Seated Start & Gormod

Crag: Clogwyn Du’r Arddu, Far East Lower
Date of ascent: July 1985

Seated Start

Length/grade/stars: 220ft E5 6b, 6a
Climbers: Dai Lampard, Geoff Hibbert

Start location:

The route takes the much eyed snaking “S” groove between Gormod and Land of Hope and Glory and offers climbing as good as anything on the cliff. Very sustained and fairly serious – exceptionally so if the large hold snaps off before you clip the peg!

Pitch descriptions:

1. 30ft Climb easily up to a luxurious belay directly below the curving groove.
2. 120ft. 6b Climb up the crack behind the belay and go boldly up the steep wall to below the roof. Awkward runner placement in a crack. Grasp the large (movable) hold above and using it and a hand jam on the left clip a peg runner high above. Invert the hand jam and layback carefully onto the large hold to attain a standing position in the base of the groove. Peg runner. Prospects now take a turn for the worse as you contemplate the back and footing necessary to reach the enticing slot 15ft above. Eventually it does arrive and once gained the climbing eases somewhat. A move or two leftwards under some small roofs at the top of the groove gains the belay below the next big groove.
3. 70ft. 6a. Gain the innocuous crack on the left and climb it with great difficulty to a good hold. Arrange gear and move up and across rightwards into the main groove. A series of difficult and committing moves lead to a final steep wall and a superbly positioned grassy belay. Abseil off ( 60m ropes).

Gormod

Length/grade/stars: 220ft E5 Unclassified and 6b
Climbers: Paul Jenkinson, Dai Lampard

Start location:

The anathematous aid points have been dispensed with.

The first pitch description in the new guide is wrong – absolute utter tottering death on a stick.
Best to approach from the left and head up the shorter groove to the overhang.

Pitch descriptions:

2. 28m 6b Traverse left across the smooth gangway to short groove – very poor peg runner ( probably useless as it seems to have shattered the rock) Poor protection / micro wires provide the only comfort. A very difficult and committing series of irreversible moves gains easier ground and a good big peg. Much more amenable climbing follows up the groove until the final difficult move.

Additional info:

Take 7 rock / tat to abseil from unless you want to descend the walls of the gulley – not nice.