New Routes - Meirionnydd

Approach/Descent:
We struggled to find the crag and feel the guidebook description is incorrect and should read as follows: After seeing the cottage on the left (approx half a mile away) turn right on a forestry track (no stile). Continue along this for approx 350 metres turning left up a stone path. Follow the obvious path through bracken to the crag crossing over a stone wall.

Pitch descriptions:
Start just right of zig zag, climb direct to an arete which is followed to the top.

Climbers names : John Martin, Cath Sulivan
Date of ascent : 09/07/2005
Additional info: none

Approach/Descent:
[See Fig Arete]

Pitch descriptions:
Climb the excellent slabby wall just right of Horn of Plenty carefully avoiding the loose block under the first bulge.

Climbers names : John Martin, Cath Sulivan
Date of ascent : 09/07/2005
Additional info: none

Approach/Descent:

Pitch descriptions:
Start right of Don\'t Even Think of It up a little arÍte move rightwards to a block. Then up via an odd protruding foothold to finish leftwards through the final bulge.

Climbers names : John Martin, Cath Sulivan
Date of ascent : 10/07/2005

Additional info:
The central heather filled crack no longer has any heather and is now Heathers Demise (9m HS 4b, Chris Dale, Rob Gray 10/07/2005).

Approach/Descent:
3 metres right of Jones Crack is a much thinner crack. Start directly below this crack just above the path.

Pitch descriptions:
1 20m . Climb up blocky rock to a stance in a little corner below the crack.

2. 25m 4c. Climb the crack direct to finish up 3 little corners to the top.

Climbers names : John Martin, Carol Umarova
Date of ascent : 17.07.05
Additional info: none

Approach/Descent:
See Fig Arete

Pitch descriptions:
Start just left of Horn of Plenty, following the direct line to the top.

Climbers names : Rob Gray, Chris Dale
Date of ascent : 09/07/2005
Additional info: none

Approach/Descent:
Approach to the right hand side of the crag as for Groove Slab.

Pitch descriptions:
1) 5a/b. Start up Groove Slab (4c) to beneath the overhangs. Move up and right onto the steep overhangs by means of a mantleshelf clipping a peg of unknown origin on the way. Continue across using huge underclings and jams with a large sloping ledge for your feet - very reminiscient of Hyll-Drem!! Continue to the end of the ramp and turn the final steep groove onto an easier slab. Belay above to the left of an old (smelly) owls nest!

2) 4b. Continue up the steep corner/groove using massive holds to belay at the top of the crag.

Climbers names : R. G. Greenwood, Miss K. A. Spinney
Date of ascent : 24/06/2006
Additional info: Some old pegs (who knows where they came from/ when they were placed!?!). All climbed onsight - it looked a lot more fun than Groove Slab and later, upon inspecting the guidebook, discovered it was not recorded (although it has possibly been climbed before). No known repeats.

2. 30 m (IIIII) Climb out left to a rocky steepening which gives some pause for thought before the angle eases. Climb to splintered rocky outcrops to belay.

3. 25 m (II) Continue up turfy ramplines that zig-zag through the increasingly rocky ground to gain the Arete at a small niche with a dizzying drop down its north-west side. Continue along the Arete to the top as for the original route.

Additional info:
Turf well frozen, copious snow on route.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Cwm LLedr
Crag : Craig y Tonnau (p 227).
Date of ascent : 08/03/10
Route name : Coed Rib
Length/grade/stars : 11m VD
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 1 metre left of Llech Fedur.

Pitch descriptions:
Climb the rib forming the left edge of the main wall.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Cwm Lledr
Crag : Craig y Tonnau (p 227).
Date of ascent : 08/03/10
Route name : Mur Gwydyr
Length/grade/stars : 15m VS
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 2 metres right of Robbin's Right Hand and 1 metre left of Diane's Approval.

Pitch descriptions:
4c. Climb through the waves via hidden fingerholds and reach the large circular pocket with some relief. Continue direct and finish above a short left-facing corner.

Additional info:
Both Ysgol Fwsoglyd and Llech Fedur were repeated and the grades confirmed! Incidentally Diane's Approval is 6 metres right of Central Crack not 12 metres.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Craig yr Wrysgan (p 194).
Date of ascent : 09/03/10
Route name : Transform
Length/grade/stars : 10m VS
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
100 metres to the right of Y Gilfach is a large buttress with a steep nose comprising blind cracks and grooves. On its right are wave-like bulges and right again an attractive sheet of slab, terminated by a grassy gully which transforms into a short, easy corner crack near the top. The following two routes take lines up the right-hand side of the sheet of slab. Start at the foot of the corner crack in the grassy gully.

Pitch descriptions:
4a. Climb the slab, keeping left of the rounded groove; to a worrying finish

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Moelwynnion Y Moelwynion
Crag : Craig yr Wrysgan (p 194).
Date of ascent : 09/03/10
Route name : Wry Smile
Length/grade/stars : 14m HS
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start half a metre left of Transform.

Pitch descriptions:
4a. Climb the sinuous crack until it ends, then trend slightly leftwards up the slab; with this time a slightly more positive finish.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Craig yr Wrysgan (p 194).
Date of ascent : 09/03/10
Route name : Red Steps
Length/grade/stars : 30m VD
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
120 metres down and right of Wry Smile the rocky NE spur of Craig yr Wrysgan teminates on the First Level at a rounded buttress; overlooking a small llyn and a tiny clump of fir trees. A stone wall abuts the left side of the buttress; above which are four separate trees. Start 15 metres up and left of the stone wall at a red, pocketed slab.

Pitch descriptions:
Disjointed, but fairly pleasant climbing! Climb the red slab and rib above to a heather ledge. Above, slabs and a steep, short wall give access to the finishing quartz-blotched wall.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Craig yr Wrysgan (p 194).
Date of ascent : 09/03/10
Route name : No Hands
Length/grade/stars : 16m S
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
35 metres above the top of Red Steps is a whaleback buttress with a steep lower section. Start at an embedded gritstone boulder just right of centre.

Pitch descriptions:
Step off the gritstone boulder and climb the wall to gain the easing slab.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Craig yr Wrysgan (p 194).
Date of ascent : 09/03/10
Route name : Whale of a Time
Length/grade/stars : 15m VS
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 5 metres left of No Hands.

Pitch descriptions:
4c. Climb the steeper wall to a ledge; then follow the easing rib and slab on the right to the top.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Craig yr Wrysgan (p 194).
Date of ascent : 09/03/10
Route name : Twmpathau
Length/grade/stars : 33m S
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
30 metres right of Red Steps and 8 metres right of the slate footbridge; at the lowest point of the buttress is an easy-angled rib, start here.

Pitch descriptions:
Climb the easy-angled rib and its two steeper rises above to gain a glacis. Twin, thin cracks lead to easier ground and the top.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn y Bustach (p 183) Lower Right-Hand Wall.
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : Beaver Slab
Length/grade/stars : 36m VD
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Forty metres right of Bear Trapper's Hat, and 18 metres up and right of the secret bouldering area; easy angled slabs sweep down to within 2 metres of the stone wall, start here.

Pitch descriptions:
Climb the easy-angled slab and the steeper white rib above to a grassy finish.

Additional info:
The route Bear Trapper's Hat is on the Mid-Wales Website!

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn yr Oen (p 185).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : Dark Sun
Length/grade/stars : 16m D
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Clogwyn yr Oen is bounded on its right by a waterfall which cascades down a multi-coloured (red on the left, white on the right) slab; Approximately 60 metres above the road. Start immediately right of the waterfall at the foot of a dark streak running up the multi-coloured slab.

Pitch descriptions:
Follow the dark streak all the way, finishing very near the water Descend by following the heather terrace rightwards!

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn yr Oen (p 185).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : Man U
Length/grade/stars : 17m S
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 6 metres right of Dark Sun at two blocks.

Pitch descriptions:
Climb the red slab up and leftwards, until a blanker section gives a moment's hesitation before the heather terrace is reached.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn yr Oen (p 185).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : Newton Heath
Length/grade/stars : 17m VD
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 5 metres right of Man U.

Pitch descriptions:
Follow the crackline and short corner to gain the heather.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn yr Oen (p 185).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : Glazed
Length/grade/stars : 17m VS
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 3 metres right of Newton Heath.

Pitch descriptions:
4b. Climb the red and white slab easily at first, then more delicately to gain a small ledge below the blunt nose in the centre of the upper overlap. Move right to a suspect spike and pull over the overlap to gain the heather.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn yr Oen (p 185).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : White Fang
Length/grade/stars : 16m S
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start 1 metre right of Glazed.

Pitch descriptions:
Climb the slab up and rightwards before pulling through the lower overlap. Continue to where the upper overlap peters out and gain the heather to finish.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionnydd Y Moelwynion
Crag : Clogwyn yr Oen (p 185).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : All Washed Up
Length/grade/stars : 40m VS
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start as for Dark Sun.

Pitch descriptions:
4c. A left to right traverse, giving a few unsuspected, serious moves. Follow Dark Sun for 3 metres, then move up and rightwards to gain a series of footholds traversing horizontally right, and follow these onto Glazed. Move right, up and right again above the lower overlap of White Fang (all very delicate) until moves right gain the heather.

Submitted by : Barry Clarke
Area : Meirionydd Cwm LLedr
Crag : Craig y Tonnau (p 227).
Date of ascent : 11/03/10
Route name : The Tooth Fairy
Length/grade/stars : 43m S
Climbers : BJ Clarke (solo)
Start location:
Start as for Dentist's Slab.

Pitch descriptions:
A natural left to right girdle of the main wall, following the lower of thw white bands. Follow Dentist's Slab for 7 metres to reach the first white band. Go rightwards along the band for 6 metres until a 2 metre step-up gains the next band. Follow this into the crack system of Diane's Approval; using the best combination of hand and foot levels! Move right and up to finish as for Spring Lightning.