Author Archive
Time to get yourself a helmet?
The Castell Helen abseil at Gogarth. All it takes is for one rock to be dislodged by the rope and there is a potential disaster on the cards. At least if you are wearing a helmet, you'll have a chance of surviving an impact without significant injuries. Photo: Si Panton
Whether or not you wear a helmet when climbing is a personal choice – some people do, some people don’t, and some people do sometimes, depending on the situation.
Obviously in winter climbing everyone wears a helmet, but increasingly we are seeing safety conscious climbers using them for all aspects of rock climbing.
Serious head injuries are common in climbing and abseiling accidents, so it does seem sensible that everyone, regardless of what grade they climb, should consider wearing a helmet.
There was a time, not so long ago, when helmets were heavy, cumbersome and lacking in style, but that is no longer the case.
Here at V12 we stock a wide range of lightweight designs. If you haven’t got one, go and try some on – you’ll be surprised how comfortable (and stylish) they are these days.
The BMC are running a campaign this year to encourage climbers to wear helmets. They have produced a helpful guide which you can download by clicking here.
Angler’s Zawn, Benllech
It has been a bit cold and snowy in the Welsh mountains of late, but out on the coast the sea cliffs have been basking in sunshine. Some people (see Grimer's article in a recent edition of Climb) like to peddle the tired cliche that it always rains in Wales. Smart climbers know of course that the slate dries faster than a blow dried haircut and that a wide variety of dry, sun kissed rock can be found with minimal effort; a quick trip out to Llandudno, Anglesey, the Lleyn Peninsula or even down to Tremadog will nearly always deliver the goods. Remember, they don't have sea cliffs in the Peak! 
Here's a shot of one of the sport climbing areas at Benllech on the north coast of Anglesey. You can find details in the Gogarth North guide, plus an update with new routes on the Gogarth wiki. There is even some good steep bouldering there too.
Wild camping threatens access at Tremadog
A well behaved Al Benson on the final tricky moves at the top of pitch 3 on One Step in the Clouds VS 4c, with Eric's Cafe and campsite in the background Photo: Si Panton
Reports are coming through of wild camping and poor behaviour from a minority of climbers at the BMC owned Craig Bwlch y Moch.
Obviously it is essential that good relations are maintained with the neighbouring landowners, and with Eric Jones, the owner of the adjacent café and campsite.
Last week BMC Cymru Access and Conservation officer, Elfyn Jones made the following plea:
“Please help to maintain good relations at this important site by only parking at the cafe car park (which is available free when the cafe is shut), not camping wild below or at the crag itself, and please do not enter the fields below the crag and do not descend by crossing the fence at the top of the crag.”
To read more about this access-threatening issue, check out Elfyn’s report on the BMC website.
And don’t forget, this weekend is the Tremfest – a fun event and a chance for all climbers to give something back to the climbing community. Try and make it down if you can.
(Craig Bwlch y Moch is an important crag, home to celebrated classics such as Vector E2 5c and One Step in the Clouds VS 4c.)
The Last Prince E7 6c
Pete Robins flashing the second ascent of Cal-Qaeda E5/6 6a Photo: Calum Muskett
On Saturday Pete Robins and Calum Muskett climbed a trio of new routes on Craig Ystumiau, a little known cliff close to Dolwyddelan Castle. Full details of the original routes – which were climbed around 2004/5 by Terry Taylor, Paul Jenkinson, Elfyn Jones, Malcolm Davies and Dai Lampard – can be found on the Mid Wales Climbing website.
First up Calum top-roped then lead Cal-Qaeda E5/6 6a, a nice wall right of Regression to the Mean.
Description: start at the centre of the buttress and climb up and left to place some gear at the base of the crack of Regression to the Mean. Move back right to the centre and make a big reach up through the quartz band to the slot hold and possible gear if you can hang in there to place it. Move straight up to the hanging groove and layback to glory on big holds.
Calum originally thought E6, but Pete flashed the route and found a safer method; thus the split grade.
Pete then came close to onsighting Dragonslayer E5 6c, slipping off when a foothold broke, but doing it next go. This sustained route climbs the crack and arête just left of the central groove line of Elen’s Groove.
Description: arrange gear out left from the base of the groove then move left onto the big foothold and climb upwards using the arête for your right hand and heel. The gear is there but is tricky to place.
Lastly Calum top roped the wall right of Elen’s Groove but felt too tired for the lead so handed the sharp ends to Pete who, true to form, flashed the route in fine style.
The Last Prince rates E7 6c and is a steep and uncompromising pitch.
Description: step off the spike of rock and make steady progress up the thin groove to positive crimps on the right wall. Make a powerful reach back left into the base of the slot, place the cam and move up to welcoming jugs.
“All good fun; a lovely spot, destined to become popular!” enthused Pete.
Pete finished the day off with a visit to the nearby Rhiw Goch/Pont y Pant boulders where he repeated Sam Cattell’s fierce test piece, Ride the Wild Smurf Font 7C+. Also worth a mention, from the day before, is his onsight ascent of Naked before the Beast E6 6b/c on the Rainbow Slab in the Dinorwig slate quarries.
Simpli-city F6a
Julia Kelly seconding Simpli-city F6a on the first ascent. Photo: Jim Kelly
Jim and Julia Kelly enjoyed climbing at Creigiau’r Heulog so much they decided to add a new route themselves.
Simpli-city F6a is a neat little route tackling the short, bulging wall 3m left of Jug City.
After a hard bouldery start, the route eases and moves rightwards up some amazing holds to share the lower- off of Jug City.
Tremadog Festival 2012
Eric’s Café with Craig Bwlch y Moch poking out of the trees beyond. Photo: Si Panton
After a year off in 2011 the Tremadog Festival is back with a vengeance. Keen local climbers, Jim and Julia Kelly have stepped in as the new organisers and look set to breathe new life into this popular event.
TremFest 2012 is taking place over the weekend of 21-22nd April and will be based, as usual, at Eric’s Campsite and Bunkhouse below Craig Bwlch y Moch. As with previous events the idea is to give the crag a spring clean, but there will be plenty of fun, free beer and prizes along the way.
All are welcome to join in; to read more about the event go to the BMC website.
The previous Tremadog Festivals run by Mike Raine were a big success and it would be great to see the same level of support from the climbing community at this much loved crag.
Charlie Brown 6C!
Gav Foster going for it on Charlie Brown 6C!, the superb highball line at the left side of the Barrel face below Dinas Mot in the Llanberis Pass. This line has never been documented before and Gav may have made a first ascent. Gav's spotter, Adam Wainwright, was involved with the early developments at the Barrel way back in 1989 (when he was nought but a fresh faced youth) and he reckoned it had not been climbed. Gav also climbed another highball problem at similar grade a few metres to the right. This line was originally done by Johnny Dawes and is also excellent. Photo: Si Panton
Diffwys Groove E6 6c
Caff, doing his day job with Plas y Brenin Photo: Si Panton
James ‘Caff’ McHaffie has climbed a new route on Cyrn Las (or more correctly, Diffwys Ddu). Diffwys Groove E6 6c tackles the obvious narrow groove feature just right of (and gained from) the third pitch of the E2, Prune. Impressively, the route was done in a ground up style. In fact, short of an unexpected slip on a lichenous foothold at the top, it would have been onsight.
To read more about the ascent check out the report on the DMM website.
Caff recently joined the DMM climbing team, cementing his strong connection to the Welsh climbing scene.
Dinas Cromlech
Early morning light on Dinas Cromlech; the spring sunshine has arrived and the mountain crags have been busy. Do be careful out there though; On Sunday one unfortunate chap got his hand stuck in a crack on the Cromlech and had to be rescued. On Saturday there was also an accident in the Never Never Land area of the slate quarries. Photo: Si Panton (This shot was taken on Sunday morning - "I had been up below Dinas Mot the night before taking photos for the new bouldering guide and left my camera behind. I went straight back up Sunday morning to find it sat on a rock, just where I left it. The lignt was beautiful so I ran around taking photographs for a few hours before going back home for breakfast.")
Two new quality F7as on the slate
Prolific slate new router, Ian Lloyd-Jones, has kick started the 2012 season with a pair of superb F7as in the Peppermint Tower area of Rainbow Walls in the Dinorwig Quarries.
Honorary Limestone F7a is the bolted dolerite line to the right of the excellent E3, Jugs Mawr. Steep climbing via some great pockets and slots leads up to the 5th bolt where a cruxy traverse leftwards along the horizontal crack leads to better holds. Precarious/airy moves back rightwards will hopefully gain the 6th clip; continue upwards with a few more awkward moves to gain a huge jug, climb more easily to the lower-off.
“This is definitely a route that wants to be a limestone sport route!” commented Ian
Chinook Arete F7a climbs the bolted square cut arete to the right of Midnight Drives.
“If you enjoyed G’Day Arete you will probably enjoy this one. It has some cool moves and is probably a grade harder.” explained Ian.
Both of these routes can be reached in an easy 15/20 minute walk from the Nant Peris side of the Quarries.
