Welsh Wilderness Grit
Next time you are at the hut, but are homesick for grit, why not try
some of the Welsh version? I can assure you that the views will be
infinitely better (but then again, maybe I'm biased?), there won't be
any queues, and certainly no damned top-ropers. In fact, if these
routes were in the Peak, you'd never get on them!
Take one Meirionydd guidebook and turn to page 363 for the Craig y
Merched section. Follow the description of how to get there, noting
that the road up to Afon Cwm-mynach is quite narrow and steep. After
you have left the car and followed the track into the forest, the
blighters have cut some of it down from the moment the route up
leaves the forest track to the crag. Don't make the mistake of
reaching Rhino Buttress then immediately trying to drop down to find
Three Pillar Crag; it's much further over than the photo depicts.
Allow 40-45 minutes to reach the climbs.
Rock quality on the whole is top class. The outlook from the crags is
spectacular; heather upland wilderness abounds all around, with a
fine green valley full of trees stretching out below; idyllic and
serene. (Ed. With a visit in 2005 in superb weather, I'll endorse
this).
The Crags
It's a toss-up as to which of the above is the best crag. Rhino
Buttress is more like a cross between a gritstone edge and Tremadog,
with small intricate slabby sections cut with roofs; cams are de
rigeur here. Three Pillar Crag is more like climbing on conventional
rock in somewhere like The Pass, good jugs and edges abound. Lower
Crag I won't mention for reasons that are obvious by reading the
guide, and North Walls lie down and left of Three Pillar Crag,
through a small stand of pine trees.
North Walls: only a couple of routes of interest here. These are The
Gadgie (E2 5b**) and The King of Sunset Town (HVS 5a*) (Ed: Pretty
good but tough for HVS,), which both look good but end up somewhat
short on the gear front; additionally, they need a bit of gardening.
The four routes detailed on the walls in the aforementioned pine
trees didn't inspire me to unfurl the rope.
Three Pillar Crag: some great lines here. The first two routes listed
start from a heathery ledge, which snakes up and left from the small
pillar of rock at the foot of the crag. This seems dirty, unprotected
and problematical to access, so we didn't bother. However, this is
not really necessary as the good stuff starts right here. Alien (HVS
5a*) is a super route, with a somewhat contrived start to gain a peg
(hammered into the only crack visible in the wall), which wouldn't
stop you from blatting yourself against the large block mentioned if
you fell from above it. From this, sprint upwards to gain some
curious pockets (good Friend 2 here) below the dubious flake, which
you can feel creaking away as you pull on it. The good layback edge
isn't that good, but it is positive enough on a long reach to get you
on slightly easier ground above the overhang. Having had a rest, move
up to the amazingly thin spike and wrap a tape around it several
times, before sketching up the technical slab to the top. Worth two
stars in my book!
Another good route is Magic Mushroom (E1 5b**), which looks like it
should be at Pembroke! This provides intricate and delicate climbing
with enough protection on a classic line, which is more striking than
the picture in the guide suggests. A nicely positioned lower grade
route appears just around the next edge; Sunset Arête (V.Diff*),
which has a loose spike half-way up, and is not overly endowed with
gear. One for a steady leader, I think. There is even an unsung VS
here; Bleating About The Bush at VS 4c provides steep, juggy but well
protected and satisfying climbing, and is worth a star, I would
think. Belays are not fantastic on the top of this crag; mainly small
wires and ingenuity required.
Rhino's Buttress: More like what you would understand by the term
"grit crag", although some of the routes are better than that, if you
see what I mean. On the left of the crag are some steep and bold slab
routes that are quite short are seem to be lacking generally in line.
Zig-Zag (HS) is disjointed and only has one move of note. Horn of
Plenty (VS 4b) is a strange offering; it appears to climb a corner,
but I found myself climbing on the left arête of it in the main,
which provided some excitement! Gear placement required initiative, I
seem to recall.
Now we're are getting to it. Endangered Species (VS 4c*) feels like
those limestone slabs on the Blanca, with so many crozzly pockets for
fingers and feet that you can never make up your mind which are the
biggest and best ones to use. Gear is not an issue here, due to the
crack that the line follows. The big hitters follow on. Velvet
Revolutions (VS 4c*) is a superb route; worth 3 stars surely.
Breaking out right on a technical slab from the previous route, it
traverses up and into a slot in the roof. Fortunately, the gear is
good as you udge up into this slot and sling a chockstone before
fighting your way through the constricting roof with a good dose of
exposure for such a small crag.
An even better version of this type of route is found next up with
Rhino's Corner (VS 5a**). The initial corner proves awkward with
sparse gear, but careful bridging will see you up it. Further
bridging with good gear lead to the roof and an intimidating
position. Here is where you will need lots of cams and courage; it
can't possibly go out there at this grade?..or can it? Place your
cams and crank outwards and upwards. Keep going upwards and
rightwards; fortune favours the brave! It's quite exposed, but
unlikely as it seems, it does go at the grade and is well worth three
stars!
Upper Craig y Merched: This seems great when you read the
descriptions and look at the pictures, but trying to find it from the
book is a nightmare. If you follow the description, you come across a
buttress that looks exactly like the one in the picture, but has far
easier versions of the same routes?spooky! Maybe I'll walk back up
there to claim them when I go next! The real crag is well over to the
right of the top of Rhino's Buttress (about 30 mins walk) and the
crag is prone to seepage and looks as though the holds have been put
on upside down. Not exactly as it looks in the photos!
So there you have it; some of the better Welsh grit crags described
for your edification. Take a visit in the spring sunshine, you won't
regret it!
Steve Swygart
Welsh Correspondent.
(Ed. Though Steve is no longer a member, Roger D applied the
thumbscrews, obtaining this article - thanks Steve!)
March Newsletter Index.
Copyright © 2006 Karabiner Mountaineering Club
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