Classic Rock Challenge.

As mentioned previously I'm working a fair bot at the moment so climbing has been restricted to days where the weather is perfect.  I've managed to put off going out and working instead. This weekend though I couldn't stay in while this amazing weather continued.

After taking an age to decide where to go and what to do we (myself and Hannah) finally decided on North Wales and the Ogwyn valley.  We had been here a few weeks previous and climbed Grooved Arête on Tryfan. I meant to write a post about it, oops! The short story is that we had a lovely weekend, I carried far too much gear for a route of the grade and that you should teach your second how to use a nut key; it's not obvious! 

Either way we headed back to the same campsite (Gwen Goflsaf Campsite) and set up camp on Saturday morning. As it was getting to the hottest part of day we relaxed in the sun and waited for the day to cool down before we made our way up to Clogwyn Bochlwyd.  This little crag, described as a good crag for an evening visit with outcrop climbing style, was a short and easy walk in (25 minutes) and had a range of routes from Diff up to E2.  We warmed up on Marble Slab. I misread the guide thinking it severe 4a.  After Hannah topped out I explain my thoughts - 'that was bloody stiff for 4a - bloody welsh grades!".  A quick check of the guide and all became clear; HS 4b. That'll be why then.


Next up was another HS 4b, Wall Climb.  An initial ramp, with little in the way of protection, is followed by a few wide moves to gain a sharp flake and the first bit of good gear. I found this to be the crux. After this a few big pulls on jugs and a mantle (supposed crux) leads to a heather terrace and possible stance.  As the route was only about 30m in length I carried on to save the faff with belays. You make you way round onto the face and are presented with jugs and big footholds but little in the way of protection.  Romping up this was great fun. I can image it being a different case had I not felt relaxed and enjoying the climbing.  We had a minor audience while climbing. When I'm having fun I tend to talk a fair bit of rubbish while climbing and generally joke about being scared. I'm sure our spectators must have thought I was a little loopy!

Clogwyn Bochlwyd - Marble slab on the right and Wall Climb on the left. Marble slab is the direct start to the route which follows the arete to the right at diff.

We headed back to the car and towards the nearest pub. After driving past several in Bethesda I decided to head back towards Capel Curig.  In the end I dropped Hannah off, raced to the nearest offy and got a few ciders. We had tea, had a read and called it a night. We planned an earlyish start for out adventures on Sunday.

I had planned on having a go at the HVS to the right of marble climb but didn't fancy it. Not having lead consistently for a while I could feel that my head wasn't keen for it!

Sunday morning rolled around and after being awoken by some D of E students at half 4 (note - just because you are up at 4:30am doesn't mean everyone else in the camp site would like top join you!) we got a few more hours of shut eye. Despite them being up way before us we had a quick breakfast, made some lunch and then headed off for our destination: Idwal Slabs.

Last summer I wrote about trying to tick the routes which comprise the Classic Rock tick list.  Classic rock is a book, complied by Ken Wilson, which accompanied Hard Rock: a feast of climbing literature, a celebration of 60 of the best routes in the land ranging from Mild Very Severe (MVS) to Extreme (E7), illustrated with a superb collection of crag and action shots.

I'd love to do both Classic Rock and Hard Rock. The Classic Rock list is perhaps more amenable but will still take some doing.  It consists of 83 routes, 219 stars, 6,313m of ascent and 234 pitches! That's a lot of climbing! (it is probably more than this in reality as you have to get to the climb and off again!). Perhaps the biggest challenge on the list is the Cullin ridge traverse. The grade given to this is VD, but it really doesn't equate to this. It's the most serious mountain challenge in the UK and it would be better to give an alpine style grade.  Either way, it's on the list and it's something me and Hannah are keen to do! You can check the full list here.

I've climbed 13 of the routes so far, many before I was serious about ticking them all.  Hence the trip to Idwal Slabs and an opportunity to tick 3 of the routes in one day.

(1) Hope, VD ***, 135m, 4 pitches.  Probably the most classic of the classics here and one of the most popular routes in Wales. The polished nature of the holds makes it a good bit harder in the wet 1) 45m. A quartzy slab leads to ledges and an A-shaped niche in the overlap. Pull through this, more slab work then leads to a stance 2) 25m. The glossy twin-cracks give skiddy work (good runners) to a flake, step left and continue to a stance in a corner 3) 20m. More neat climbing on nice crinkly holds leads to a stance in the groove 4) 28m. Climb the groove and sidestep the bulge leftwards, to reach ledgy ground 5) 18m. Continue until things rear up and an escape left is required. © ROCKFAX 

(2) Lazarus, S 4a *, 43m, 2 pitches. The easiest line hereabouts and a logical continuation to Tennis Shoe. Start from the grassy ledges in the base of Javelin gully 1) 4a, 12m. Three mini-mantels up the gully lead to a stance where it widens 2) 4a, 28m. Traverse left towards a jutting nose of rock and climb the groove to its right. © ROCKFAX 

(3) The Arete, VD *, 24m. Start up the groove then trend left to the well-positioned edge of the slab. Bold for the grade!© ROCKFAX

Idwal Slabs from Llyn Idwal.  Hope (red), Lazarus (blue) and The Arete (green).

We were, as expected, the first there and so didn't have to wait. I'd paired my rack right down, 10 QDs, 10 nuts, 3 cams and 2 slings. This made things much more enjoyable. We also took our 70m rope, which meant less belays. I mentioned to Hannah that this is a much more European way of climbing and really can make the difference when you go Alpine climbing. With a trip to the Dolomites planned next year, this would be the way we want to climb. 

First was Hope. Linking the first two pitches together and a full 70m rope length we were soon on our way. Considering the grade there is some epic climbing on this route.  The crux being the infamous twin cracks. The holds run out (sort of) about half way but a juggy flake comes to you rescue. Again running the next two together meant we were at the top of the route in no time.  By now a few more parties were starting up Hope and the various other climbs on the face.  

We had a quick check of the guide book, asking a soloing climber just to double check we were going up the correct way, and off we went again.  Lazarus only has 1 star but I think it's probably worth at least 1 more! The initial corner is interesting and requires a confident approach. Again linking both pitches together (2 ropes would be good for this or make sure you extend those runners!) makes things quicker.  The traverse is a little airy, with 150m of slab below, and has little in the way of gear but the holds just keep coming! Beware of the creaky flakes though!

And finally The Arete. A quick check of the guide and away we went.  Be warned this route is shocking for VD, I think it's possibly the most exposed and sketchy feeling VD I've ever done. The holds are all there and nothing is hard, but man...it's good value for VD that's for sure!

We topped out at 11.30, had quick Banana and few photos and off down the so called 'easy way off' which isn't all that easy! We had planned to summit Glydr Fawr but with the sun now beating down pysche for this was low. Llyn Idwal, the lake at the bottom of the slabs with it's pebble beach, seemed like a much nicer proposition for our lunch and off we went. And indeed it was! The water was warm and there were a few people swimming. I was tempted but with no towel we just dipped our feet in.

So that's the plan, any days we can get out climbing will be aimed at climbing routes on the Classic Rock List. We are off to Birchen in the Peak District this evening to tick the routes there. I'll pop a blog post up about it soon, so watch this space!

Hannah at the end of The Arete (Top) and us cooling our tired and sweaty feet off in Llyn Idwal (middle and bottom).