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! 

Quixote and the Art of Foolery

So as is by now par for the course, My first day I can have an adventure and the drizzle flobs on in. Rather than get depressed and do some house work I decided to follow my own advice and wait for Vizzini, Think what my younger self would do, go back to those activities undertook before age pissed on my fire somewhat.
To summarise, I decided to go and clean an old highball of mine. At the top of a hill. In the Rain.
Perfectly normal thing to do, if you can climb, prepare something for climbing. In the Rain.
I may have also decided to try and find a route up there that wouldn't require wellies, and I didn't think to pack waterproof trousers.
I got wet.

The highball in question was "Its not the Years, Its the Mileage". Star of I.N.S.P.R.E. Jan 2016 and while first tried in 2003, was eventually first climbed in 2011 after learning the importance of core fitness. I gave it 7A!, however, its never been repeated, and knowing how I was going back then, it might be a little harder. I would love to clarify this, but its at the back of the head of the Bint of Nant Peris (below) and the walk in  is somewhat steep.

The Bint is supposed to be a sleeping witch, in the drizzle it looked more like the mummy returns..

The journey up to the crag has been the subject of a "locals" fell race and they've got there and back in 30mins. I take longer. I was please to find that the approach has been effectively drained, and wellies are no longer necessary. However, the sedge and bracken ensured my legs were soon dripping. The three hawthorns that mark the end of basic slog and the start of the hidden sheep path drew swiftly (hah) into view.

Once in line with them, the crag came into view

Pen Dinas (Craig y Giat is my name for the bit in the foreground)

The first bit of rock was even dry (never climbed this bit)

The gate that gave the block its name has gone walkies, it used to be between these posts.

Not climbed this bit either.

40 mins after leaving the car, I was below The Years. It looked a little higher, blanker, and scarier than I remembered. Once there I quickly up ended my bag and got the kit out. The sooner I got working, the sooner I could retreat. The top is a clump of stone bosses, so its easy to secure the abb rope. I was surprised to find all the important holds, and with minimal digging. Although the top was mossy, and the lichen obviously is well provided for, it cleaned pretty easy. As I slithered down (I'd forgotten how scary abbing on wet ropes with a grigri was) I photoed the hold as I dropped. This was mainly to help myself psyche for a future repeat,but I realise it may give you lot a little beta and fire to come and grade it for me. If you want to onsight look no further. However, I forgot to photo the starting holds so here's an ancient pic:

Left hand a flake sidepull that was smaller than I remember, right hand a nubbiny flake that wasn't.

Next set up on the "Biro" hold

rock out to the finger stack ledge

Foot up and throw for the monoflake

Sorry. Horribly slanted photo that I couldn't fix. Rope should be vert. Right hand circle is the monoflake, lefthand the rest ledge edge.

Behold the rest ledge edge!

This hidden puppy is the flake you then use with the R.L.E. to gain some small stuff and go up

Up here to thank God hold No.1

From there a scary lank gains Thank God hold No. 2 and the ledge system of escape.

Here's roughly where they all are.

There you go, Lets Repeat it!

I also cleaned "Desire is Repressed Fire" a 6A! so you have a warm up.

The slither down was slithery, and as I stripped to my underpants in the Vaynol Car Park I had a big grin on my face. The reason we did these frankly silly, and potentially pointless adventures was inexplicable to the many. However I'm sure there are a few kindred souls out there chuckling quietly to themselves reminiscing about their own ventures in foolery. For myself I've made a mental note to try at least one foolish thing a month. That way my giggle-tank will remain full, and I'll remember why took up this daft sport in the first place.

Whats next, I wonder...

Finishing off The Year

So that's pretty much 2018. I've almost managed one post a month,  I've climbed outside at least fifteen times or so, I'm fairly injury free and deep in the challenges of parenthood.
However, today was a break from that, I got to join the Scouser's chrimbo bouldering bash. Yes folk's,  I left Wales...

 The venue was Robin Hoods Stride, where Andre the giant was defeated in the Princess Bride.  It was mizzling profusely on the drive over and spirits were a little damp.  once out the car, the lack of rain and a smidgen of breeze, enticed a few optimists out to touch rock. It was damp.
Our fearless leader, stout of neck asked us to have faith, and we went on a pilgrimage for a dry hold. As we know,  from acorns mighty Oaks grow, and one dry hold was soon linked into another.  Contorted warm ups ensued on these heinous links, and the day rolled on gathering hope like moss.

Soon whole problems were dry..

 Look Right was an ace lowball compression that secumbed to a sit start at 6C

Razor Roof also dried and siege was laid, eventually giving in to a high heel

By the end of the day the square block was dry and some did battle with Ben's wall, I like Slasher above was content with Spine Lefthand at a more attainable 6B.

So the lesson is keep the faith,  struggle on, keep your mates close,  and accept small numbers in poor connies. 

I'm intending to take January off the blog, but I'm hoping to return to form in February.  Here's to a full 2019, full of adventure and friends. 

As Luke Cage says..

"Forward Always"

Territorial Husbandry

Thought it best I get another blog out, as I try to get back into the swing of things now schools back in. However it appears September is not playing ball. Rather than an indian summer, we seem to be getting a soggy one.

However, if you turn back at the first sign of defeat, you'll never get anywhere... And there is always something to do in North Wales.


"If You Settle for Nothing Now..."

So off I Headed into The Mizzle.

The Plan was to tidy up my Marchlyn projects so that I can Start actually ascending some. They got a brief mention in NWB, and this has spurred me into action to get the two lines I've emotionally invested in done. Okay, it should be noted that I do bang on about projects, included these fairly publicly on this blog (and at work, the pub, bus queues etc.), But seeing it in printed on the page has got me jittery..

So back to slogging through the mizzle..

It stopped, which allowed me to admire the view, and play candy crush, which took my mind off the slogging. Usefully, my slight vulnerability to addictive behavior, seems only to apply to  boring things like rocks, comics and kids games, rather than heroin.

I even got a rainbow...

Once at appropriate Altitude, I was pleased to discover a new alternative approach to my bloc (always learning), and settled down to two hours of moving things from one place to another.

The Result!

The Patio is now higher more level, and well on its way to being wider too. I've also opened out the left side of  the boulder, which has presented exciting new opportunities. My main focus is now the sit start on Seamus (the vertical seam in the foreground). It will start off the flake in the steepness below. Its merely quit hard, whereas the true sit into the Tumbleweed stand is still feeling beyond feasibility. However, whilst lugging rocks on this trip I concocted a mishmash sequence based loosely on my original fantastical plan, with just enough bits of my cop out beta to market it to my cynical creaky self.

It may even work, but I need a pilgrimage to Feidr Fw to get a training montage on. Historically this is where I beat myself fit, as I've yet to keep myself off the ouchy stuff indoors enough to sustain a serious unbroken montage.

Meanwhile...  There's nothing to see here...

Open Project of the Month - October

Well October is here and so is the weather. The ridiculously dry September spoiled us rather and, I got loads done, eschewing bouldering for the spicy adventure of Twll Mawr. Well October has brought, not only more Autumnly / Wintery weather, but a return a more normal work pattern (I've got some hours to make up) and to bouldering. This means more safety, and a chance to follow up on some leads from the Summer.
Last Open project I mentioned exploring Penrhyn Glas quarry, Well I made it in the last of the sunny weather, and found a little gem tucked away in its depths:

Porth Howel

Obviously I was drawn to the big cave at the back, after a bit of a death scramble down the scree at the back, I got to explore the cave itself:

This was at the end of the drought and you can see its still seeping in a lot of places, its also massive, (those are truck wheel hubs in the wreckage) and will need a nominated finish rather than top outs I feel. 

However, on the other side of the beach: 

The Wall of Something Dead. (There was a bad smell under the pebbles that day)

The ramp also provided a safe way in and out of the beach. I didn't have pads with me that day, so the only thing I got done was The Rail, this is the obvious break that comes out the alcove on the left and cuts into the ramp at sort of half height. The climbing was suprising in that I couldn't always predict if the holds would be incut or slopey, the directional nature of the holds also forced good (better maybe..) footwork. I was keen to return. This time via the Craig y Llam approach, as walking to and from Nant Gwtheyrn was a ball ache.

So, as I said October meant more changeable weather, and work meant less days to choose from. Yesterday came around and off I went on my lonesome (not everyone has my optimism) and made the long winding trudge to Porth Howel. The ramp was seeping and I chose to slide the pads and bumslide down...

Then the drizzle started. As you can see the pebbles have dropped and leveled off a bit. You can also see how much the Wall of Something Dead overhangs. similar to roadside face I reckon.

Optimism prevailed ( I'd bought a book), and I settled down under this handy overhang..

A couple of hours later the drizzle was sort of abating, and I thought I'd try to make something of the day... Then it started again, so I went for a walk

Above the beach, give a bit of scale and better explains the ramp approach.

 The other side of the bay has some potential, but the turf means it takes a bit longer to dry, especially in the drizzle....

Eventually, I decided to pull up my trousers and get on with it. Didn't Joe Brown climb in the rain? The wall overhung, and as the ramp projects out it seemed to deter a lot of seepage. Starting on the easiest lines with the biggest sopping holds, I clambered around. Then the rain stopped, and the wind picked up. Yippee!

The wall is quick drying and high, It does have some drainage on the left, but within an hour of the rain stopping it was pretty mint.

Here is what I got done:

6. The Ramp. F5+ Starts off jugs on the front of the ramp, swings round to lip traverse up to The Rail exit.

5. Up the Junction. F5 The obvious jug fest up to The Rail exit.

4. Rockaway Beach. F6B! A crimp line up to the rail, taking the brick with your right hand. A long reach to a crimp then a flick will gain the top.

3. The Wall of Something Dead. F6A+! Starts of opposing sidepulls (left on right margin of alcove) to blast up the seem to pull out at the "peak".

2. The Rail. F6A Starts of opposing sidepulls (left on the overlap in middle of alcove) to pop for the start of the break, follow this on improving holds to pull onto the ramp.

1. Blitzkreig Bop.  F6B+! Starts off opposing side pulls as for The Rail and after the pop, swerves left to follow the seam (big move to hidden jug) to the sloping rail. scamper right into The wall of Something Dead.

Here's a video of the FA of The Wall of Something Dead:

The wall is far from worked out as the pillar on the left of the alcove was too wet to go all the way (Nice moves up to the wetness BTW), and the below rail traverse looks mint! (more tidal stuff to the left)

To the Right of this was The Flail Rail F6B+, here's the FA video:

The shelter dried last, I tried the left hand standing line first, easy enough and I proceeded to top out. Don't do this, especially if its just been raining. Nominate a finishing jug (there's an obvious one), unless you really like XS death. The right hand line was also really fun (cool kneebar), and I finished this time at an obvious finisher Jug:

The obvious challenge is to do these line from sitters, Although the Left Hand line will need to wait until this young ladies brood have flown the nest:

The open project refers to anything unclimbed here. Please visit, as its ace. Park as for Craig y Llam (Fantan B) and follow the path all the way down to the top of the ramp scramble. I didn't bother to note how long it took to get there, as with these sea level spots its the getting back up to the car that bothers people. From the top of the ramp to the car took 25 mins, I am rubbish at trudging, but I was being earwormed by The Ramones. (Hey Ho, Lets Go)

Weirdest bit of detritus on the Strand line.....

Enjoy!