UKC

Hi UKC users!!

I just want to get a general idea of what your best routes are in North Wales. No reason than only to add them to my existing ticklist. So feel free and post yours. It can be hard or super easy. However, one exception is that it has to be above/or at: E1 5b trad, 6b+ sport and V4 boulder.

Happy days

In reply to BC:
By imposing the grade limits on your request for 'Best routes' I think you are missing out on a huge selection of climbs that are absolutely Top Class from Diff to HVS. In my opinion if you seek quality rather than difficulty I think you will discover a new dimension to the activity we call climbing.

In reply to BC:

Implication that E1 5b is super easy?

Man, I need to lay off the pies!

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Its just a bit of fun really

In reply to BC:

Even the routes I hated, I had to admit that I loved hating them. The routes that coincided with surprising form, when the timing was just right were equally as valid an experience as those that were too hard at the time. I never did get Left Wall clean, I must sort that out. Notable memories are: The grooves, Vector, Comes The Dervish, Shrike, Great Wall, The Axe, blimey even Ss special and The Thing.
Cemetery Gates in the pouring rain, Cream, I could go on and on...

In reply to BC:
You are right - climbing is a fun activity and shouldn't be taken too seriously but fun can be had at lots of levels and I was trying to appeal to that broader spectrum. I recall a wet day when we explored Lockwood's Chimney and had lunch in the perfect dry of the Cave pitch. And then there was the day on Idwal Slabs when the water ran down my arms and out of my overtrousers, or the warm summers day we did Brant Direct with those superb bridging moves that were so secure. All fun.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:


Big difference between fun and the best routes.
Compare main wall with positron or the quarryman

In reply to BC:

Your profile show e2 as best on sight, if this is current, then someone saying strawberries, or the quarryman is less relevent than an offer of poor mans puretry. (Sp)
ambition is good, achievement is real. Don't want to douse your flame, or your tick list, but maybe the tone of the op wasn't quite what you intended?

In reply to BC:

I liked Soap Gut

In reply to BC:

I'll not bother repeating things that have already been said

Super Direct (E1 5b) in my opinion the finest pitch of its grade that i have climbed. The midle pitch that is

I sugest you go to Gogarth but struggle to recommend a route as they were all so good. I'll state the obvious and say that you must do Dream of White Horses if you haven't already done so

The Troach (E2 5b) also stands out in my memory as being exceptional

In reply to BC:

Avoid the lower grade *** routes . They aren't worthy of your attention and don't need the polish.

In reply to BC:

The Grooves is a great E1, as are Octo, The Plum, Falcon, Cemetery Gates, Cenotaph Corner, Gogarth, Nexus, Dinas Mot Superdirect and many more.

But there are some fabulous HVSs and VSs too.

In reply to BC:

Best climbing in NW is on the Satellites and the Meadow up to Cyrn Las brilliant rock and an atmospheric place to climb, so definitely Wavelength (sit start) and King of Drunks. Back down on the Cromlech Boulders, Ultimate Retro Party is superb. Finish at Ty Jerry, how about The Cable Guy?

In reply to BC:

There is a direct finish to The Grooves on Cyrn Las, thats quite good.

In reply to BC:

Strand, Aura, White Slab,Last Tango, Suicide Wall, ...off the top of my head.

In reply to BC:
Interesting! Hmm here are a few:

Bouldering:

Pillbox Original - V6/F7a - hard for the grade (I find it at least..) but incredible position on the steep overhang by the sea.

Left Wall traverse - (V5,V6,V8 depending on where you start :p ) - beautiful moves, loads of polish but still a total classic.

Breck Road F6c - possibly one of the best V5s (6Cs) I've done anywhere. Just up from the cave, little to no polish, balancy start leads an intimidating roof where you latch a jug and cut loose for a moment before putting your feet up and finishing left. Loved it.

Sport Routes:

Face race 7a+ at LPT - immaculate wall, sharp holds and a hard crux. As good as vertical climbing gets.

Under the boardwalk 6c - surely on everyone's ticklist? Steep jugs, slopers at the tops, bridging - it's got everything!

Surprise appearance - Prime the pump 7b at Llandudas Cave (I spent some time falling off it today!) - a real gem in the Forgotten Sun area. Hard move to begin with leads to some fantastic holds and loads of dancing on the steep overhanging wall. Pumpy but amazing climbing leading to a mean and hard to read crux gaining the vertical wall. A superb 7b, hope to tick it soon.

In reply to BC:

Impossible question but I'll do my best by asking myself which routes would hold their own with the very best of the same style in Scotland. That rules out Gogarth (obviously.........). So, White Slab, Great Wall, Left Wall and Resurrection, Aura, Cream spring to mind. Doubtless others (too hard for me) I've not done.

In reply to John Clinch (Ampthill):

Agree with both of those - and would go as far as to say that The Troach is the best pitch I've ever climbed.

In reply to Robert Durran:

I've never seen a midge a Gogarth, not sure why the guide books even bother covering it.....

In reply to BC:

The undisputed five best routes in Snowdonia are the great arête, crimson cruiser, aura, snowdrop and ten degrees north.

In reply to Robert Durran:


You are just being deliberately controversial and looking for a reaction... obviously.

Mousetrap
Assassin
Fantasia
Left Wall direct finish
Vector
Pull My Daisy

In reply to Martin Haworth:


Not at all; if you want to measure something, it helps to have a long enough ruler.