Blood Meridian E6 6a, Craig Dorys
Craig Dorys topo
The Stigmata Buttress at Craig Dorys down on the Lleyn Peninsula continues to draw attention; this time Nick Bullock and Streaky Desroy picked off a superb line on the far right side.
Blood Meridian E6 6a takes a big clean line up the attractive wall right of Mark Lynden’s classic Cripple Creek (first ascended way back in 1982!).
A short corner on the right gives access to the Cripple Creek ledge; from here thin wall climbing leads up to a crimpy crux moving past a small overlap. Above a small groove and blunt arête run up to the top roof.
“It’s a great route with some surprisingly good rock. The top roof is really wild. You just ‘yahoo’ it through on big holds, all in a really out there position.”
Explained Nick after the ascent.
Nick abseil inspected the line before the ascent and placed three pegs.
For a full report and first ascent shot check out the DMM site.
We No Speak Americano! F6a – More multi pitch slate
Tesni Lloyd-Jones leading the upper F6a pitch on We No Speak Americano! Photo: Ian Lloyd-Jones
Activity is hotting up again in the slate quarries as the usual suspects return from their summer holidays. This time we have another ‘dad bolts up a line for his kids’ scenario in California Quarry.
Prolific new router, Ian Lloyd-Jones spotted a line between Tamborine Man and the recently climbed Pair of 6. After some preparation work this turned into a delightful two pitch route ready for the taking. Ian decided to offer the first ascent to his kids, Celt (aged 8 ) and Tesni (aged 11).
“After their summer holidays climbing in Portugal they were well within their comfort zone confidently leading a pitch each! Not sure of the grade as I didn’t get to climb it myself but having watched them and having spent time cleaning and bolting the line I guess the grade isn’t far off the mark.”
Explained Ian after the ascent.
The first pitch of We No Speak Americano! went at F5c, while the top pitch proved more tricky (i.e. F6a), with an entertaining crux surmounting a bulge.
More pictures of the first ascent can be found on the UKC photo gallery.
NB. The top 2 bolts and lower off on pitch two have not been drilled yet; the first ascent was done with slings and a belay on the tree. As soon as Ian fixes his drill the top bolts will get sorted out.
A Grand Day Out F6b – multi pitch slate
Josie Ball seconding the first pitch of A Grand Day Out F6b Photo: Fraser Ball
News of a superb three pitch F6b trip in Australia Quarry has just arrived on the V12 news desk. On Saturday 21st August Fraser Ball joined forces with his son and daughter (that’ll be Archie, aged 8 and Josie, aged 13) to complete an adventurous route running up from the Railtrack Slab to the top of the Fruitbat Level.
A Grand Day Out kicks off with a crux F6b pitch; this starts under the fallen block resting against Railtrack Slab, left of Psychodelicate. Climb the crux slab past two bolts to the top of block, then head up the right trending ramp past three bolts to top out with care onto the right hand end of The Sidings level and a twin bolt belay.
Fraser lead this pitch and Archie lead through on the next, a F5a pitch which climbs up and out onto the hand traverse line across the Psychodelicate slab to a crux move to gain the top and a twin bolt belay.
“An excellent pitch for the grade, in a great situation!” Enthused Fraser.
The third pitch (F5b), which was led by Josie, climbs the ‘harder than it looks’ wall behind the twin bolt belay (on the Fruitbat Level) past three bolts to twin bolt belay, taking care to gain the top.
“This is a good combination of pitches, when approached via the Tunnel of Love, with a scramble up to Railtrack Slab and with the care needed to top out onto ledges gives a sporty adventure.” Explained Fraser.
Colin Goodey adds more new slate routes
Colin Goodey making the first ascent of Quelle Surprise F4c, Serengeti, Dinorwig Quarry Photo: Si Panton
Veteran slate activist Colin Goodey has been busy again, adding a series of excellent new routes to the Dinorwig slate quarries.
First up was Titan F4c, a delightful line up the impressive blocky arête of The Carbon Stage face in the bay at the back of Never Never Land. Colin was joined by Mark Hellewell and Sue Trainer for the first ascent.
Next up was Zeus F6a/6a+, another brilliant addition taking a direct line up the wall between The Carbon Stage and Titan. The route features a daunting start with surprisingly good edges appearing just when you need them most. At ¾ height a tiny shelf is reached; access to the obvious mantle piece above is barred by a reachy stretch or a dynamic lunge.
“I had to jump for it!”
Explained Colin, before adding that he caught the ledge, but then fell. The first successful lead went to Mark Hellewell, but Colin did manage the dyno move when he seconded the line. (NB. there is a smeary layback method for shorter climbers spooked by Colin’s rather wild solution.)
Finally Colin and his wife, Sue completed an attractive ramp line immediately opposite the Seamstress slab. Quelle Surprise F4c was done just in time before the couple left to celebrate their Golden (that’ll be 50 years!) wedding anniversary in Prague.
Diamond now open for business!
Vivid evening light on the Diamond, with Jon Ratcliffe and Lee Roberts attempting a project line, while Pete Harrison prepares for more re-equipping work in the background Photo: Si Panton
The bird ban on the Llandudno limestone crags has passed (15th August) and crags such as the magnificent Diamond on Little Orme are now open for business.
Last year a high water access route from Upper Craig y Don was established by Pete Harrison. Pete also produced an excellent set of topos on the North Wales Limestone wiki.
Staying with the ‘birdy’ sea cliff theme, the bird bans at Gogarth finished on 1st August – a date traditionally known as the ‘glorious first’. Feedback on route descriptions on any of the bird banned cliffs (e.g. Mousetrap Zawn, Red Walls etc) should be sent into the info address on the Ground Up site. Production of the Gogarth South guide will step up a gear very shortly when the Llanberis Slate guide goes to print.
Caff and Robins: leaders of the pack
James 'Caff' McHaffie carrying out his day job for Plas y Brenin Photo: Si Panton
James ‘Caff’ McHaffie and Pete Robins continue to dominate the North Wales scene, both pulling off a hard repeat each this last week.
Caff got his first F8c with a repeat of Infanticide down at Lower Pen Trwyn. This is the third ascent of the route following on from Pete Robins’ repeat in June. Caff had also recently made a quick repeat of Pete’s Wild Youth F8b/+ link up on the same crag.
When asked what was next, Caff showed he really has got the LPT bug:
“I’ve had a session on The Big Bang [Neil Carson’s unrepeated F9a].”
And when pressed about the infamously sharp and painful holds, he was not fazed by its fierce reputation:
“There is only really one sharp hold, the rest of it is okay.”
At the weekend Pete Robins returned to the Rainbow Slab in the Dinorwig slate quarries and made a successful lead of The Very Big and the Very Small.
Pete had tried the line previously, coming close before a split tip forced him to back off.
In the run up to the publication of the new Llanberis Slate guide there has been discussion about the grade of this Johnny Dawes test piece. Johnny had originally given the route F8c, but it had appeared in the 1992 Slate guide as F8b+, despite not having received a repeat at the time. Steve McClure got the second ascent in 1998, and more recently Caff made the third ascent.
Pete had the following to say on its grade:
“If you had asked me after I did Liquid Ambar last summer, I would have said it was about F8b! But I probably think its F8b+ now. The reason most people fail on it is that they get tired of splitting open their skin and having to not climb for a week, that’s why I stopped.”
Robins flashes Forsinain Motspur Super Direct F8a?
Last night Pete Robins returned to the slate quarries and made a stylish second ascent of the recently climbed Forsinain Motspur Super Direct F8a in Bus Stop Quarry.
The hybrid line, which was first ascended back in June by Calum Muskett, links a new boulder problem start (also first climbed by Calum) into the central section of Forsinain Motspur, before finishing out right into the top crux of Beltane.
“I’ll take it as an ‘onsight+retro-flash’, as I’ve done the other routes before and onsighted the new start and finish (one easy move). It is good and feels quite natural as a way to go.”
Explained Pete, before adding:
“The start is hard, V6/7A or V7/7A+, which definitely bumps it up to F7c+/8a. The finish seemed ok, but I remember the Forsinain Motspur finish feeling hard so I’m not sure if it is any more difficult finishing up as to going left. I’d probably just take F8a because it is offered, but it could be F7c+ if you were feeling mean, I’m not sure.”
Dwarf Shortage E3/4 6a, California Quarry
California Wall topo
As the forthcoming Llanberis Slate guide undergoes its final round of amendments another new route arrives, just in time to make it in.
Owen Barnicott has climbed an impressive new line on the main California wall in the Dinorwig slate quarries. Dwarf Shortage E3/4 6a starts right of Central Sadness below a line of 7 bolts. Climb up to the little groove, heading straight up following the bolts, with a couple of hard moves past the last one. Finish up the final crack of Central Sadness.
“A mammoth 50m pitch up the steep slab. It packs in everything from baffling groove moves to thin rockovers, and even some crack climbing to finish.”
Enthused Owen.
The Road (Amongst the Ruin) E5 6b
Nick Bullock and Streaky Desroy have cleaned up an obvious challenge on their favourite work out crag, The Gallery, which is situated by the A55 cycleway at the Penmaenbach tunnel.
Nick Bullock on the first ascent of The Road (Amongst the Ruin) E5 6b, The Gallery Photo: Streaky Desroy
The Road (Amongst the Ruin) E5 6b takes the obvious diagonal crackline which slashes the main section of the crag from right to left.
The crag was developed in the late 90s as a sport venue, but the best line remained unclimbed. An old peg marked an earlier attempt which was made back in the late 60s by Dave Yates and Ginger Cain.
Ginger recalls that they were not successful:
“If it had gone at about HVS we might have got up it, but it was obviously harder.”
Streaky explained the unique nature of the gear:
“We were clipping bolts on the sport routes that dissect the crack. Aside from that it just swallowed lots and lots of cams, in fact three of the golden dragon cams! There were no nut placements at all as the crack was too parallel. It’s a great route and quite a contrast in feel to the sport routes through which it passes.”
“The route is 35m long and lower off can be achieved with 60m ropes. You will need double ropes and lots of slings to avoid rope drag.”
During re-equipping work earlier this year Colin Struthers (who was one of the original developers of the crag) added a new F6b to the far right of the crag, although be warned, this does have a loose and runout section on it. Check out the Limestone wiki for more details.
Box of Blood E7 6b, Craig Dorys
Craig Dorys topo
Yesterday Leigh McGinley and Stevie Haston returned to Craig Dorys on the Lleyn Peninsular and climbed another outrageous route. Last year Leigh seconded his old friend Stevie on a series of shocking new routes (such as Bam, Bam E7 6b, Harmony E7 6b/c and Requiem for a Vampire E8 6b), but this time Leigh took the sharp end and pulled off the lead of his life.
The resulting route, Box of Blood E7 6b takes a line on the left side of the infamous Stigmata buttress. It starts up Crucial Condition, climbing its initial loose pillar (nasty, loose 5b territory) and groove to reach some good gear below a large roof. Powerful moves lead through this to reach a hanging groove which turned out to be much harder than it had looked on the ab rope. This section is bold, with only a few dodgy cam placements for comfort.
Eventually the sanctuary of the girdle break is reached; a quick scuttle left for two metres precedes an attack on the fierce headwall. A thin pocketed crack takes runners and marks a rightward swing in the line; if you’re lucky a port hole is gained and shortly after the top.
Leigh cleaned and inspected the line on an ab rope then went for the lead a few weeks ago. On his first attempt he made it right up on to the headwall, but was forced to slump onto the gear in the thin pocketed crack. A week or so later he returned, and with three wires left in place in the top crack, he went for it again. This time the ascent ran more smoothly and Leigh topped out a very happy man.
“This is a massive deal for me. It’s the best new route I’ve ever done, better than Rubble. Stevie reckoned it was worth five stars!”
Enthused Leigh before explaining his preparation for the route:
“I’ve been training hard and lost quite a lot of weight over the last few months. I do pull ups on a 2cm edge; many, many pull ups, plus loads of core strength stuff and sit ups.”
Footnote: the topo shows the line of Night Stalker, a fearsome route that Stevie climbed last autumn.
For those who missed the reports at the time, here are the details:
Night Stalker does battle with the outrageous roof line left of Tonight at Noon and proved to be very powerful, with hard, bouldery moves leading through to juggier, but still very pumpy ground. Two pegs were placed in the roof and Stevie pre-placed two large cams (size 5/6) at the start of the roof and one more mid size cam in the middle of the crux section which is very hard to clip.
Stevie then did what is essentially a pink point ascent, clipping the gear as if on some sort of mutant sport climb. As for the grade, he was loathe to suggest a conventional E number, commenting that it was:
“…like a dynamic boulder problem stuck up in the sky.”
Nonetheless it does seem likely that we are talking French 8-something with a significant danger factor.
