South Snowdonia Bouldering Corrections
I was fairly well involved with checking the SSB guidebook, as well as a small amount of developing. I tried to visit as many areas as I could and give feedback on all of them, whether I climbed successfully or not. There was also a Whatsapp group of local activists, where I posted most feedback for discussion, but there was almost no discussion nor shared feedback there from other people. Given this was a newly developed area with a lot of unrepeated problems, I thought it was very important to get as much clarity and accuracy as possible. However, despite some requests, a fair amount of my feedback didn't get included, even updates I thought I made a strong case for. Hopefully this list below is useful:
Page 24 - Clogwyn Yr Adar
Suggested that "can be boggy" should be added to the crag description.
Still applies and would be useful to know in advance.
Page 39 - Manod
27. Inkerman 7A
Definitely only 7A, as per North Wales Bouldering and my own experience, it's just highball. This is the original and classic line of the boulder and should be the default topo line, with 27a. Balaclava 7B as the variant.
Generally more feedback has been factored in to NWB, so this is a more confirmed grade.
Page 61 - Tanygrisiau - Below The Dam Road
41. Tempest 6C+
Definitely soft 6C+ (maybe hard 6C) as per NWB and my own experience, and NOT 7A. Also this problem is getting hammered and trashed due to people thinking it's a soft 7A tick, so should be the correct grade to stop too much honeypotting.
Generally more feedback has been factored in to NWB, so this is a more confirmed grade. Also the detrimental effect of honeypotting due to mis-guided grade-bagging is surely incongruous with the exploratory South Snowdonia Bouldering??
Page 74 - Tanygrisiau - Cluster 5
Suggested intro: "A great little circuit in a fine position above everything - more secluded than the lower road boulders, with plenty of picnic and lounging potential. The boulders dry instantly and have some good Font 6s"
A very nice circuit that deserves some selling - see video for proof!
Rewritten approach for clarity: "Follow the dam road until just past the second bend, then at a metal grille by the road, follow a path right up the steep grass hillside. Or slightly easier, continue up the dam road until a large roadside boulder, head steeply up the open gully, then contour round right beneath the slabby bluff. 30 mins either way. Continuing all the way on the dam road before contouring back at the slate wall is gentler, but a lot longer."
Since there's a lot of rock up there it would be useful to guide people quite clearly.
This is basically a complete eliminate ignoring an obvious crimp in the middle of the face. A SDS goes naturally into this and should be described as:
47. TNT Static SDS 6C
"SDS via a cluster of pinchy pockets to get some sloping jugs, then a high crimp and long move to the top. Can be dynoed from a stand start on the mid-height jugs as TNT 6C."
Still applies. By default problems are supposed to be the easiest way up the wall.
48. Hannibal Hayes 7A and 49. Kid Curry 7A
These are just bonus links between the natural lines of TNT and BR, and should be mentioned as such. Grades seemed right.
The topo lines confirm this.
50. Bank Robber 6B+
Good proper climbing with a spicy top move without a spotter. Felt quite stiff and could be 6B+.
52. Revolver 6C+
Great, felt just about right at the grade. Cool power climbing. The start was surprisingly easy give the small pockets, so I suspect High Noon 6B is right at the grade. A better description for Revolver would be:
"Sds on the left using two crimp pockets, slap up to a flat jug then power right using a crimp and the ramp to gain the arete and finish up this."
This was suggested to go down to 6C, and I agreed with this as since I flashed it must be easy for 6C+, but it wasn't changed.
56. Your Queen Is A Reptile 6B
Definitely 6B, it's harder than Rare Whiskey, it took me a few goes which is rare for a 6B/+ compression prow let alone a 6A+. Excellent, one of the best easier problems I've done in South Snowdonia. Great line and classic fridge-hugging.
Worth getting this right for one of the best problems up here.
Page 95 - Craig Clipiau
I suggested that all the following really should be added as they're very accessible and some good problems:
Craig Y Clipiau Approach Walls.
SH 68235 45642
"From the Cwm Orthin carpark follow the main Cwm Orthin track past the waterfall and swimming pool until it levels out. Turn back sharp right on a flat track through the slate (the approach to Craig Y Clipiau) and after 70m there's a wall on the left (5 mins walk):"
1. Sais Highway 6B+
The obvious excellent arete next to the path, at the right end of the wall. Start on a good jug and climb direct (not rightwards) via underclings, pinches, and a committing finish.
(Matthew Thompson 2022)
This was thankfully included.
70m further right is a rocky bay set back on the left:
2. Sow's Ear 6B
The small sharp prow in the bay is poky for it's size. Crouch start on a good jug and climb to match the sloping jug in the corner, step off. Spotter useful.
(Julie Mair 2022)
20m right is a pair of clean walls with slanting features:
3. Slim Pickings 6A
The slim crack in the lower wall. Nice layaway moves lead to a jug at the crest, reverse a move and drop off.
(Matthew Thompson 2022)
4. Bi-doight Bypass 6B+
A neat link across the upper slanting wall. Pull up the crack on the left then swerve right via the duo pocket and span to the sharp finishing jug.
(Matthew Thompson 2022)
5. project - 7A?
The lower / direct version of BDBP will be great. SDS off crimps, gain the distant sloping rail and follow it rightwards on improving crimps to the sharp jug. Cold conditions and steel fingers useful.
Page 108 - Tanygrisiau - Dolrhedyn Lower Levels
Approach description is not accurate as there are a lot of rocks visible but Basking Shark is hidden from view. Best described as:
"After the second gate, follow the raised quarry track rightwards then turn left just before the cutting, the wall is just past the third gate beneath the telegraph wires."
Still would be useful to have this.
32. Whaling Ban 6C
New beta drops this two grades from 7A, as follows (see video): "Sds hands matched by the good undercut flake, fire up left for the clean crimp in the face then direct up more crimps to finish."
As per TNT. The FA just bypassed some holds which is classic "big (small) numbers for bad beta".
37. - 40.
All look good but the rock isn't nice, quite flakey and crunchy. 40. Canines 6C (7A) is entirely morpho and a grade or two harder if you can't reach from the undercling to the crimp flake with your feet on the lower big ledge.
It was acknowledged that this was very reachy, so a compromise 6C+ grade could have been used.
Pp 122 - Cwm Teigl / Carreg Y Fran
Approach times for the main boulders (5 mins), the cracked wall (10 mins) and Area 3 (20 mins?) would be useful.
7. The Incradable Wall 6A
Better described as:
"Sds at a vague pocketed break and hoof it up to good holds and finish up the arete."
8. He Who Should Not Be Named 6B
...and hard for 6B!! Better described as:
"SDS on the right on a good finger ledge, and climb direct to a wee groove via a big reach or tiny pockets."
Note that a 7C+ eliminate was squeezed into the page here with some rejigging, despite other changes not getting in (e.g. Ysgyfarnogod).
Page 130 - Cwm Teigl / Cyt Y Bugail
The walk-in times should be approximately:
Roof Of The World - 20 mins (5 mins to the old telegraph poles, 5 more minutes along the track, and 10 mins slog up the hillside)
Join The Party - 25 mins (15-20 mins on track, 5-10 mins up hillside)
Ravensland - 30 mins (20 mins on track, 10 mins off-piste (I think))
Llyn Bowydd - 25-30 mins (25 mins to start of boulders, but extra 5 mins to get into High Wall etc). Should mention it's a very easy walk for the length!
Page 130 - Llyn Bowydd:
Absolutely beautiful spot, it would be worth highlighting just how wild and stunning the backdrop for Llyn Bowydd is. Also good for families, picnics, and generally playing around. The rock is very specifically rough, and it would be important to put in a line like "The rock is amazingly rough and featured, bring your toughest skin".
It does seem like the rock texture might make long lip traverses here a bit gruelling and maybe some of those could be just mentioned in passing??
13. Half An Elephant 7A
I couldn't even think about Mari's sandbag crimp/sloper fest direct finish but managed a cool method onto the left arete, which is 6C and equally good. New description:
"Crouch under the centre of the righthand block with RH good crimp then gain the pocket up and left, either continue to the apex via poor holds, or spiral onto the left arete and then up to the apex at 6C"
This still seems the most logical way. See video.
Page 140 - High Wall:
20. A to Z 6C+
Too hard / thin / conditions-dependent for 6C - as per my ascent in front of guidebook team! Thin and reachy and good.
This was ungraded by the first ascentionist, and the 6C was speculated by the guidebook team. I did a very rare repeat, in great conditions, in front of the team and confirmed it at 6C+, but this didn't get changed.
Page 143 - Bowydd Sharksfin:
Easy enough to find because the wall itself is very obvious. Could mention to follow flat ground to the wall and head right up a short rise.
Injected With A Poison 6C
Too easy for 6C+ (a lot easier than A to Z). Great wee climb, very aesthetic and logical. Very sharp crimps for the left but I taped up well and could crank on them fine. The top-out isn't undignified as there's good jugs up there. It would be worth documenting the same start into the juggy flakes on the right and a lurch to finish as a good easy problem / warm-up.
There was a reluctance to change the FA's grade, even though FA grades are often a bit out due to it being the FA.
Page 146 - Bryn Castell
The end of Bryn Castell intro should read: "...pass two more bends and arrive at the crag, cutting right up a trail to avoid bog just below the crag; 15 minutes." ---that's useful for people, as if you keep on the main track in the last 100m it's a proper swamp
Heed this or take wellies.
Page 136 - Migneint / Carreg Y Foel Gron
pp167 - 1. Migneint Cowboy 7C+ deserves a better write-up given it's the big impressive line here.
Page 184 - Rhinogydd / Ysgyfarnagod
The Top Plateau
Needs the following added as it's an obvious problem and more relevant than The Gallows itself - especially given the topo with the line on it is already there, AND it's got a boulder problem listed 5m in front of the wall!!
1.a. The Pit And The Punterdom 6B
Sds in the partly filled pit beneathThe Gallows, crank up on edges and a seam to a good rail and escape off right.
(Matthew Thompson 29.7.2022)
This was not added, despite a few requests, and despite the guidebook team taking photos of me climbing it. A sample edit shows it should have been easy to fit in.
Page 295 - Arenig Village
The walls above the old station house only seem to have potential for a few easy, lichenous highballs, so with just a single traverse, this might not need including??
Up to readers to decide on this one...
Page 296 - Moel Boch Y Rhaedr Northern Slopes
The boulders are all obvious and make sense. For the problem 6. Water Vole boulder, there is only potential for one good obvious sit-start via crimps just right of centre. The circuit overall seems okay but might have limited appeal with a couple of traverses, and the up problems are right next to a fast road.
Up to readers to decide on this one...
Page 298 - Llyn Celyn
Despite the potentially very limited access, this seemed a decent area. Good rock, a compact circuit, lines were decent, and the setting is pretty novel. The approach all made sense but is maybe a bit longer than 10 mins to the further boulders.
14. Sailing To Pensylvania 6C - needs to specify whether it finishes straight up the left arete or traverses right to the right arete (much harder e.g. 7A)
Would have been useful to know
15. The Loch Celyn Monster 7A - could do with a clearer description, the "boss" is not obvious at all, unless it's a vague sloper that you'd jump to?
The natural line here is the sit start of the obvious low boss and lip traverse the arete up left to the finish??
Would have been useful to know
Page 311 - Arenig - Craig yr Hyrdodd
17a. Dame Wonder 6C+
This is the direct line starting at a lone good pocket 2m left of the right arete and climbing direct to meet the arete near the top. NWB gives it 7A, it could be 6C+, very good either way.
This was rejected, partly due to reluctance to change NWB grades - however note that the now-established grades of Inkerman and Tempest were changed. Also Dame Wonder is relatively new and unconfirmed - I did it, in summer conditions, in less goes than A-to-Z at Llyn Bowydd, done in crisp autumn conditions.
Page 308-311 - Bryn Dyfrygi
Ideally this area needs a major rewrite / pruning:
Firstly having two fullsize pictures of people on Supercollider seems superfluous (especially since it's already got a picture of the FA in NWB), it's not giving readers any extra info / inspiration.
Secondly the routes listing could be removed. I doubt there are many customers who are going to buy the guide for some esoteric hard trad routes, nor use that page, so the space could be saved.
Compare this to NWB's version of this wall, and see which has the best utility for boulderers. Again readers can see how much use they get out of the routes listing...
Page 336 - Llanuchllyn: The Emerald Forest
The rock seems really good and some of the lines look good, BUT there is a lot of moss everywhere, and I'm not sure how many people are going to climb here in the current state. There maybe needs to be an executive decision as to whether it should be thoroughly cleaned (for example, the boulders with 5. Magic Land and 6. Watch The Ripples Flow, both have really good potential if they were completely de-mossed), or whether to accept it as a possible lost cause.
Up to readers to decide on this one...
Page 337 - Llanuchllyn: Graig Felen
The lower boulders are all obvious and make sense. The rock seems a bit sharp and flakey, it didn't inspire me that much. I'm not sure how many visitors it would get, maybe it the entry could be condensed a bit??
Up to readers to decide on this one...
Page 348 - Llanuchllyn: Area 4: Buartmeini
The driving approach description isn't quite accurate and should be more like:
"From the south follow the B road past Carndochan heading north for Trawsfynnydd. After a gate you should reach the Buartmeini farm (called Blaen Lliw Isaf on Google Maps) at 3.5 miles from the main road. Just after the farm (2nd gate) and river, park in a layby on the left with a metal gate. From the north drive 8.5 miles on the long and winding B road past 3 gates to reach the farm, and park just before it in the same layby on the right."
I carefully checked these distances on Google Maps, gate numbers correct at time of writing, and submitted this all.
Page 343-344 - Cluster 2
This should be described in reverse order, as you meet The Big Boulder first and it's by far the most obvious (and leads you to the natural fence crossing by the wall).
This was regarded as too much faff to rejig to do which is fair enough!
19. Sam C 7A+
This really needs a highball warning as the stepped landing is pretty nasty!!
Page 347 - Replicant Area
The Replicant boulder is a delightful spot, really pastoral and gentle. It's possible to reach it from Cluster 2 following a riverside sheep trail instead of going back to the road, about 10 mins from Cluster 2. Some ducking and weaving around trees required (clearly the sheep don't carry bouldering mats).
Useful for the best climbing in the area.
Page 362 - Cregiau Llwyn Gwern
The boulders are all obvious and make sense. The boulders actually sit on a South-East facing slope and could lose the sun early in winter. There could be a few tweaks to the map for the approach. A couple of lines are currently quite illogical variants to good lines, see corrections below. See video too.
Approach
(See updated map - marked the path, the gates which are feasible, and a stream to cross - yes this is quite detailed, but given the quality of these boulders, it might be justified!).
"Follow the old railway embankment over a gate and at 50 metres further on leave the embankment and contour diagonally up the hillside to meet a rising wall. Follow this up to another wall with a deer fence, either go through the gate here and follow rougher ground to the boulders, or go through the field on the right and then one of the other gates, either way a possibly boggy stream needs to be crossed. The diagonal crag above the boulder field is clearly visible."
Still useful to know
Boulder 1:
1. Dance Dance Dance (direct) 6B
This seems quite eliminate as the good sidepull is 1 foot away from the starting crimps. Maybe better described as the natural line using the sidepull??
Both problems make sense but by far the best line is taking the full prow direct:
5.a. L'appel du Bang 6C+
Sds and layaway up the edge, then stretch out into the prow and swarm up the crack.
(This was a great fun power problem, with varied and technical moves, solid two stars, could be 3 if it wasn't for the block behind)
Definitely worth mentioning the best actual line here (see topo), especially since the climbing is very good too.
Boulder 2:
Problems are often highball with bad landings, guide should mention several pads and a spotter.
Still useful to know
There is a brushed problem on the wall opposite 8. CG, with a desperate SDS pull off the deck and then fun looking climbing.
8. Carrie's Groove 6A
HIGHBALL and currently very dirty with run-off, would be great if cleaned though.
This seems a quite arbitrary extension to a great line which is the variation 6C as described:
9.a. Groove Move Direct 6C
Start on a slanting jug and make elegant twisting moves up the groove above to boldly finish rightwards. SDS 6C+ from lower layaways.
(This was brilliant, some really cool moves and pretty committing, again a solid two stars and could be 3 if the landing was better - I got pretty spooked doing it, even after patioing it the best I could)
Again this is a case of the FA recording an odd variant instead of the actual line, and the actual line should be described as default, with the additional indirect addition also mentioned.
13. Thrill Of The Chase 7A
Seemed really good but too hard for normal height people to be 6C+ - after several goes I was too extended to even pull off the ground.
It was acknowledged that the FA was very tall, as well an 8A climber, but this wasn't changed.
Page 382 - Dinas Mawddwy - Bwlch Oer Drws
The boulders are all obvious and make sense. A warning about lichen would be useful. The approach is easy and the hillside is easy to navigate, if occasionally boggy. "5-15 mins" approach gives a better impression as it's quite quick to the first block and surprisingly far to the furthest one. For the furthest one it would be worth mentioning "300m around the hillside, over a slight rise and opposite a dry-stone wall that meets the main road" to reassure people they're going the right way.
Still useful to know
1. - 3. - all make sense, quite clearly graded by a strong 7C+ climber. Maybe worth checking or mentioning that they are short and very fierce. 3. Top Gun looked the best but seemed a bit spoilt by a razor crimp and the landing dropping off, also it mentions top-out but this is the one of the trio that you can't top-out at all as it's 45 degree moss.
Well this should be obvious when people get there at least.
6. Motorway Madness 7A+
This made sense as an eliminate, and should be described as such. It might be worth cleaning and doing the left arete as that's an obvious line.
7. FYF 6C
Good line and good climbing, a bit too hard for 6B+The top-out is on "decent" holds, not jugs, and is best tackled around on the right, topping out direct is worth mentioning as a harder and much bolder alternative (land in the stream if you fall off!).
It was noted the FA was both tall and prone to undergrading, so this would have been useful.
11. - 15. mostly made sense. The rock is indeed great!
14. Slap Happy 6B+
Best started with RH on the arete and LH on an obvious diagonal edge, I couldn't find a low LH crimp. 6B+ rather than 6C this way and pretty fun, good use of the sloping lip.
There was reluctance to change the FA's grade even though he's an 8A climber so could easily make mistakes in the mid 6s.
Page 409 - Brithdir
The boulders are all obvious and make sense. Everything was dry apart from a tiny bit of seepage on Cry Freedom. The setting is delightful and the area good for a family day / quick boulder combination. It's worth mentioning the parking is on the B4416, and could get full at weekends.
Still useful to know
These seemed cool, the rock is great. The grades seem right, but it's not really two problems, rather it's two (good) sequences for the same line. Best described as
3. Final Freedom 7A
SDS under the rib with low RH crack layaway and high LH layaway, get established on good footholds, then either span up and right to a distant juggy crack, or gain crimps on the left of the rib, to reach the top and mantle.
Still is just one problem really.
Page 481 - Sunbeach
A nice spot although the pebble level variance is frustrating!!
15. Dance Groove 7A+ - climbs the ARETE, there is NO "super steep and thin wall" here!!
This is even clearly visible in the topo.
16. Groove Along 4 - more like 4 than 6A
Now 6A+. Maybe a pebble level issue.
19.a. Pinch 3 - 6A - new problem between 19 and 20, using a very obvious sidepull and a pinch up left, nice to stand up.
This was a natural line due to the starting hold.
26. Taransis 6B - no idea where the "one good hold" is, but there is a low small sidepull to pull on with??
Still no idea.
43. Tournament of Shadows 6B
Not 6A+, has a very clear start off two crimps and is 6B from there, rocking slapping up to good holds on the right at the top. Staying on the left would be much hard 6C or so. A good line and a good climb.
Apparently this was due to pebble levels, but there is a sensible defined start.
47. Sea Slug Direct 6A
The line is clear due to the foothold, definitely not 6B, but pleasant enough.
I still think this is right, maybe pebbles again tho?
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Next time: Full collection of videos, showing some cool stuff, and sometimes supporting these suggestions.
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