UKC

Taking my first climbing trip to Wales next week. My buddy and I usually climb in the Peaks on gritstone. In fact we have climbed there alot and a little down in Cornwall. We are staying North Wales in Capel Curig and looking to climb on Milestone Buttress and Idwal Slabs.

Though we have been climbing for a few years together we prefer to climb the lower grades (anything from V-Diff to Hard Severe) we prefer to climb for fun and not for fear hence the low grades. We both lead on single and multi-pitch routes.

Can anyone suggest some good places to climb with the low level grades in mind ? Multi- pitch especially ?

Many thanks

Chris

In reply to Chris Matthews:

Those two you have already mentioned are good ideas, or maybe the East face of Tryfan if the weather's looking good.

In reply to Dan Lane:

thanks Dan ... Any climbs on there you can recommend ?

In reply to Chris Matthews: Pinnacle rib, grooved arete are both awesome of the East Face.

C

In reply to Chris Matthews: For somwhere a bit quieter I would recommend Left edge on Carnedd y filiast also central route on the slab is a nice severe and there is underlap too (v diff). Probably have the whole crag to yourself too. Just the matter of a little walk in.

In reply to Chris Matthews: Drive out to Cwm Silyn for Outside Edge?

In reply to Chris Matthews: Or how about Amphitheatre Buttress? 300m of V.Diff?

In reply to sleavesley:

Thank you .... Looks good in the Guide book but not so sure on the 45- 60 min walk in ... but will definitely consider it if Idwal looks busy...

In reply to Tom Hutton: imo amphitheatre buttress is very overrated; only a couple of nice pitches with choss in between. I'd not bother to walk up there for it again..

C

In reply to Chay:

Slanting buttress on Llewidd - a proper mountaineering day out.

Parson's nose, in the Pass

Cneifon Arete

In reply to Chris Matthews: My suggestion: The cracks at Dinas Mot HS- there's an avoidable 5a top pitch but the rest is around 4a/4b and it's fabulous.

C

In reply to Tom Hutton:

Thanks Tom .. another good choice I see, a little further to walking in but with 287m climb it looks worth the walk in.

In reply to Chay:
I thought it was great when I did it.

To the OP: All of the recommendations so far are great. A couple of wet weather options, Bramble Buttress and Craig y Gesil is one of the best Diffs in North Wales.

The Michar Eliminate Finish to Christmas Curry at Craig Bwlch y Moch and Craig Du Wall at Craig y Castell are two brilliant easy routes.

Light House Arete at Castell Helen is a superb sea cliff climb and only just warrants its' VS grade. If you are going well and happy with abseil approaches it's a great option.

In reply to Chris Matthews:

You seem to be averse to a walk in, is that due a particular reason? (For a lot of folk the walk-in is an enjoyable part of the day)

In reply to blurty:

haha good point but im there to climb and not walk plus I think I have been spoilt in the peaks with the little walk ins... I don't mind walking for somewhere I can climb all day .. I don't want to walk to 1 climb, complete it and spend the next couple of hours back tracking and going to another crag.

In reply to Chris Matthews: moelwyns are worth a look; but be wary in the wet

In reply to Tom Hutton:

Great route and Original route's good too - particulalry if you can combine with the entire ridge.

In reply to Bulls Crack: Yup a good call .. this was already on my radar as there was 2 climbs next to each other... Diff followed by a V Diff.. sounds good cant wait !!

In reply to Chris Matthews: I would strongly recommend the Moelwyns http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=862 though if you don`t enjoy fear stay off "The White Streak". Generally good rock with short approaches with non of the polish or crowds of Idwal or Milestone.

In reply to blurty:

just found Cneifion Arete looks like this will be getting climbed along with Sub-Cneifion Rib... thanks for the info

In reply to Chris Matthews:

Main Wall on Cyrn Las...

Pitch 3 is usually wet but, easy climbing and a great position, you can then carry on to the Pearson`s Nose doen Crib y Ddisgl and across Crib Goch, a splendid outing....

In reply to Chay:
Each to their own, I walked in (up Cwm Eigiau) this weekend to climb it for the second time. Think the walk-in is as good as the climbing - a different sort of day. And we had it to ourselves on a bank holiday weekend

In reply to Bulls Crack: Not the easiest for route finding. everyone I have spoke to who's climbed there (myself included) found the route finding very difficult.

I can highly recommend The Moelwyns at blaenau ffestiniog, climbed there on Sunday, anywhere from a 10 minute to 30 minute walk in, gorgeous climbing on Rhyolitic Tuff, hardly any polish, unlike Grooved Arete which at points is like climbing glass. Also, although it can be quite popular, it's never Peak popular, so we saw a handful of people there on a gorgeous bank holiday Monday! Plenty to go at in the lower grade, including kirkus route and kirkus direct route. Great place to climb, it's a little drive out from Capel, but it's an ideal On-the-way-home crag! Hope this helps.

Stacey

In reply to Chris Matthews: Flying Buttress at Dinas cromlech is great

In reply to Chris Matthews: A few good climbs on Idwal slabs as you suggested, yet it's quite popualar and the way off can get the unwary lost. Although it's a staedy, shortish walk in. A link up of Tennis Shoe, Lazarus, and Groove Above would give a full day out. If you set out early and do those in quick time, you could get maybe sqeeuze in Cental Arete on Glyder Fawr.
Tryfan Bach next to Tryfan has loads of good 2 pitch routes Diff-Sev.10-15m walk in. Usually has 2 or 3 groups, but is never crowded as theres plenty of room. A fun, full day to had there.
AS mentioned East face of Tryfan for some good mountaineering routes. Grooved Arete, Gashed Crag are 3 star routes, plus many others if they are busy.
Clogwyn Bochlwyd, west of Tryfan has some good single/multi-pitch D-VS.

In reply to Sy Finch: sorry for poor spelling, not concentrating this time at night!

In reply to Chris Matthews: If weathers a bit iffy, head to Tremadog.
Some great multi-pitch routes: Christmas Curry, Creagh Dhu Wall, Poor man's peuterey, Hail Bebe.

In reply to Chris Matthews:

Try to get a copy of the Steve Ashton North Wales guide. It has plenty of routes like you're looking for.

In reply to blurty: grr dont have that one ... I'm going with North Wales Rock (Ground Up) and Ogwen and Carneddau.. seems to have nearly all the climbs I'm looking to do but will keep an eye open for that one. Cheers

In reply to Chris Matthews:

Thank you to all who have given me their advice.. Looking forward to a week in North Wales.. If you see a climber in these areas hanging upside down on gear ... Its probably my friend !! HaHa Happy climbing and keep safe

Chris

In reply to Chris Matthews:

When are you off?

I have the 1992 reprint of 100 Classic climbs by Steve Ashton, I can post it tomorrow for you to borrow, send it back to me when you're back from your trip.

In reply to cuppatea: Ahh... that would have been very kind but leaving in the morn (SAT) for North Wales. Wish I had asked questions a bit sooner. Thankyou for your kind offer ... will look into the guide book and see if its something I might need for the next trip to Wales.. If so I'll give you a shout.

many thanks

Chris

In reply to Chris Matthews: I'd also suggest Tryfan East Face and the Moelwyns, and if you fancy Cneifon Arete why not climb a route on the Idwal Slabs then traverse off and continue into Cwm Cneifon and up the arete from there? I'm sure Lliwedd would be good too and there are bound to be brilliant easier routes on other crags but I haven't experienced them. yet...

In reply to ripper: Cneifon Arete does look good and with Sub Cneifon Rib nearby it seems going from Idwal to Cwm Cneifon a good idea !