North Wales Climbing & Gardening!

Monday 23rd to Thursday 26th May.

A couple of weeks ago (been lazy and neglected my blog 😔) I spent a few days in North Wales climbing and catching up with Rob Gurr of Summit Adventures, Stephen Hobdell of Steve Hobdell Mountain Adventures and John Deakin who chops wood for the Queen!!

Monday - and after being far too optimistic about the M62 traffic I arrived late (early evening) in the Ogwen Valley to catch up with Rob & Stephen.

They were climbing on 'Bochlwyd Buttress' which is just a fifteen minute walk in from the car park. It also catches the afternoon sun though is fairly Baltic at all other times it seems!

It was good to catch up with Stephen who I met a couple of years ago whilst shadowing Rob Johnson on a winter skills course, we had also spent a damp cold day at Stanage last May which felt like another winter day!
 Having just sat in traffic for nearly four hours and having had to spend cash at 'Joe Brown's' on another climbing helmet (left mine on the kitchen table!) I was happy enough to second routes whilst Rob & Stephen led.

Tuesday - myself and Rob had decided to spend the day climbing at Tremadog and met at Eric's cafe. I had spent the night sleeping in the back of the car (it's part of the climbing apprenticeship) and had woken early as Eric came to make sure I was going to pay the £6 fee without driving off!

Having already climbed here a number of times, leading some lower grades and seconding some higher graded routes, I was keen to get a couple of the well known routes ticked off.

We spent the day battling with midges whilst climbing 'The Brothers (VS 4c**), 'Shadrach (VS 4c**) and 'One Step In The Clouds (VS 4c***), with the latter route having the added pressure of a small roadside audience during the top pitch!

Midge Protection

Wednesday - and I had the day to myself as I wouldn't be meeting Rob until late afternoon due him having work that day, bit inconsiderate in my opinion!

We went to Australia Quarry above Llanberis to climb some slate sport routes at 'The Sidings'.

At this time of writing the blog I do not have the routes we climbed to hand but just to say it was disappointing to be struggling on lower grades routes first climbed by an 11year and 7year old brother and sister! 😔

The reoccurring comment was 'bloody kids' and we weren't too disappointed when it started to rain.

More practice on slate is needed!

Thursday - and myself and Rob met up with John Deakin who had driven up for the day.

Meeting at Siabod Cafe in Capel Curig we had originally planned to climb in Llanberis pass but the weather was looking doubtful and with John only having the one day we opted for another trip to Tremadog which tends to get less rainfall than the mountain crags.

We again went to the popular Craig Bwich y Moch at Tramadog, again it was extremely popular with the dreaded midges!

 We first climbed 'Grim Wall' (VS 4c**) and concentrated on our rope work, gear placement, bringing seconds up in parallel and adseiling. This was more a result of us being joined on the crag by a couple of groups who were on their British Mountain Guide assessment and we didn't want to look like amateurs....!

We (John) decided we would climb 'Clapton's Crack (VS 4c*) after lunch and off on an adventure we went!

Finding the start of the route through the under growth was a turned into a gardening mission and then there was the scramble to the route base proper whilst carrying ropes and rack.

To be fair the first pitch of the route was very good with bridging moves whilst going up a corner crack and nearly made up for the under growth scratches and cuts getting up to it!

The second pitch was covered in undergrowth for the most part but was fairly simple climbing though quite exposed.
I think the route might benefit from being climbed more regularly to keep the shrubbery down and the scramble up to the route less 'green'.

I know will carry a life long scar on my shin to remember the nature trail to the route by but I wouldn't hold John in any way responsible due his choice of route, it's not as though there are many great routes at Tremadog to choose from...! 😉
After the route John had to leave to make his way back 'down South' (where ever that is!) so Rob and myself went up to Bus Stop Quarry where I led 'Equinox' (VS 4c**) and my first trad route on slate.

Unfortunately we have no pictures of this as most of the time our attention was on a guy climbing a 7b sport route at the side of us who seemed to be holding on to thin air! Pretty impressive to watch though also slightly depressing given our performance at 'The Sidings' the evening before.

Summary - a good few days better spent out climbing than wasted doing something like working or alike!

I was happy to tick some classic routes and felt happy with my climbing.

It was also good to catch up with Rob, John and Stephen who all share my love of all things mountain!

Quick Change!

 With the long spell of fine late Winter/early Spring weather continuing we took the chance to get some early climbing routes under our belt.

Tuesday and myself, Dan, Josh and Rob went to the slate quarries that tower over Llanberis in North Wales and into Australia quarry for my first sport climbing on slate.

Starting off steadily on a couple of grade 5's, we soon got a little more involved and made our way successfully (though tentatively in my case!) up

a couple of more challenging 6a & 6a+ routes, before finishing on a couple of VS4C routes.

 Wednesday and the weather was fine again. We decided on an afternoon of Trad climbing and went to Clogwn Cyrau above  Betws Y Coed, a real sun trap.

 Again my purpose was entirely to get climbs under the belt with intention of pushing my grade later in the summer (finger crossed!).

The National 3 Peaks - Part II (Doing!)

  After discussions with the group the event was to take place over the dates of Sunday 1st & Monday 2nd July. I chose this date for a number of reasons -
  1, it was approaching a full moon which may provide some light if given clear skies.
  2, it was the nearest full moon to the summer solstice when the days are longest.
  3, the event would start on a Sunday as both the mountains and the roads around them would be less busy with traffic and other groups undertaking the challenge.

  At 09:30am on Sunday 1st July Ellie, Chrissy, Jodie & Richard along with drivers Chris & Malc picked me up near Leeds in a mini bus packed with boots, clothes, waterproofs, back packs, food and water and we set off to West Highlands and our first mountain Ben Nevis.
  N.B It should be noted that the 'National 3 Peaks' involves a lot of driving between the mountains with a journey of 6hrs+ from Ben Nevis to Scafell Pike and a journey of 5hrs+ onward to Snowdon. Add to this the journeys to the start and from the finish its no small undertaking and could be dangerous to try walk the route and drive between mountains.

  During the 7hr journey I took the opportunity to give a safety briefing which outlined the procedure if there was a need to contact Mountain Rescue and what information should they be provided with, I also showed them the Aid Kit and Emergency Shelter I carry.

 Ben Nevis -
 Arriving in 'Glen Nevis' around 16:30hrs we readied ourselves for the first mountain. Ben Nevis summit stands 1344m above sea level and the route we were taking from near the Glen Nevis Hotel had a starting height of just 18m above sea level - leaving a route that climbs 1326m in a distance of 6.3km.

On the way up the Mountain Track (also known as the Pony or Tourist Track)

Mountain Rescue are winched down to make their way to a rescue (not us!)

On the summit with the emergency shelter in the background.
 

  The route to the summit took us past the halfway 'Lochan Meall ant-Suidhe' (which isn't quite halfway but lifts the spirits of those who don't know!) and on the Zig-Zags where we looked in awe as Navy Sea King dropped winched down a Mountain Rescue team on their way to a rescue in one of the gulleys on the Northern face of the mountain.  As we left the Zig Zags we had to walk through patches of snow which still laid on the approach to the summit and onwards until the ruins of the former weather observatory appeared out of the mist.
  After a quick bite and a photo we turned to retrace our steps back down the mountain and returned back to the mini bus where it was then over to Chris and Malc to drive through the night to get us to 'Wasdale Head' where we would continue the challenge and walk 'Scafell Pike'.

Scafell Pike -
  Arriving in Wasdale around 04:45am in the pouring rain and mist we readied ourselves and donned the water proofs to walk to the summit of England's highest peak Scafell Pike at 978m. The route we took climbs a total of 918m over a distance of  4.35km following the course of Lingmell Gill.

The rain soaked, muddy track rising from Wasdale Head.

The path leading up the delightfully named 'Brown Tongue' and the constant rain is dampening our enthusiasm.

It's all getting a bit too much for Richard!!

Visibility drops to approx 20m as we make our way from 'Lingmell Col' to the rocky summit.

The wet summit of Scafell Pike.

   We set out from 'Wasdale Head' at approx 05:00am and headed towards the fast flowing 'Lingmell Gill' in the pouring rain with the promise of low cloud and mist as we gained height. Passing by 'Brown Tongue' we made our way up the stone steps towards 'Lingmell Col' through 'Hollow Stones' and so avoiding the very steep track that leads to the summit via 'Mickledore', progress was markedly slower than that on 'Ben Nevis' due to the slippery surfaces underfoot as well as the poor weather conditions, fatigue and the 'boil in the bag' effect of wearing full waterproofs!
   It was very pleasing to see everyone making a conscious effort to keep the group spirit up as this was always expected to be the lowest point of the challenge with it being the middle section, undertaken at a time usually spent in bed, after a rough few hours in the back of a mini bus and having walked the highest mountain in Britain just hours before.
  Again it was a fleeting pause on top taking only time enough for a photo before leaving the wet, windy, misty summit to make the return walk back to Wasdale Head, the mini bus & some very welcome dry clothes!!

Snowdon -
  Arriving at the 'Pen-y-pass' car park at around 16:00hrs, the rain having never ceased during the journey from 'Wasdale Head' (so I was informed!), we quickly set off along the 'Miners Track' which would see us gain 726m of height over a distance of 6.37km to our final summit.

The steadily rising 'Miners Track' hides its surprise until later!

Water cascades down the mountain side (Robin Hood Prince of Thieves wasn't filmed here!)

Ah! The steady rise is over as the track changes to a steep path leaving 'Glaslyn' behind.

That'll be the mist again then!

"Out of the mist they appeared..."

They've done it! The summit of Snowdon.

  Leaving the 'Pen-y-pass' car park we made our way along the steadily rising 'Miners Track' and it felt good to escape the confines of the mini bus (which was by now at bit of a mess full of wet clothes and empty drinks and food containers) to stretch the legs. As we followed the track over the causeway that divides 'Llyn-Llydaw' the rain began to fall harder and the winds increased and continued to do so as we made our way up to, and around 'Glaslyn'.
  After passing the disused mine works we left 'Glaslyn' behind and the group set off up into the mist which covered the now steeply rising path as streams of water poured down. Onward and upward (and upward!), whilst putting already very tired legs to the test, we made our way to the standing stone marking the point where the 'Miners Track' meets the 'Llanberis Path' which was a very welcome sight. A further 10mins or so and the Snowdon summit came into view.
  Congratulations, a photo and a quick bite to eat were followed by a safety briefing from myself (boo!), it was important that every body got back down safely and so needed to stay focused despite their fatigue and because of the poor weather conditions. The descent back to 'Pen-y-Pass' passed quickly with a sense of achievement and good banter, though some dubious jokes!

  Summary - in the first days of planning the event I made it clear that though it would be nice to complete the event with in 24hrs it was more important to complete the challenge safely and not put undue pressure on either the walkers or the drivers. As it was, it was the M6 on a Monday morning that put an end to any chance of completing within the 24hrs!
  I was delighted by the spirit shown by Ellie, Chrissy, Jodie & Richard through out the challenge especially when the weather was trying bring everyone's mood down.
 Very well done to all!!!