The Tosheroon

 

This is my phone. I've had this wall paper for about 7 years, passing from phone to phone.

The picture was taken on this trip in 2015, however, my first discovery of this special sea cave was in 2010, I think on new years day, when a man mate took me out for some Anglesey sport climbing. The climbing turned out to be a little too chilly to be enjoyable, but a gentle wander at low tide with a much needed flask of coffee led to its fortuitous discovery.

Put off by... Well everything really, it took 4 years almost to the day for a return inspection. That first trip I had campused the entrance to the cave and looked at the exit. I was sufficiently excited to return that I talked some friends into returning later that month. The climbing deep in the cave turned out to be really interesting, possibly fun even. Accepting the nature of the challenge was key, it was never going to dry out, chalk was pointless. Barnacles added to the 'fun' adding much needed friction, until you applied too much pressure and they dissolved to slippy paste. The high point of this initial session turned out to be a familiar one. Boxed and flailing at the end of the constricted section.

Some time in 2014 two things were decided.. 

Firstly, that trips should be undertook in the warmer months, as the cold trip meant major gashes off the barnacles due to lack of sensitivity in the hands. This also led to myself almost breaking my hand squeezing the life out of a jam I couldn't feel for fear it would slip.

Denizens of the Tosheroon cave.. 

Secondly, the name of this project. As a keen new router, I often find a name presents itself well before eventual success. Furthermore, it often helps to spur me on to greater efforts. The Tosheroon was a term appropriated by Terry Pratchett in his

 book 'The Truth'. Officially an old English name for a half crown, in the Pratchett universe it is defined as:

"a lump of debris and rubbish made of the mud and gunk found clogged in drains. While they appear worthless, tosheroons can contain valuable items, such as old coins, lost rings and alike." 

It seemed fitting, as while this project on first appearence should on paper be everything we run away from, it contains treasure.

So first trip back after that was in April 2015 during an unfavourable tide. I took the opportunity to scare myself and SWS down the crack reversing the (thankfully dry) HVS ground deep into the wider squeeze section. This left me with only 2m of uncovered ground.

Looking back, I was still doing a lot of bold trad at the time (I'd climbed Twll Love, a bold E5 in Twll Mawr the previous autumn) and attempts this year to repeat this feat resulted in whimpering retreat.

Next proper attempt was that May. Once more I failed to clear the constriction. That September Seren my daughter was born and thoughts of offwidth fitness were put to bed for a while. I visited in 2016, but only to shoot some beta footage. 

Fast forward to Father's day 2019, and one of my son's Ethan, having flicked through the pics on my phone, decided I should go back to Benllech. It got me re-energised for the project, especially as the pebble level had risen and evened out making it feel more boulder and less intimidating.

Returning at the end of the month, it was the old team again. Back with some form of fitness, and having a couple of years of digesting tactics and possible options off all the previous decades footage, I felt hopeful. However, the crux exit of the constriction still eluded me, as the previous 4m was knackering me too much to try a whole lot of things before I plopped off. Another issue was the narrow tide window which only allowed 3-4 goes before retreat became necessary.

Another year and covid came along, the Mountain volume of NWB took my time and attention and The Tosheroon bubbled away at the back of my mind. It had been suggested that my ground up approach might be supplemented by a step ladder, that opened my eyes a bit. With the coming of the summer and the coastal NWB looming, I was keen to put this monster to bed, and with a favourable tide window for 16th July 2021 it was scribbled on the calendar. Post covid, the old team had gone their separate ways and I was given the challenge of enticing new faces to the project.

Fortunately for this opening salvo the reliable Mark Reeves was willing to come and heckle. We were also joined at short notice by that lover of all things niche; the Fiend. Needless to say the session was banter heavy, and I somehow managed to get out of the construction into the wider squeeze. However, in my 1000 yard stare state I'd become fixated on the right wall of the cave (possibly due to the extensive examination of it from the step ladder - didn't bring it again). The video is a bit long, but worth it for the running commentary :

At about midnight that same evening I came to the realisation that I should have switched to face the other way. Picture Dr Emmet Brown exclaiming "Great Scott!" and you get the idea.

Next visit (25th July) was with a mutual acquaintance  of Fiend and myself, who Mr F thought would be keen. He wasn't wrong - Rafe turned out to be a power house of enthusiasm and encouragement. The ladder was left at home, and instead a rather large stack of pads was bundled to the beach. Once more I'd cleared the constriction, but by then the barnacles had managed to rip both my tape gloves off:

Rafe giving it some 

For the next trip (10th August) I was to be joined by both Fiend and Rafe, and I set about retiring my old foamies and traced some new 2mm foam rubber templates. I've been building my tape gloves around these foam pads for about 18 months now and I'm finding they give a good compromise between the efficiency of a pure tape and the convenience, and let's face it bulk, of a jamming glove (I have small fists).

Once again Fiend bought the banter, but I was still unsure of the exact sequence of circus tricks required to establish me firmly on the left wall. I also prevented an early ejection from the roof with a dyno-bar of my right knee.

The aftermath 

After that I was running somewhat on fumes. Good laugh though:

The next available tide window was the 23rd of August. Unfortunately nobody could come with me that date. I felt quite nervous about this as the tide window is narrow. A low spring tide is needed which gives about 3 hours of access before completely submerging the cave again. Not somewhere to have an accident. However with only about 2 tide windows a month being available to me, and winter looming, I needed every session. 

I set about finding as many things that could provide an edge as possible. MMA knee sleeves under my trousers, a slimmer £3 headtorch off ebay to stop it catching. Hell, I even bought an led dog collar (not useful in actual action unfortunately). I also flicked through P-Widdy's crack book and set about converting my foamies to a vedauwoo wrap. 

I had some kind words of encouragement from fellow jam heads and general deviants, and although still nervous, I stumbled onto the beach to find a lone fisherman toying with his rod. Although I left him to his practice and scuttled into my cave. Knowing that he was there had a calming effect. 

Once the four pads I managed to Sherpa down were in place, I did a bit of pilates and a couple of pull ups, and set about the rigmarole of taping up. After this I did a bit more pilates and reacquainted myself with the technicalities. This basically meant bashing a few bits with a towel and adding some tick marks with a fat stick of Chalk I'd nicked off of Seren.

First go. First meter felt really good, once into the kneebar pivot from feet first to burying myself head first horizontal in the roof.. Well the pump and scrabble kicked in a bit. However, I got to the crux and had a bash until the wheels came off and I dabbed while suspended by a solitary teacup jam.

The first go had done its job and the blood was pumping into all the nooks and crannies. I lay on the pads and thought about all the peeps who believed I could do this. I waited for the heavy breathing to subside, and then waited some more. 

This is an unabridged video of the second go. It's very long, and there is no Fiend to liven it with commentary. Also the lighting was a bit poor so you can't make out loads of the initial bit. However, here it is :

Arghh it's not embedding, the link is here

I wasn't smooth in starting and almost lost my kneebars getting into the roof. The jams through this bit are hard won and I kept slithering onward, expecting them to rip. Getting to the end of the constriction I was on two teacups bumping my left kneebar forward and it slid out. 

Slight wolverine moment, primal driving rage. Not sure how but next thing I know my right kneebar is buried in the roof and I feel solid. I can bump the right teacup to a high fist and twist out onto the left wall. 

My foot is on the first tick mark. Please don't skid off the barnacles. Next thing I'm extending into the rafters, open barring and feeling for help. Holds appear, I can pull into an upright squeeze position. The balcony at the end of the horizon is near. Slowly deliberately, I slide on a bum cheek. I'm there. 

Having a moment just to be happy I took in my surroundings. It was a still and humid day, the crag above was still wet from sea spray, not the dry hvs I soloed 6 years before. I could just plop of the ledge and call it done. The Tosheroon I had envisioned was a crack climb, pulling off the deck and climbing until at the top of the crack, or at least the crag. I probed out, up and further outwards trying to breach the soggy defences. A stretch off a fist gave a dry jug and I swam back into the crack where I could bridge and get some more jams (best weapons against the sogg).

A whimper and a grunt and it was over. The memories remain. 

The Tosheroon 7A+! 

(could be MXS 6b, might be easier although my support team scoff at this. Let's just say Hard Very Marvellous) 

Benllech hidden wall beach, around the corner. Needs a tide window based around a sub 2m low tide. No Chalk required, maximum skin protection advised. 

Start 8m in at a chockstone in the roof. Leave the ground and battle bravely to the light and the jutting balcony. If you get here, pat yourself on the back and feel free to hop down. Those mad enough may, like the first ascentionist, want to battle to the top of the crack, but unlike him, please have someone to rearrange your pads. 

Mark Dicken (23/8/21)

Purple Patch

 Things are going pretty well lately. Firstly finally surmounting George's Crack, then putting The Shard to rest. I've been using the progressive psyche like Spengler's proton pack, hosing down neglected projects.

First up was a trip to the hidden valley. There was this rather massive boulder there by the river. Landing wasn't great, but the rock was rather cool; a mass of grit like slopes with an undercut base:

There was a cool cave at the left end with some flat ground and a well defined start. I made this my goal for my first foray.. 

The result (after many many attempts) was Bumshuffler, a high F6/7A. So many attempts in deed, that my camera ran out of memory as I topped out (and I was slightly late for the school run). 

Spurred on by this my next adventure was up to Marchlyn, as I was well keen to push forward on some of the projects there.. 

On reaching the dam, I saw the water level unusually high... 

Oops, the landing for the Super boulder was under water! First time in seven years I've encountered this. After some research I had found that the moving away from nuclear power has meant that its not always the best economy for them to pump up at night, and sometimes (especially when green energy, solar and the like, is doing well), they keep it up top to get the best price... 

Some further sleuthing has shown that you can predict the up top Connie's by looking by fishskin wall (a drive rather than a long walk). It's a closed system, so if it's empty down here it's full up there and vica versa. 

As a rule of thumb, this boulder here is a good marker, if the level is so low that it is linked to the promentary behind, it probably not worth walking in. 

This screen shot shows the same boulder on Google earth. The level here is still good for the super boulder, so lower than this is bad... 

So back to a peed off Mark at the Dam.. I had remembered some unfinished business at a boulder on Elidir Fach, on the same contour as the dam. Some time in 2011 I had done this :

I had given away the full traverse as a project in 2012, then in 2013 Big G named it The Biscuit Tin of Marchlyn Bach and highlighted it as the Boulder of the Month. I'd assumed he'd climbed it and promptly let it fall behind the bookcase of my mind.. 

So a decade after doing the short version, I returned for the complete slopes. 

Turned out he hadn't climbed it, but I liked the name so.. 

Biscuit Tin of Marchlyn Bach (might be 7A)

So man made tidal systems are a little tricky, but good old lunar tides sometimes bless you with a perfect meeting of wind, time and tide..

I'd been intrigued by the seaward wall at Porth Howel, but on previous visits it was either in the sea, or wet and Teflon.. 

Not so today. Bone dry! 

The main wall was at its spring level and that made it high... Even Richie Crouch's 6C sitter on the far right; What a difference a wave makes, was exposed and climbable. 

Peering round the corner to the seaward wall. 

In all its glory! 

Bashed by waves an pebbles, it was as smooth as the Tubes; that Beddgelert Esoteric gem. As usual I was drawn to the highballs, and the groove looked awesome and Jammy. 

This became Paradise Groove 5+!

A mix of slippery slabbyness, Jams and udgeness. Oh and slopers! This wall has class/impossible slopers, flatties are the jugs here.. 

Next easiest thing to try was at the other end of the wall, thankfully the lower end. 

Here lay the two biggest flatties in the insipid lower seam that slashes across the wall. They weren't actually that big but to me they were.. 

 Two Jugs 6B

Now I had a style I turned my attention to the other end of the seam. The last holdable edges that I could reach from the ground. This dyno was a little bit bigger and the upper break was not disclosing where I could actually hold it. Finally spotted a less slopey bit.. 

This is Seams Dynamic, might be 6C. 

I also spent some time failing on other stuff, but that just made me more keen to return. All I need is my skin to grow back.. 

What this space.. 

Lockdown Diaries : Dementor's Kiss

 So the last blog was November, Lockdown number three kicked in and it all got a bit rubbish. I don't mean Christmas and all that, but this lockdown certainly feels more oppressive and negative than those before it. Fear and self doubt are well known adversaries of the climber, and since lobbing off of the Shard I've struggled to rediscover my confidence at height.

With the Lockdown reducing where I could play, I found myself returning to some local venues that also happened to be high... 

Obviously this involved me getting rather scared and gibbery, but it also provided the opportunity for me to expecto petronum their ass and claw back some confidence.

First spot was Ponc Yr Haul Coll; new name for an old school highball venue. Blooming scary for solo visitors, but could be tamed by a pad party. However it's lockdown, so scary it is. Great climbing though. 

Climbs in order are:

Flock of Flying Butt Monkeys 5C!

Best line here, in escapable and delicate with a pop at the top. 

The Groove of Smooth 6B!

Baffling and sadly escapable (although you can't return once gone chicken). Still very satisfying to complete. 

Maurice Chevalier 6A+! 

Very aesthetic line although fizzles a little after the crux. 

Got very scared here, but ultimately it was a very rewarding experience, and I'm looking forward to a return visit with a post lockdown pad party. 

Following this I got the opportunity to revisit Ymyl Gwyn, and take an appropriate number of pads. Unfortunately it started spitting on the walk in. The long walk in wearing wellies. Carrying a couple of pads. 

Maintaining happy face I slogged on and arrived dripping (abet mainly sweat) at the boulder. Apart from a bit of damp lichen it was climbable so fun was had.

I gibbed last time here on the niche nose project. An extra pad meant I  didn't worry about jumping off this time. This became Buster Crabbe 6A+ and is a little balancey with higgar like crimps.

The next problem right was Death by Monkeys 6B! It has a cool move to the upper arete, however, on the first ascent the top was wet and I quivered into the offwidth at the top rather than elegantly styling it out. This turned out to be just as hard as a dry regular top out would be, and was proper brown trousers. 

The offwidth is The Pig of Happiness 5. It's great fun and yields to good technique in its lower half and determination to fight through the top out.

So from dark times new resilience grows and perhaps a little self confidence. I'm looking forward the next step, whatever that is. 

Brief Moments Throttled

 So the last couple of months have been pretty dry in terms of adventure, mainly due to being wet in terms of weather.

However, enough brief windows of opportunity have occurred to slap together into a report.. 

So here it goes:

Ymyl Gwyn (not it's real name) 

I discovered this little cluster of gritstone during lockdown, and have been meaning to return. October afforded a morning so I got my stomp on. First highball mission since the Shard debacle and I picked this one.. 

Turns out it needed more than a single pad, and once committed, it was impossible to fall on the one I had. Beautiful arete though, called it "Arrietty" after the studio Ghibli version of the borrowers, as it initially felt small, then I felt very small.. About 6B!

This is Wellington Drudgery, about 6A+. I'm seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on long boggy walk ins. Fortunately it occasionally pays off. 

An attempt on the niche to the left, a decent side pull that just happened to be on the edge of a hollow pocket.. 

Crack ambition! 

I've decided to spend the next few months ticking off and mopping up the last of the major North Wales crack based boulder problems. I'd forgotten how much I loved crack climbing. This little puppy did a 

good job of reminding me. 

Crack Ahoy! Black Country Crack in Parc Dudley

I'd also been having some thoughts about taping up, and happened across a big sheet of 2mm foam rubber.. 

While it is too delicate to form a glove by itself, I was able to fashion templates to build a tape glove over.. 

Boom! 

Unfortunately, while the bottom 2 thirds of BCC were dry and lovely, the top third was not... 

However, it made a lovely excuse to revisit this three star fist crack at a drier date. 

I also foolishly attempted a through trip behind it... 

Foolishness continued as I forgot shears to get the gloves off. I ended up driving home in them (via the Spar to get milk). 

Came off lovely though.. Hand hair intact. 

Finally, revisiting Craig yr ecs (surprisingly also not its real name) 

So a year blighted by restricted travel has past, and yey! I've started revisiting some of these scattered play areas. First job was sorting the landing adjacent to Dutch Trance.  I was keen to play on another line on the same block, but it was blighted by a big spike and a jumble of smaller boulders. 

Firstly move and roll the small boulders and level the ground.. 

Then build up between the Spike and the boulder behind to platform it a bit and soften its pointy ness. 

It'll need two pads at least but safe enough now, just need to get somewhat stronger... 

First go. 

Sharp holds, soft skin. There's work to do. 

Finally tried a project from previous visits. The sit I tried before was still too hard, but I found it had a logical stand, with a tricky dyno.. 

First time I got it, my wife decided to call (that's my ringtone) and I kinda went to pieces. Happily I topped it 2 or 3 goes later. 

Slanted Enchanted, 6C or there abouts. The sit adds 2 moves, but probably bumps it to 7A+ ish. 

So there you go, a few snatched moments, I'm looking forward to a future meeting up with others, getting some pads down. However, for now I'm just loving getting out. 

There's treasure everywhere! 

The Lockdown Diaries: Fear

So lockdown is sidling into the background like an awkward troll.
Fear of coronavirus appears to be replaced by the fear of missing out. There were reportedly 500 cars illegally parked around pen y pass, such was the clamour to stomp up Yr Wyddfa. I just wanted to stomp up to cwmffynnon. Although to be fair this was another product of fear. I was trying to get projects done before the area was highlighted to all and sundry. For the guidebook gods were chuntering...
As I live behind Elidir, it seemed a good ldea to take the scenic route through Ogwen..

Only that was chokka too. 

However, I eventually arrived (and legally parked!) at my destination and slogged up to my little playground. I did pass an elderly couple, who I thought were being very sensible avoiding the crowds. Only they then asked how to cross the river, and it became apparent they were more (slightly lost) snowdon baggers. 

There was even a crowd at Smith's rock, and peeps at mallory,. No hiding place it seems. 

Eventually I arrived at my destination; F Hole crack area, home to The Cutthroat World of Esoteric Bouldering. 

A couple of shots looking up the aforementioned route. 

My previous visit had found the crack wet, and I was keen to climb this feature. I had suitable equipment to clean it this time and it was duly dispatched. 

F Hole Crack 5C! 

The name refers to the fret holes in violins that let the sound out. My adled brain sees a resemblance. Having done that I was drawn to the arete, which was peppered with lots of protruding shards mushrooming out of the Tuff. These attractive features are in reality a pain in the butt, as they provide an exercise in Russian roulette. Un daunted I saw this as a good opportunity to test my mental resilience and had a pop. One unexpected pop later I successfully managed to get to the top. 

Organ Stop Arete 6B!

The reference is the protruberences all over the rock, best not to pull them at random. 

I've always been fond of highballs. Coming into bouldering from an adventure trad background, they provide an element of that primal fear / danger/ risk that first set alight my climbing passion.

After these easy ticks, I approached the altar that was the Shard. This was one of the first things I found in cwmffynnon, and despite the firm intentions I'd chickened out of properly going for it. Whether it was fear of failure /injury, fear of not controlling the risk (I only had a couple of mats) or fear I couldn't persuade anyone to come help me get it safe and sorted. It was a way into the wilderness, not everyones into slogging through bracken. 

I had decided to see it I could do it with two (decent DMM highball) pads. I worked out the sequence off a rope, I believed I could do it, but once committed and at height, I got scared. Fear is the mind killer, and often leads to stupid things. I lost faith in my sequence and improvised into a blind alley. 

Oops... 

Strangely this left me quite excited. I was now 40 minutes from the road with an ankle that just went click. I rummaged in the bag and got inventive.. 

Now I know not everybody carries decorative gaffa tape, there was a reason for it. However it made an excellent splint! 

Fortunately, being an old man I already was carrying a walking pole, and 80 minutes later I shuffled into my car with all my kit. 

I was blessed that it was a minor (and weight bearing) sprain. With icing and wiggling and generally having to use it, I've made progress every day. 

40 hours later. 

So Fear. Important to help bring things into focus, important in that it provides us with something to overcome. I'm already planning the successful ascent of the Shard. This will involve me overcoming my fear of asking for help. I need a pad party. I need to trust my sequence, and trust my ability to prevail. 

Exciting times. 

This is the vid of the almost successful attempt :

Enjoy. 

The Lockdown Diaries - Once More Awaiting Vizzini

Slowly finding my feet and gaining ground once again. Trips to Marchlyn have increased my drive, and I'm genuinely excited by all the born again esoterrorists charging off into the wilds of clegir and facwen. There has been a reported 80+new problems on clegir alone, and that has drawn me to reflect on my past dalliance there.
The twins had just been born, and I had 3 kids under 2 years old. I was running to stay still basically, and my mindset was on the microadventure; short trips with maximum adventure, and looking back I was also very selective of what projects I took on.
I only had 1.5 mats so many things were rushed past as for another time or person.
With the bonanza on clegir I decided to dredge the muddy memory banks and see if any of my discoveries were worth a punt before others swooped in.
Also I had temporarily ground to a halt at Marchlyn as I reached my grade ceiling, and a lack of progress triggers an automated response in me:

"Go back to the beginning and wait for Vizzini. "

In this case that meant revisiting Craig Ddaear Drwg. No one else had bothered in the last 9 years, and looking at the landings you can see why:

However, the past 9 years had taught me a lot about patios and mat placement, so I chose a few choice lines that could be calmed by a single construct and set to work:

2 hours in.. 

End of second session - complete! 

Sooo, the lines we high, but I now had 2 DMM highball pads, and more importantly generous friends. The day before fathers day was lovely and breezy, and my beautiful wife kicked me out to play. After a fair bit cleaning 4 ascents were made:

Encroachment 6A+! 

This dolerite pillar took a bit of cleaning as it was at the back of a sort of bay. Despite being a little daunted, the rock was ace and gave me confidence to commit to the moves and get it first go. 

Waiting for Vizzini 6C! 

Due to the stepped patio this gave me a little concern, but a sea of mats soon solved that. It took very little cleaning but I was unnerved enough to have a try on a grigri before committing. The bottom took a bit of figuring out

Shawshank 5.8 (r) 

The squeezes I cleaned by abseiling down with a towel and giving a good rubbing. This was the narrower and dirtier of the squeezes, hence the name. 

McClane 5.8 (r) 

The left hand squeeze was quite tricky to start. Both squeezes gave flutter moments at the top, but the offwidth grades look weird with a ! So I went with the traditional r rating. You could protect them by someone shoving a mat in sideways once you were high enough. However I was on my own. Both flash ascents. 

There's still a few gifts at Craig Ddaear Drwg, notably the overhanging fin left of McClane. All landings will unfortunately require any would be ascentionist to put the time in. (please refrain from disassembling existing patios). 

Stay safe and good hunting! 

The Lockdown Diaries - Hide and Seek

So with all and sundry visiting my esoteric backwaters, I've started wandering in new places, local but perhaps overlooked on previous occasions. As always I have been blessed by the tip off's of friends, in this case the ever reliable G.

This is the Burger. Maybe a 90's creation of G and Tony. The game is traversing the break, the top being out of bounds. Being a 90's creation the landing is rubbish. However, a spotter would be all that is required to keep it friendly. It's somewhere in the 6B region and starts at the nose on the right, at a widening in the break.. 

Having located this hidden gem, my eyes were drawn to the arete just below it. 

Made from the same high quality grit as the Burger, it sinuously swerves through a variety of angles and curves. 

Dead sexy. 

As it was also fairly high with a substandard landing I chose to come back another day with two mats. You can see that there is work to be done in this picture. 

Patio built. 

Mats level. All that was required was a scamper up the back, and de-fluff the top holds. This also allowed me to see how small my mats looked 

Everything is on a slope, even the camera sorry. Amazing climbing, and not too hard. I named it Personal Space Rocket, it was about 6A. The name links into the last lockdown diary, the main effect all this is having on me is a thinning of my emotional shields. My requirement for alone time has shot up, and I'm struggling to share my obscurities with others. However, I'm super proud and impressed by their efforts, and who knows esoterica may go mainstream. My wife is also super supportive and I'm getting out for an adventure every 4 day's. We have 4 kids. She's an angel! 

I wanted to get a proper picture of myself on the bloc with the moon in the background, but my phone only has a 10s timer. This resulted in a series of sprint and dynos to get into position. 

Things we do.. 

There's still treasure everywhere, stay safe.