a single photograph - it comes off the back of countless ascents and the experiences those people have had on it. It is a memorable route even before you've stepped onto it, as a quick gaze from the promontory opposite cements its psychological advantage. In the wrong light the slab looks steeper than it actually is, and much less featured too; however, it's that final traverse across extremely unlikely terrain that truly terrifies people. None of it looks plausible at the grade and yet, it is…
The abseil in always feels exposed, although much of that is due to the trepidation of what is to come (and when hasn't stepping backwards off a cliff edge felt intimidating?!). Once you're actually on the route the tension is diffused somewhat, as the slab - which looked bereft of holds from afar - is actually adorned with them. After going up for a short period of time, the journey sideways begins. This is where you'll reap the benefits of being within an equally experienced party, confident of moving across 4c terrain, because the consequences of a fall from either lead or second are something that's worth avoiding.
It's not often that I say this, but one of my favourite aspects of climbing Dream are the belays, where you get plenty of time to soak in the surroundings. Wen Zawn is an atmospheric place, where both wind and waves are commonplace, funnelling their way through the impressive arch. When climbing Dream you're right in the middle of this, in and amongst routes of incomprehensible difficulty. Take time to spot the lines of Conan the Librarian (E7 6b), Mr Softy (E6 6b), and The Mad Brown (E7 6b), and spend a moment trying to wrap your head around the terrain that they cross. Another perk of the position you're in is that you often get a sighting of a seal. Back when I was most active at Gogarth we'd frequently see what I'd presumed to be the same massive male, which we'd named 'Old Salty'.
Coming back to the route itself, by the time you've traversed across the slab and done the down climb, you're left with what is undoubtedly the wildest and best pitch not just on the route, but almost anywhere else too. From a distance it looks like it should be E5, as the terrain above is overhanging and the terrain below severely undercut, giving a unique sense of exposure. However, much like the other pitches it's one that rewards a confident approach, with large holds, good protection, and some fantastic rests. Be sure to take your time whilst traversing, not least so you can place adequate gear both for yourself and your second, but also so you can soak up that exposure.
Guidebook
North Wales Climbs
North Wales Climbs spans the major mountain crags from Llanberis Pass, to Cloggy; and from Ogwen to the Carneddau. It also includes the Llanberis Slate quarries, Tremadog, the Moelwyns, the Gwynant Valley, Mid-Wales, Gogarth and the Ormes of Llandudno. As is normally the case with the selected Rockfax guidebooks, the choice of what to include is based as much on the crag it is on as the route itself. If we include a crag then we tend to include a good selection of routes on that crag.
The 2023 edition builds on the successful 2013 edition with many extra routes and mostly new aerial crag photography throughout. All the maps...
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Comments
First time I tried this EWD wrote out the description for us literally on the back of a fag packet in the Padarn on the evening of their ascent. He and Dave were very excited about it's quality. We went to try it the following day but bottled out and finished up Wen thinking it was a sand bag. We went back and did it the following weekend and to this day I'm still not sure if that was the second ascent. We were very impressed with the quality and could not believe how straightforward it was up until the moment we topped out
Where was the famous photo first published ? sure I'd seen it years before it was a book cover.
Probably in Mountain Magazine I'm guessing. Wasn't it used for some ad or other as well?
I remember climbing down to that stance in the early 70s, and it was pissing down, so we were in full waterproofs and my mates said it was an OK solo to the stance. i was bricking it. Anyway for some reason we climbed Dde instead, which was fine. Been back a few times in much better weather, but the last time on one of the BMC International meets, when I arrived at the descent gully with a South African climber, there was an arctic wind blasting up from the Zawn. So we quickly diverted to a mountain crag that was in the sun and sheltered from the wind. All about picking the right crag on the day. I must repeat it again someday as it's soooogood!
Did Dream on late November in around 1989. Forgot rock boots and a head torch so led it all in Riachle plastic boots using tge light of tge lighthouse for the last pitch. Atmospheric!
What Rob didn't mention is how gripped most people are after the scary scramble out to the abseil point. Then there is the difficulty of getting the route to your self - not being pressured by loads of other teams.
We were lucky to get the slab to ourselveses (had waited a long time for that), and we'd been there many times before so were not intimidated by the scramble in.
Superb route, but Concrete Chimney........