UKC

Hi there,

Looking to get inspired and motivated and create a wishlists/tick list for myself of routes to do in North Wales. To accommodate my partner as well as myself I'll be sticking in the S 4a - HS 4b area.

I'd be really grateful for suggestions of routes in that grade that are really worth doing, for whatever reason;

Adventure, technically nice moves, exposure etc whatever it might be, just the best routes you've done at that grade!

Much appreciated and thanks in advance..

GB

In reply to GingerBread22:

Crackstone Rib, Carrey Wastad
Creagh Dhu Wall, Tremadog
Poor Man's Peutery, Tremadog

Are the ones that spring to mind immediately. Although I think perhaps the best day in Snowdonia to be had at that grade would be to go in Llyn Idwal and do Tennis Shoe (HS) on Idwal slabs, followed by Lazurus (S 4a), Groove Above (S 4b) and finally, if you feel up top it going over to do the Grey Slab (VS 4b). The final pitch of Grey Slab while technically easy is a little necky though.

In reply to yetimatt: Thanks, not done any of the three you mentioned and will get the down on the list of to do's

I've done the link up you mentioned, like you say a wonderful day. Not done grey slab as yet though? People seem to think it's bold and 4c...

Thanks again!

In reply to yetimatt:

Aye, I'd agree with all of the above.

P.M.P has a scrappy first pitch but the rest of the route is quality, some nice exposure stepping out on to the nose especially.

Tennis Shoe is a great route, probably my favourite in the Ogwen area anyhow. If you don't fancy following it up with Grey Slab you could do Central Arete Direct instead, a 6 pitch vdiff which has some interesting moments to it as well.

In reply to GingerBread22:


I'd say bold, yes, 4c, no. Just think of the classic rock picture of the chap in big boots and a pipe stood on the top slab looking very comfortable and you'll stroll up it.

We did the slabby arete to the left as a first pitch. Good combo.

In reply to Styx: Yea, Tennis shoe i lovely! Have looked at Central arete but not got around to doing it yet, will do it next time.

Thanks

Any thoughts on direct route on glyder fawr/fach HS 4b? Pinnacle wall on craig yr ysfa S 4a?

In reply to galpinos:


Grey Rib....

In reply to GingerBread22:
The absolute top of my to do list is Main Wall, have been told it`s good

In reply to sjc: On Cyrn las? Does look good!!

In reply to GingerBread22:


Personally I don't think the moves were 4c, but it is bold, and its a long way up the mountain so it certainly warrants the VS grade for those reasons.

In reply to GingerBread22:

Gambit Climb!

In reply to Tall Clare: Thanks Clare, not heard of that before! Sounds good..

In reply to GingerBread22:

It's *ace*! We did it on a glorious day a few years ago, the sort where the whole of North Wales is bathed in sunshine... apart from that route. It was 'fresh'.

It even has a spot of exposure for you

In reply to sjc:
It is good. feels quite serious too.
How about one of the long routes on Llewid (sp)?
Valerie's rib at tremadoc feels pretty serious for the grade.
Direct on the Mot.

In reply to Jim at Work: Quite fancy Avalance/red wall/longlands S 4b in my guide.

In reply to Jim at Work:


VS with a 5b move at the start of the top pitch

In reply to GingerBread22:

Kirkus's Climb Direct, Bent, Slack and Slant - Moelwynion
Good routes on Clogwyn yr Oen

In reply to Hat Dude: I've done the cracks at Dinas Mot, without the horrid 5a top pitch, think it got HS 4b, that was lovely. Not sure i can manage VS 5b mind..

P.S Anyone done Zig Zag at Clogwyn Y Tarw (Gribbin) , Get's S 4a on here but HS 4b i my guide, is the horrid shiny V grove pitch well protected? I'm not the greatest chimney climber but somehow it makes me want to do them? Anyone done it..

In reply to GingerBread22: Zig Zag is OK.. I found it hard going, but I'm not a fan of chimneys and you can mess up your ropes easily..

In reply to GingerBread22: Had anyone mentioned Direct Route on Glyder Fach yet? That was a worthwhile outing.

In reply to IainRUK: Ah, what's the gear like in the chimney?

Yep, got Direct route on Glyder fach on the list

Thanks...

In reply to GingerBread22:

Eh? Was v diff when one did it a while ago... Most enjoyable.

In reply to stonemaster: Seems to be a bit of confusion around the grade. Get's HVD on here and S 4b in NWR. Looks excellent..

In reply to GingerBread22: One will accept Hard V Diff...

In reply to GingerBread22:

I think Grey Slab is HS 4b with modern small pro. It can weep so you need a good day for that grade.

In reply to GingerBread22:

Red wall is Severe at least not sure about 4b though. When damp it often more like HS 4a!

In reply to GingerBread22: Another vote for Gambit Climb, great route. Pitch 4 is especially good.

In reply to GingerBread22:


Pinnacle Wall is good, great exposure! Often done after climbing Mur y Niwl which is pretty stiff VS

It's fairly easy to descend from the top and traverse in from the right (facing in); which is, I believe, the way Kirkus did it originally.

In reply to GingerBread22:

A few more:

Slab Climb Right Hand (Cloggy far west)
Jacobs Media (Craig aderyn)
Paradise (Lliwedd)
Red Slab Central Route (Carnedd y Filiast)
Pinnacle wall (Craig yr ysfa)
Mossy Slab (Tryfan Fach)
Soapgut (Milestone)
Wall Climb; Chimney Climb; 2 Pitch Route; 5 Pitch Route; Marble Slab (Bochlyd)

In reply to GingerBread22: Thanks for those guys, will add them to the list!! They look great..

Keep them coming!!

In reply to Iwan:

I would also add White Streak (bold) and Honeysuckle Corner, Craig yr Wrysgan. A really good HS combination. I also like Asahel (S) on Craig y Clipiau.

Isn't Slant VS?

Paul

In reply to GingerBread22:

If you're in the moelwyns you will enjoy Asahel (S) on Craig y Clipiau and if your feeling bold do the eagle finish.

Central arête in idwal offers a long first pitch of steady climbing with spaced gear; the upper pitches are not difficult but require caution to avoid sending loose stuff down onto anyone below.

In reply to GingerBread22:

Dives/Better Things is a good HS on Dinas Cromlech that has not been mentioned yet.

If you fancy something out of the way do the South Ridge of Rhinog Fach (S). The climbing is very scrappy with only one decent pitch but the line is good, it's in a lovely location, finishes almost on the summit and the views of the welsh coast are stunning.

In reply to GingerBread22: From my 50 best HS climbs in the UK list:
Main Wall HS 4b *** Cyrn Las
Dives/Better Things HS 4b *** Dinas Cromlech
Direct Route HS *** Glyder Fach
Manx Wall HS 4b *** Clogwyn Du Ymhen Y Glyder
Christmas Curry/Micah Eliminate HS 4a *** Craig Bwlch y Moch
Creagh Dhu Wall HS 4b *** Craig y Castell
The White Streak/Honeysuckle Corner HS 4a,4b ** Craig Yr Wrysgan
The Cracks HS 4c *** Dinas Mot
Pinnacle Wall HS ** Craig Yr Ysfa
I personally also really rated Jingling Wall HS 4b *** on Clogwyn Cyrau above Betwys y Coed, Conwy Corner S *** also looks good there.

In reply to The Ivanator: Thanks for those,

I did white streak and the corner last year, really great route!! Also love the cracks.

In reply to GingerBread22:

Jingling Wall is one of the best HSs I've done for a while

In reply to GrahamD: Seems to be voted quite hard for the grade? Hard for HS 4b?

In reply to GingerBread22: Jingling Wall is a stiff HS, but not a total sandbag and well worth doing. There are a clutch of decent HS and S routes on Clogwyn Bochlwyd that make a good day out - Wall Climb HS 4b*, Chimney Climb S*, 2 Pitch Route S*, 5 Pitch Route (best climbed in 1 or 2 pitches) S* and Marble Slab HS 4b**.

In reply to GingerBread22:


Adam Rib, Craig Cwm Du, a hidden gem

In reply to GingerBread22: Main Wall on Diffwys Ddu aka Cryn Las.

In reply to GingerBread22: Main Wall on Cyrn Glas is great but if you're just starting to lead HS and not used to mountain routes it could be a bit intimidating - stunning route. There's exposure, traversing... it's got it all. A bit of a step up from Severes in all senses tho.

In reply to GingerBread22: One of my biggest climbing regrets not getting round to doing Main Wall as done pretty much every other lower grade classic in NW Wales.
The stand outs for me were Creag Dhu Wall and Direct Route on Glyder Fach. The latter a bit chossy in places but top pitches are superb. The combo on the slabs is a great day though didn't rate Tennis Shoe as highly as Hope IMO.

In reply to GingerBread22:


Personally I think the last pitch is udgy (but well-protected)4c.


Great pitch but not enough of it and too far a walk to just do on it's own. Far better saved as a finish to Mur Y Niwl (top-end VS) when you're ready for that.

In reply to mr Kelvin chewy: I'm happy on just about any HS 4b anywhere, but not happy at VS 4c at the moment- consolidating it at present.

These routes will be with my old man anyway, so HS 4b is as much as he's up to enjoying.

Ta,
GB

In reply to GingerBread22: Then Main Wall needs to be on your list if it's been dry for a few days - well worth the walk in. The slab up near the top is superb! I did it the day after doing the Welsh 3000s, felt too knackered to lead anything and am gutted I missed out on leading that pitch. Worth every star it gets.

Poor Man's Peuterey has a great top two pitches but the first pitch isn't nice, it's mucky. No one's mentioned Christmas Curry either whilst you're at Tremadog.

In reply to GingerBread22:

I thought Jingling Wall was spot on HS 4b. The problem is that steady well protected 4b has often been given VS which I think distorts peoples view of the grade. In any case its a superb little route and much more sheltered than many of the other options.

If you are in the area, there is a really nice little *** S corner who's name escapes me on the buttress just to the right.

In reply to GrahamD:

Just checked the guidebook and the route you mention may be Conwy corner on the Conwy buttress. 18 m 3 star severe. Book says a 'well protected classic'.

In reply to GingerBread22: Another vote for Tennis shoe - Lazarus - Groove above - Grey Slab. Has to be the choice link up of the grade in the area IMO

Sorry to derail the topic slightly, but I'm really intrigued to hear people's thoughts on Grey Slab, how does it compare with Tennis Shoe for example? The logbook comments are all over the place.

In reply to Styx:

I still think the first pitch of Tennis Shoe is scary due to polish and it has a hard move on the top pitch with less pro than I wanted and that short climbers can find deperate. For Grey Slab from reputation I was expecting bold tricky climbing but found relatively easy angled moves on rough rock with good half rests and relatively good gear with small wires and microcams between more spaced standard gear. I think they are the same grade for me and Grey Slab may be easier for the short. Grey Slab is more sustained but it is also a lot shorter. Bear in mind a lot of people skip the last pitch of Tennis Shoe and claim the route. Some skip the start pitch and the finish! Both routes are lovely.

In reply to Offwidth: I'd say Tennis shoe is pretty happy in the HS 4b grade. So do you think Grey slab is also HS 4b or VS 4b due to being bold and a little sustained?

In reply to GingerBread22: HS 4b as I said earlier... really tamed by small wires and mirocams.

In reply to Offwidth: Sorry, i forgot about the comment you added saying it was HS 4b earlier, dohh! Think i'll give it a go then, i have some micro wires, though no microcams

In reply to Offwidth:

Another link up that used to be recommended is Cracks, Slow Ledge, Main Wall and Gambit. At the time Slow Ledge was S now I think its VS, grading for the scary conditions often encountered (like climbing on teflon sometimes!). Gambit was VD but had 4a climbing to get going and a S 4b corner. In good conditions the link up all felt much the same difficulty to me: even the infamous Cracks finish was piss for those used to grit or font mantels on boulder problems (hard 4b at most for me).

In reply to GingerBread22: Whats the smallest cam you have?

In reply to Ann S/GingerBread22: Yep it is and its a fantastic route think of it as a mini Cenotaph corner. I liked the look of it soo much that when my climbing partner backed off due to the rain I decided to climbed it in a down poor and still loved it. Jingling Wall as others have said is also excellent and is spot on at HS 4b, just make sure you pitch it.

In reply to Offwidth: The little Red DMM 4cu, erm 0.5? 17-24mm range according to the website..

In reply to GingerBread22:

I had a green Alien and a blue Alien both slightly smaller than that.

In reply to GingerBread22: Hasn't one of the Faith/Hope/Charity group recently been upgraded to S (UKC logbooks tell me it's Charity); anyway, the big link between that and the summit of Glyder Fawr described in Classic Rock is very, very worth it as a long mostly continuous day.

In reply to David Ponting: Really? hmm, not sure i agree with it getting S?

In reply to SGD:

Thanks for that-love this sort of thread for giving me info about crags I haven't previously thought about. I'll make sure my next welsh trip heads straight for this one.

In reply to GingerBread22: Neither do I, unless it's because it's got too polished?! The rest of the link-up is in the S-HS range, though (at least from memory)

In reply to GingerBread22: If any classic should be upgraded it's direct route on Milestone Buttress, horridly shiny is that!

In reply to GingerBread22: Not done this one, but it looks good, Jacob's Media HS 4a on Craig Aderyn, 50m slab route.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=106729

In reply to The Ivanator: Yea, i've looked at that crag before, looks pretty good. Pathetic reason but paying £10 at pen-y-pass puts me off it Tight arse.

In reply to GingerBread22: £10 puts me off too, but the extra walk from the Cromlech Laybys or the Pen y Gwryd does not - yomp up the hill and you'll save enough for a few celebratory drinks.

In reply to The Ivanator: That's true enough! Would be a nice way to spend an afterworker.

In reply to GingerBread22: Get the bus up and back for £2 then. No excuses!

In reply to monkeyboyraw: Yea, good shout, forgot about the sherpa bus!

Or hitch, I've never waited more than a couple of minutes!

In reply to GingerBread22:
Anyone done Zig Zag at Clogwyn Y Tarw (Gribbin) , Get's S 4a on here but HS 4b i my guide, is the horrid shiny V grove pitch well protected? I'm not the greatest chimney climber but somehow it makes me want to do them? Anyone done it..

It is definitely more HS than S, I thought it was a pretty good route and there is decent gear as far as I remember, the rock in the groove/chimney is quite smooth, but I don't recall that making it especially hard. Fair at HS 4b.

In reply to GingerBread22:
Only just seen this thread. The best Ive done is Pinnacle Wall, Craig Yr Ysfa. the only one I can contemplate rivalling it is Main Wall.

In reply to GingerBread22: My all time favourite is Dives/Better Things at Cromlech. Reasonable climbing, 2nd pitch looks bold and intimidating but well protected and plenty of exposure!