Boulder Problems:
Welsh Coastal Crags:
Porth Howel
[Noodles / Multiple Choice]
Noodles
Named after Noodles of course :). Hosey introduced me to Porth Howel in the pissing drizzle, and after too many visits I finally filled this gap before the sun crept onto it. Porth Howel is a lovely spot, with a spectacular walk down to it, and the mischievous pebbles that sometimes obscure the problems' starts also provide a welcoming atmosphere and good lone wolf landings. Noodles is a bit of an eliminate, but it's on great, aesthetic rock, has cool techy and powerful moves, and I had to put some damn effort in.
Multiple Choice
Pointed out by Senor Hoseo on the same day, and indeed we both gave the start a good go because it was staying dry-ish. I came back, and this also took a few sessions, probably because I was alternating between it and Noodles to make sure I was getting too fatigued overall but also only getting close to both as they were coming into the sun. So named because there were many confusing options at the start, and on the easier but committing finish.
Stinky Pool Issue
A nice leisurely afternoon out with Head Mafioso Pantontino, having checked out Ty Mawr in the morning, before decamping to Porth Dinllaen for some easy circuiteering and finally the Ty Coch beachside pub for post-match analysis of course. SPI was a nice techy traverse of the main block that I was surprised to get before Si, and it worked quite well despite the potential Stinky Pool Issue in the landing ;).
Welsh Rhinog Grit:
A nice leisurely afternoon out with Head Mafioso Pantontino, having checked out Ty Mawr in the morning, before decamping to Porth Dinllaen for some easy circuiteering and finally the Ty Coch beachside pub for post-match analysis of course. SPI was a nice techy traverse of the main block that I was surprised to get before Si, and it worked quite well despite the potential Stinky Pool Issue in the landing ;).
Welsh Rhinog Grit:
Ysgyfarnagod
[Ends Of The Earth / Twisting By The Llyn / The Rematch]
End Of The Earth
Named because it was the first (or last) problem on the craglet, and the expansive view from the remote ridge feels like you're well away from the rest of the earth, and because, well, the 2020s have been a bit gash haven't they, and who knows where it's all going??
Twisting By The Llyn
Named after the twisty moves and the welcoming refreshment of Llyn Ddu scarely 100m away if the sunny grit becomes too much. Part of a charming little Llyn Ddu circuit, itself part of the bigger Ysgyfarnagod circuit, in which the easiest hour walk in the Rhinogs (I did it thrice) takes you to a scenic playground of perfect stone. This was my favourite midgrade problems just due to the techy moves and a committing finish.
The Rematch
So on the first trip Terry took us - inevitably - to a traverse wall, which to be fair was pretty inspiring by his standards. I didn't touch it of course, but did do a few other up problems. On the way out we investigated Llyn Ddu crag which is by far the most obvious bouldering crag in the area - completely untouched since it doesn't really lend itself to traverses (thank god!). Anyway I only did one problem there and insisted that we - or just myself - go back and develop it properly rather than having just one damn problem on the whole crag! The rematch worked well as on the next visit we added a dozen decent and obvious problems.
Inscrutable Urge
This was the sole problem on the first visit, and is pretty cool if done strictly. The name mangles both Calvin and Hobbes AND Mick Fowler quotes, and could there be any greater combination of inspirations?? It's also the only reason I could come up with for committing to a sketchy top above an iffy landing on my first bouldering visit out after recovering from a torn LCL, at dusk, an hour from the road....
Chasing Ghosts
The Pit And The Punterdom
The pit provided, well, the pit, and I provided the punterdom. There's a TT E4 6b that goes diagonally across the wall above this, and an E8-ish mega project directly through the centre. My wee sitter provides an alternative for anyone feeling more leisurely.
No Stone Unturned
A good combination with the above, and another fun wee problem, so named because the boulder cluster was initially disappointing (as so many in the rock-strewn Rhinogau are), but exploring all aspects of it revealed a couple of good lines.
Nunus Is Good News
A short sitter beneath Terry's traverse wall ("which one?" you ask. #85243 I think). Funnily enough Mari who is the goddess of short sitters couldn't do this because it was 6A compression instead of 7A+++ rat crimps. Mostly done so I could give it this name. Noodles tried to steal Hula Hoops this day. I say she deserves them.
Counterintuitive Bollox
The first new problem I did in Y Rhinogau and indeed this year. Just named because it was a bit odd and didn't climb how it looked, but still quite fun.
[Snootbooper / Neither Ear Nor There / Mezzanine Ridge / Groove / Compress To Impress / Landward Arete / Pillar Of Pain]
Snootbooper
Named because Pylon King - stoic page-setter of the forthcoming guide - had explored years ago and nicknamed the feature and his stand-up line The Rabbit. The sitter awaited and was much easier than expected with steady compression moves past a truly lovely sloper pinch, on the usual immaculate rock.
Neither Ear Nor There
The sidewall of The Hare, another one where the name is better than the climb, but then again the climb is still pretty fun - most ways into the sidewall didn't really work until a stretch into a hold adjacent to Snootbooper unlocked it.
Fridd Oak Tree Wall:
Fridd Oak Tree Wall:
Mezzanine Ridge
Mezzanine Groove
Simple problems with simple names. The Mezzanine boulder has climbing on almost all aretes and all sides so ended up being pretty good value.
Compress To Impress
Another example of how bewildering it is climbing with the maturing lady crimp waif that is Mari. She totally didn't get the compression on this, so let me flash the FA. I've tried some of her 6C-ish sitters and can't even hold the holds left alone imagine moving between positions.
Half Baked Idea
The main line on the boulder that didn't really work - great features but the blankness below forces a disappointingly high start on them, make it feel like half a problem. The much harder sitter awaits...
Pillar Of Pain
Another problem with "issues". The best easy line in Y Rhinogau, with one of the worst landings for it's height. i.e. it doesn't really have one - hence the name. Thus it's a bit wasted on underperforming boulderers who won't fall off.
Landward Arete
So named because it's more part of the parent crag than the Mezzanine block. It didn't look like much but climbed pretty well.
Welsh Elsewhere:
Craig Y Clipiau / Cwm Orthin
[Sais Highway / Slim Pickings / Squeezing One Out]
Sais Highway
Named after the new A487 Caernarfon bypass that ferries sais conts to the Llyn in unprecedented European-quality comfort. Apparently unclaimed and possibly unclimbed, this is a striking line right on the Craig Y Clipiau approach and 5 minutes from the carpark. Maybe too dodgy pre-pads and not "sick" enough since them? It's also damn good with plentiful holds allowing the arete to succumb to a steady au cheval approach.
Slim Pickings
It's a slim groove and I picked it off as an afterthought...
Bidoight Bypass
A weird traversey line but one that actually works pretty logically. It bypasses the much harder sitter coming from below, but also features cool moves past a duo pocket.
Yet another TT / Mari traverse / rat crimp sitter combo crag. Thankfully the sitter was too hard on this so I could enjoy a nice wall climb with a fun combo of some poor handholds / good footholds, then some good handholds / poor footholds. I'm pretty sure Noodles was being a bit of a dick this day and Mari told her quite sternly to "stop that nonsense". Never seems to work.
Cwm Teigl / Mignient
Cwm Teigl / Mignient
[End Game / Diary Of Dog / Earl Of Burl]
Named in conjunction with a new route I did on the crag above - an arete named End Times as it's a similar twin to End Action on Foel Gron. End Game is also an arete but being a boulder problem, got a more playful name. The Bryn Castell boulder cluster had already been developed by Terry and Mari, and as always they'd focused on traverses and steep lowballs and left the best line of the entire area untouched. Thankfully it even escaped the addition of Ross Barker as he focused on board-style brutality just to the right, leaving me to womble in and find that plentiful holds and a really cool heel-toe made it fairly steady and as good as the line looked.
The Earl Of Burl
This was listed in a topo script as a project, so I went along to give it a go and after a LOT of working stuff out with undercuts and slapping around, managed to do it as a nice arete climb after a burly start. I later found out that Sam T had also climbed this bit of rock in via a fairly obtuse eliminate avoiding the arete that you're right next to and that forms the line, so I'm treating this as a natural FA!
Not Helping
Adjacent to a Pylon King problem "Help Me", thus spaketh the first ascentionist in some concern at the sloping top, naturally I did all I could to assist him i.e. nothing at all! PK was up to meet TT for an important guidebook summit which involved a lot of first ascents from all of us, a lot of cider and red wine for them, and from what I recall, a lot of dog cuddles for me.
The Brail Snail
A nice easier addition to Cwm Teigl that will be good for scaring lower grade climbers and is one of quite a good circuit (if you ignore the cheesegrater lip traverses) on very coarse rock in a very beautiful location. I was chuffed to repeat a neat, thin, Waddy problem "A to Z" 6C on that day.
Dolgellau Forest
Dolgellau Forest
[Counterintuitive Bollox / Inscrutable Urge / Bidoight Bypass / Madman Stand / Special Mossatary Operation]
Madman Stand
Another classic example of bouldering with TT and Mari. TT had done a girdle across various bits of rock around this boulder. Mari had done a lone sitter on the shortest bit. They'd left the really good obvious up lines untouched, well I shouldn't look a gift dog in the mouth, so I did them both. This was named because it's a stand start, also because that demented dickscraping Putin had just started trying to fuck up world peace, and as an added bonus Madman Stand is a classic techno album by Robert Armani.
Special Mossatary Operation
Another play on current affairs, still it could be worse, I could be spewing out utterly naff and banal anti-Tory names like nuggets of regurgitated teen angst. Also there might be a bit of moss in the forest, well a bit less once I got the yard broom on these problems.
Squeezing One Out
A wee compression thing. Also my usual behaviour when I get to a crag, especially one in a forest with plenty of moss around!!
Peak / Lancs Grit:
Peak / Lancs Grit:
^^ click ^^
^^ click ^^
I have no idea what new lines I did here if any, as the guide description and UKC logbook are similarly hopeless and contrary, but I expect it was something, maybe even the excellent "two different shoes and one filed down toe rand to fit the pebbles" superdirect?? Regardless it was rewarding cleaning the slab, cleaning up the confusion of lines, and doing some lovely hidden slabbing as elbow rehab.
^^ click ^^
Details in the link above!!
Moonwalk
Unnamed, Viewpoint Crag
A sidewall around the corner for Moonwalk. Quite high, quite easy. There will be a pretty good circuit at this crag now, and the walk isn't that bad.
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