Angus Kille has made the first ascent of Patrescence (E9 7a) at Nant Peris Quarry in Llanberis, North Wales.
© Emily Cooney
Angus first saw the line when he climbed Crac Yr Meistri E9 6c in August 2022 (UKC News), shortly after James McHaffie's first ascent.
'It's an obvious line starting just right of Crac Yr Meistri but it wasn't obvious that it would actually go,' he said.
Angus spent ten sessions cleaning the route due to friable rock, which changed the nature of the climb as holds broke off. He said:
'To be honest I thought the route would be terrible because the rock kept breaking – the working title for the route was Crac Yr Pastry – but it's ended up being a real gem.'
The line's difficulty is around 8b, Angus suggests. It has no fixed gear and follows distinctive features. He described the climbing as follows:
'Whilst it gets pretty spicy, there's good, reliable gear in places which means it's exciting but not just a death route. The main event is a long, technical V9 boulder problem above a cluster of good gear. You do some wacky but safe moves before climbing into a no-fall zone (which I actually fell in, but my belayer got some rope in). The second half changes to a more balancey style that you've got to stay focused for. Overall the route is varied, spicy and pretty memorable. If the pseudo-slate were just a little harder it would easily be worth three stars.'
Angus named the line Patrescence, a term describing the process of becoming a father, since the parallel process of climbing it spanned most of his wife Hazel Findlay's pregnancy. Living close to the quarry, he fitted climbing sessions on a fixed line around work and the weather. On completing his first-ever first ascent, Angus told UKC:
'I've learned to love projects because you get to really know a route and you can really learn something about your own climbing. Doing a first ascent takes that a step further because it's not just the process of climbing it but bringing the route itself to life too.'
On whether he's caught the new-routing bug, he added:
'I'd like to do more first ascents, but more where you discover the route rather than bring it to life. I know I'm not going to have a lot of extra time for brushing bits of rock once I become a Dad!'
Comments
When I lived in Nant, I passed this little crag most days when walking the dog. I recall one day finding 4 goats stuck near the top of the crag. I informed the National Park but nothing was done. After a week had passed, I discovered 4 dead goats at the base of the crag. Sad to witness.
So sit start = putrescence?
Sad indeed, but the National Park wouldn't have been my first thought as a point of contact for stuck animals !
Tried the Pritchards in Nant, but as sheep not involved, no interest. Probably should have referred to the MR in retrospect.