Me starting up the first pitch of Oberon, severe (photo Jess Bradshaw)
We woke today to a glimmer of blue sky over Snowdonia so after a breakfast of toast and lots of tea we jumped in the car and headed to Tremadog. This was my first time to this legendary climbing venue!
We parked up at Eric's Caffe and happily paid the £1 parking fee. A pleasant change from the £4 in National Park car parks. Being so close to the climbs we decided to chuck everything in one bag and headed straight out
After a short walk along the road we dived into the undergrowth that shrouds Bwlch y Moch from view and fought our way along the bottom of the crag until we reached our first climb Boo Boo (Vdiff). This 2 pitch Vdiff was a nice reintroduction to trad climbing for me.
Despite performance nerves I offered to climb the first pitch. which involved hugging a tree and clambering round it. Before belaying just above and to one side of it.
We parked up at Eric's Caffe and happily paid the £1 parking fee. A pleasant change from the £4 in National Park car parks. Being so close to the climbs we decided to chuck everything in one bag and headed straight out
After a short walk along the road we dived into the undergrowth that shrouds Bwlch y Moch from view and fought our way along the bottom of the crag until we reached our first climb Boo Boo (Vdiff). This 2 pitch Vdiff was a nice reintroduction to trad climbing for me.
Despite performance nerves I offered to climb the first pitch. which involved hugging a tree and clambering round it. Before belaying just above and to one side of it.
Me slinging a tree for protection on the first pitch of Boo Boo, Vdiff (photo Jess Bradshaw)
Jess swiftly followed me up before starting up the second pitch in her usual speedy way. What seamed like mere moments later the ropes pulled tight between us and I shot up a beautiful slab after her. Upon reaching the top we rigged a short abseil and we were soon back at the foot of the crag. We then retreated to Eric's for a bite of lunch.
Selecting gear for the final crack on Oberion, S. (photo Jess Bradshaw)
After lunch we headed back out for our second route of the day. Oberion, S. I headed up the first pitch, a beautiful but nervey slab climb towards a tree belay above. Jess joined me and then headed up the second pitch, a terrifying overhanging chimney! I breathed a sigh of relief that Jess rather than I had that bit of technical climbing to do. She did it spectacularly and made it to the second belay speedily. Finally I let up the final pitch towards a steep but pleasant crack (shown above).
After abseiling 51m back to the bottom we had an hour long epic retrieving the rope which had got stuck.
All in all a cracking day on the crag. Topped off by a shattering session at the Beacon climbing wall.
Its a pity that tomorrow looks like its going to be wet again. Oh well looks like it will be a wet mountain day.
After abseiling 51m back to the bottom we had an hour long epic retrieving the rope which had got stuck.
All in all a cracking day on the crag. Topped off by a shattering session at the Beacon climbing wall.
Its a pity that tomorrow looks like its going to be wet again. Oh well looks like it will be a wet mountain day.
Jess's tree belay looks legit. Belay 2 Oberion