Coed Brenin Enduro 2014

Coed Brenin Enduro 2014

Monday 3 June 2013

Crossing the border

Managed to get out in Wales climbing this last weekend. Saturday was spent at Tremadog where we climbed Scratch (VS 4b 4c), Poor Man's Peutery (S) and the most memorable route, Nifl-Heim (if you are a non-climber skip the next 2 paragraphs!).

Climber on Scratch Arete (taken from pitch 2 of Scratch)
This is a great route that I suspect a lot of people have problems on. The crux traverse pitch is hard, much harder than VS. Also there is an old iron bar just before the crux that has bend down 90 degree's and has a rope attached that looks like people use as a swing to try to gain sideways progression!

Interestingly this route has a grade of VS 4a, 4c, 4c, 4c in my 1989 guidebook, Ben's newer (but still old) guidebook gives it VS 4a, 4c, 5a, 4c. Currently it gets HVS 4a, 4c, 5a, 4c. If that wasn't confusing enough if you look around on line no one beliefs this is an accurate grade either, and the consensus is that it is HVS/E1 5b (mainly for the very stiff crux pitch). Great route and the last pitch off width is also worth a mention, because I also bet this stops the odd climber dead if they get this far!

On Sunday we headed to Gogarth. I've not been here for 10 years, the last time I climbed here I stayed 9 days longer in North Wales than anticipated!

On......you've guessed it Light House Arete

On the half way ledge messing around after our abseil in

It was amazing weather and we enjoyed some routes at Castell Helen, including the obligatory Light House Arete (VS 4c), Pel (VS 4C) and Rap (VS 4c). The first pitch of Pel is steep and 'out there' for VS and I think that doing pitch 1 of Pel with pitch 2 of Rap would be a great trip, taking the best VS pitches on offer here. Great weekends climbing, hope to get back soon. 

Looking down at Ben starting up Pel (I'm on half way ledge)
Here he comes (slowly!). Click the picture (sorry some error with formatting)


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