Crackstone Rib (Carreg Wastad, S) Vicky Moody DAVID SIMMONITE
- Llanberis by Iwan Afron Jones (2009)
- Bouldering Simon Panton
- Artwork Don Sargeant
- 416 pages of text, maps and photographs
- Free samples of Dinas y Gromlech and Dinas Mot (PDFs)
ISBN 978-0-901601-81-0
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Nick Salmon on Cenotaph Corner (E1 Dinas y Gromlech) Photo Don Sargeant
The reprinted CC’s Llanberis guide is now in the shops. The book is printed in full colour in the CC format. It is lavishly illustrated with 65 photodiagrams, and a fine selection of action photos.
The text has been comprehensively updated, with details of over 50 new routes climbed since the last guide and revised assessments of the popular classics where necessary. Iwan Jones was author of the 2003 guide and co-author of its 1993 predecessor. He has now been involved in over a hundred first ascents in the Pass, and he has continued his efforts to make sure that the correct local names are given to all the crags. The resulting changes, as well as the origins of various crag names, are explained in tinted text boxes. One remarkable product of Iwan’s historical research is the discovery that the name Bryant’s Gully has been given to the wrong gully for the last 60 years or so. A two page glossary of climbing terms in Welsh has been given, both to aid climbers whose first language is Welsh and also to promote an appreciation of the Welsh language among English speakers.
Particular care has been taken to making the approaches, descents, aspects, and optimum conditions for the climbing stand out. This includes the BMC’s advice as to the best approach to Dinas y Gromlech to minimise the large area of ground erosion below the crag.
The guide contains descriptions of the most popular bouldering areas in the Pass written by local bouldering guru Simon Panton, and illustrated by 14 of his own photo topos and a number of action photos.
The graded list, a feature of the last five Llanberis guidebooks, has been expanded to include nearly all the climbs graded E6 and above, and also, on an experimental basis, French grades for those climbs to reflect the recent discussions about the grading system for the harder routes. The text covers the current emphasis on attempting the hardest routes on sight.
The book lays a strong emphasis on encouraging climbers to visit the lesser known crags. Thirty two of the photodiagrams illustrate crags that have not had diagrams in previous guidebooks, and a light-hearted Alternative Llanberis List is given of recommended climbs off the beaten track. There are eight photoplans, complemented by both area and detail maps, which show the location and approaches to all the cliffs.