UKC

Please could I have some personal recommendations for good easier (up to V4) bouldering destinations on Anglesey. Ta muchly

This isn't a recommendation but if anybody wants to be the first to grade some routes there might be a handful here at Henblas Rocks:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Paradwys,+Bodorgan+LL62+5PE/@53.2215133,-...

They are on Henblas farm that's got a public right of way.

As far as I am aware they are pretty much unknown in the climbing community. At least I've never seen them on any databases. There may be a good reason for this.

I haven't been there for 20 years, but climbed there when I was new to climbing. I generally found the routes either way to easy or way to hard (I was probably climbing V1/V2 at the time) so the quality may be quite poor, but may be scope for there being some harder routes that I couldn't find.

It's pretty small so there's only going to be 5 routes max here so not worth it for a day out, but I'd be interested nevertheless to know if any interesting routes could exist here.

images:

https://coflein.gov.uk/media/120/616/large_DI2011_3632.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/6120/6277376066_0a4fa56062_b.jpg

(don't remember that tree being there, could be a problem)

Parc Pentir

Ogof Moryn and Pedolau

Fedw Fawr

Benllech Beach

Hendy Boulders

The Ghost Cave (Treaddur Bay)

Hi sam

The island has a huge amount of coastal bouldering. Are you going alone or with others? Most of the main.areas have limited volume under the v3 grade, and most areas require at least a couple of pads and a spotter to make them feel safe. Tides can be an issue in some areas with respect to getting cut off from the access but plenty that have easy approaches/ retreats. Simons coastal guide has all of the main venues covered.
From a solo point of view that have good flat landings within the grades you are looking at there are venues such as the ghost cave at treaddur bay,  some areas of Penmon rocks, white beach/ upper white beach at fedw fawr. Castell mawr is non tidal and has plenty in that grade range too. These aren’t in the guide but details are on the UKC database.
Smaller inland venues are around such as the hendy boulders but these although having the grades you are looking for, are more of local interest.

hope this helps
 

Wherever you go, please don't boulder the bottom few feet of routes. On some crags good routes have been polished to death for the bottom few feet by repeated bouldering. It's bad enough when they get polished by people doing the full route, but bouldering tends to be excessively repeated!

So do people going bouldering have less right to climb on the route than those attempting the full route?

In addition to mikenty's point, I can think of very few examples where this is actually the case (and incidentally, none of them are on Anglesey).

Most of the routes I can think of with polished starts are polished because they're popular routes. Maybe there's the odd route here and there which is polished through bouldering, but the fact I can only think of a few suggests it's far from commonplace, and even if it was - what gives one group of climbers priority over another?

Have a go at some of the sport routes in the New Quarry in Avon. The first 3m are exceptional. 

Plenty to go at there! Cheers

That's really helpful, thanks. I'll be on my own but have two pads. I don't bounce like I used to so I won't be pushing my luck

I don't doubt it, but they've become polished as a result of people climbing the 'full route' - not people bouldering out the start. 

p.s. apologies to the OP for going off on a tangent - if the conversation continues I'll split the thread

The start of climbs get more polished than the remainder for two reasons

People doing low level traverses for training

people attempting to top rope (or second) climbs that are too hard for them, and giving up before they get very far

This is very ropendist talk, with my woke hat on, I think you should also acknowledge that this includes people attempting to lead (or solo) climbs that are too hard for them... 😁

No. Over many decades I’ve often seen people attempt to lead a climb, delicately placing feet before backing off. I’ve also seen people attempting climbs on a tight top rope scrabbling with feet in an abrasive and non delicate fashion before eventually been lowered back down

No, carry on as you like! I've got more than enough to go at for a two day trip from sl@te head and string arms

In seriousness, I agree that the amount of polish/person will generally be less for failed lead/solo than failed second/TR; probably also generally less for successful as well.

I think its largely due to people traversing the bottom of the quarry.

What is "Simons coastal guide" - not the two volume Ground Up climbing guides, presumably. There is a little about Anglesey in the Ground Up "North Wales Boudering", but several places get only the briefest of mentions there, and haven't been documented anywhere, as far as I can see.  There is also a limestone wall in Moelfre that is described in Niall Grimes's Bouldering UK book.  But I've seen other spots around the island with (probably low grade, as that is all I can recognise!)  lots of potential that I haven't seen written up anywhere, e.g. boulders in fields by a lake near Llanfihangel-yn-Nhowyn I think I've seen referred as RAF Valley boulders, but I can't find any details.  Maybe there will b a Volume 2 of the updated North Wales Bouldering that will have fuller coverage of Ynys Môn one day?

(Thanks to whoever posted the list of venues above, by the way.)

The tides are looking good for Thu and Fri, the weather less so.....which venue(s) would be my best bet in changeable weather?

hi 
often the weather report can be misleading when it comes to Anglesey and it can surprisingly miss forecasted rain. If it’s been dry for a couple of days beforehand or a little showery then castell mawr can be a good bet, but not always. I’ve learnt not to rely that heavily on forecasts and see what happens on the day. Not sure on Ian’s ( slate heads) suggestions as I’ve not been to the moelfre area venues. Doubt Penmon would be viable especially the tufa wall section as it seeps after heavy rain. Benllech beach may be ok as the main section is steep if a little sandy in the breaks. It is a little limited though from my recollection but the UKC database shows a lot that’s been added so maybe better than I think.

Thanks, yes, I'd forgotten about Anglesey's splendid microclimate. I've had many great days at Gogarth and Holyhead Mountain after a gopping start to the day in the Pass