New Routes – Cwm Silyn & Cwellyn

Note: New routes have been submitted by climbers, many non CC members. They have not been verified by the CC and descriptions may be misleading or inaccurate. Climbers use the information and climb at their own risk.

Quick links to Crag Areas

Cwellyn Area Craig Allt
Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area Craig Yr Ogof
Clogwyn y Garreg Castell
Nantlle Valley & Cwm Silyn

Routes are listed under each crag area.

Cwellyn Area

Cwellyn Area > Llechog

Variation on Zarquon Resurrection Erection

30 m HVS 5a
13-Jun-2009, Harold Walmsley
Start at top of Pitch 1 of Zarquon

P2 variant 30 m 5a (1 move only) Climb the corner above the stance for a few m then cross the slab and go up to a spike. Gain and climb the flake crack above and L and exit slightly R up a small slab to grass ledges. Follow these L to join Resurrection in a vegerttated area at the foot of the R facing groove of P3.

Additional info:
The description of p2 Zarquon in the definitive guide is quite poor. It gives no indication of the level at which to cross the slab. The selected climbs guide (non CC) is better (it says go low). We only had the definitive guide with us and chose to cross much higher. It gave an OK pitch with only 1 hard move to cross the slab. It seems a bit more direct than Zarquon p2 which seems to sneak off round the L arete. I am sure others must have made the same mistake. It might be the better line? Incidentally the 3rd pitch of Resurrection seemed much harder than the given grade of 4c (I would say 5bc). It would seem very tough for HVS! The moves were almost as hard as those on the Erection finish although there were rests between each move.

Cwellyn Area > Llechog

Couloir Rib

100m VS 4a
20-May-2018, Phil Biglands
Start: The rib immediately right of Central Couloir and overlooking it. Start at the lowest point of the rib.

    50m 4a. Start easily then climb the clean slab near its left edge to a ledge. Good rock but poor protection. Continue 10m to another ledge and belays.

  1. 10m. Continue up the rib to a grassy terrace.
  2. 40m. Climb more easily up the continuation ridge to the top.

Cwellyn Area > Llechog Facet (p 46)

The Bar Steward

Comment Submitted by Barry Clarke
On p 48d the photo-topo shows routes 1 and 2 climbing the chossy impending upper wall. The routes actually climb the slabby brown buttress below! Route 2 (The Bar Steward) is quite good and starts on the rock table well up and right of the base of the buttress. Also on the photo-topo, Summer Buttress is much nearer Route 8!

Cwellyn Area > Llechog Facet (p 46)

Flaming Corruption

20m S
29-May-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Fifty metres below and right of The Bar Steward is another slabby buttress (clearly seen on p 48d). Start at the foot of its central rib.

4a Climb the left side of the rib delicately. Continue up a short blank scoop and follow the broad rib above to the top.

Additional info:
See CorrectionComment above!

Cwellyn Area > Llechog Facet (p 46)

Lets Face It

14m HVS
29-May-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: At the extreme lower right-hand end of the South Bluff is a slabby wall of light-coloured rock (seen in profile on p 48d). Start 1 metre right of the wide slanting crack at the lowest point of the wall.

4c Climb the brown streak up the slab and step left to a ledge at 5 metres. Move up, and continue rightwards up the wall to a heather terrace below beetling mossy walls. Nut and cam belays above and left. Serious, and harder than it looks! Descend down rightwards (looking in) from the terrace.

Craig Allt

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Choo Choo

10m VD
16-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Sixty metres right of Nexus 6 is a steep wall with a right-slanting fault. Start below the right arête of the wall.

Climb the arête and groove above.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Chattanooga

8m S
16-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 1 metre right of Choo Choo.

Climb the pleasant wall on positive crimps. The right-trending crack and slab above, 3 metres right give a Phwee (8m VD 16.06.11).

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Squiggle

14m D
16-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: One hundred and twenty metres below and right (facing out) of Jug Rehab is a dome marking the top of a series of slabs. Start 2 metres right of the flat block below the centre of the slabs.

Move up, then trend left up the main slab on “squiggly” striaitions.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Giggle

14m VD
16-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 7 metres right of Squiggle atop a block.

Climb up, then left to follow the balder slab and the short scoop above.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Rhyd Ddu Central

11m VD
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start as for Squiggle.

Climb the slab directly above.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

A Real Hoot

11m VD
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 6 metres left of Squiggle.

Trend slightly leftwards up the steeper slab.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Loco Motion

14m VS
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Fifty metres above Squiggle ( in the direction of Snowdon), is a slabby wall identified by a wing-like roof forming a slanting cleft on its right-hand side. Start at the foot of the slanting cleft.

4b Slab climb or chimney the cleft (height dependent!) to reach a bulge. Pull through the bulge at the crackline; step immediately right and climb the fine wall above.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Deltic

14m VD
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 1 metre left of Loco Motion.

Step right onto the lip of the wing-like roof and follow the vague rib above. Neat and elegant throughout!

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Throstle’s Nest Junction

15m S
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 2 metres left of Deltic.

Meander up the mottled slab, keeping just right of the flake.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Bo Bo

12m VD
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 6 metres left of Throstle’s Nest Junction.

Climb the dark slab, trending slightly rightwards.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Co Co

12m VD
19-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 6 metres left of Bo Bo.

Climb the slab via a small overlap and a steepening.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Terminus

12m D
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Forty metres left of Jug Rehab the crag terminates at a slabby wall bordered by a slanting rib on its left and a flake crack on its right. Start below the slanting rib.

Climb the pleasant rib.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Walschaerts

14m HS
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 5 metres down and right of Terminus.

4a Climb a short slab to gain a collapsing heather ledge and loose flake. Continue slightly leftwards up the slabby wall to reach a short corner. Up this, and trend right to finish.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

Platform 5

15m S
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 8 metres LEFT of Terminus at an ill-defined rib in a broken wall.

Climb the rib, pull through the slight bulge, and finish up the pleasant slab.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

4-6-2

18m Mod
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 20 metres left of Platform 5, where the broken wall ends at a low-angled ridge.

Wheel your way up the pleasant ridge.

Craig Allt > Maenderyn Area (p 48)

EWS

12m VD
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 10 metres up and left of 4-6-2.

Climb the brown slab and rib above.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Fairy Quell

13m S
20-Jun-2011, B J Clarke (solo)
Start: Proceding a further 1 kilometre along the main track from Chwarel Ffridd Isaf a wall is crossed ( this is 50m short of where the Snowdon footpath breaks off left from the main track). In the field on the right and 30 metres away are a series of slabby walls forming a rocky knoll; which when viewed from the North appears vaguely reminiscent of The Lion and The Lamb above Grasmere (O S Ref 582 525). Start at the left toe of the slabby walls at a left-trending crack.

Climb the crack for 3 metres, step left and gain the top of the flake. Finish up the delicate rib above. Quite good, but a bit furry.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Siding

7m S
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Opposite Fairy Quell is a short wall offering two interesting miniatures.

Climb rightwards up the wall, finishing just left of a curving crack.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Buffer Stop

8m S
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 10 metres right of Siding at a recess.

Climb rightwards up the recess, then pull leftwards through the small roof. Tiptoe right and finish up the crack in the nose.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Class of 66

14m VD
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 7 metres right of Fairy Quell and just left of a pointed boulder.

Trend leftwards up the slab.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Rheilfordd

11m HS
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 11 metres right of Class of 66 and just right of a large flake magically attached to the main mass.

4a Climb the left side of the quartz-marked rib, then the rib itself.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Ontario Haul

11m VS
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start as for Rheilfordd.

4b Climb the tricky brown slab on the right, then the left side of the headwall past a spike.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Chuffing

14m S
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Twenty-five metres around and to the right of Ontario Haul is a buttress overhung by a large roof. Start below the centre of the roof.

Follow the ramp rightwards and pull into the mossy scoop (taking care with the blocks!). Follow the scoop to easier ground and an optional finish up the flake crack set in the right sidewall of the large roof.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Puffing

14m VS
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 9 metres right of Chuffing below a ledge at 3 metres set in an impending wall.

4b Gain the ledge from the right, and continue slightly leftwards up the impending wall to gain a large scoop, and finish up this.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Waunfawr the Money

12m VD
20-Jun-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Opposite Puffing is a buttress with a steep left wall and an easy-angled rib on its right. Start at the foot of the rib.

Climb the easy-angled rib. The slab just right gives a good scramble S-Train (12m Mod 20.06.11).

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Points

10m S
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start as for Siding.

Traverse left just above the bog, then tiptoe rightwards up the slab.

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Slider

7m VD
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 1 metre left of Buffer Stop.

Climb the right edge of the rightwards-trending ramp. The bulging wall 1 metre left is great fun; Paxman (6m S 06.07.11).

Chwarel Ffridd Isaf Area (p 48)

Smokebox

15m VS
06-Jul-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start as for Puffing.

4c Gain the ledge set in the impending wall. Step right and follow the thin crack and rib above.

Craig Yr Ogof

Craig Yr Ogof

Fair to Middlin

83m VS
26-May-2007, John Martin, Mike Gutteridge
Start: Approach as for Ordinary Route and start at the pedestal.

  1. 30m 4b Climb straight upwards via several steep little walls to belay on a block above the traverse of ordinary route.
  2. 26m 4c Climb the steep slab above to pass the left hand end of the overlap with caution – possible belay to the right. Climb straight up the slab above to belay in a niche above and left of a steep patch of grass.
  3. 27m 4c Climb the right slanting groove until 4m below the large down pointing spike. Traverse delicately left to a quartz ledge and up a faint rib to a jutting block. Belay above at the left hand end of the large capping roof of the slab.

Additional info:
The route manages to avoid most of the current routes by climbing directly up the centre of the slab (crosses the direct route in a few places). There is a quantity of suspect rock at the overlap halfway up pitch two.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Clogwyn y Garreg

Escape from the Library

15m HVS
06-Apr-2017, Joseph Jones
Start: 4m to the left of Gael Forces.
5a, The wall just to the right of gael forces, off the ground via tricky moves, move slightly right and then back left across a wall, finishing past a prominent spike (lassoo optional).

Clogwyn y Garreg

Silver Fox

9m VS
01-Nov-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Forty-five metres below and left of The Magic Sod and 8 metres left of the fence; a small tiangular buttress with a large flake at its foot rises just above the scree. Start at the cleft on the left side of the flake below a thin, diagonal crack.

4b Climb the thin diagonal crack and the smooth groove above, with interest.

Additional info:
The Magic Sod was repeated; suggest upgrade to VD! Access to this crag may be ok now as the land has been leased to an Angling Club?

Clogwyn y Garreg

Car Stairs

10m S
01-Nov-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 4 metres right of Silver Fox.

Climb the crack on the right-hand side of the flake. Make a high step up the rib to gain the upper slab and continue up to finish.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Holbeck

11m VD
01-Nov-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: The second scarp (the one with the majority of routes on), terminates at its very bottom end at a squat buttress. Sixty metres left (looking in) is a fine little wall with slanting cracklines, standing just above a ruined farmhouse. Start at the right end of the wall at a recess.

Pull up rightwards over loose blocks (or walk in from the right); to reach and climb a wide crack.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Ruin Crack

10m VD
01-Nov-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 2 metres left of Holbeck.

Climb up into a slanting groove, then pull out left to follow the pleasant crack leftwards to finish just right of the prominent pink block.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Silver Streak

9m VS
01-Nov-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 4 metres left of Ruin Crack at the foot of a left-rising quartz gangway.

4b Follow the gangway until just short of the white corner. Finish up the steep wall, starting up, then keeping immediately right of the thin cracks. The white corner itself gives a couple of stiff pulls; Tractive Effort (7m S 01.11.11.).

Clogwyn y Garreg

Toton

9m VS
01-Nov-2011, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 2 metres left of Tractive Effort.

4c Climb the wide crack, then the right side of the steep wall above; on improving, but hidden holds.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Spad Crack

10m S
06-Jan-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Eighty metres left of Toton are two grey walls facing down the valley. The right-hand wall has three cracks near its left end. Start below the left-hand crack.

Climb a rib and gain the crack (loose blocks). Follow the crack, just right of the ironstone) to a small overlap and finish up the slab above; keeping just left of the wide crack. The twin cracks immediately right are Coupling (11m VD 06.01.12).

Clogwyn y Garreg

Crickle Wood

16m S
15-Jan-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Seventy metres below Terry Tomb Tome, is a squat buttress with a quartz-marked right flank and a recessed front face. Start at a flake at the left end of the right flank of the buttress.

Climb the flake and slabs above to below a rather dirty overhanging crack. Pull leftwards onto the rib, and finish up the steep corner on the left.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Mallard

11m S
15-Jan-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 5 metres up and right of Crickle Wood below a niche with a scooped floor.

Bridge up, then step left into the niche. Pull over a small bulge, step right and finish up the quartzy slabs.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Stanier

14m HS
15-Jan-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Thirty metres to the right (looking in) of Mallard is a slabby buttress at the same level. Start at a small flat-topped pinnacle at the toe of this buttress.

4a Step awkwardly off the flat-topped pinnacle, and continue up using the poor rounded holds to gain a ledge. Follow the pleasant rib to the top.

Clogwyn y Garreg

999

14m VS
15-Jan-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 12 metres above and right of Stanier, at the foot of a V-groove with a pink, quartz-splattered slab forming its left side.

4b Bridge up, until it becomes feasible to launch up the impending wall on the right. Move up, then right to the rib and finish up the ridge above.

Clogwyn y Garreg

Marche Militaire

14m S
15-Jan-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 3 metres LEFT of Stanier at an old stone wall.

Climb the slabby wall and keep right of the tree. Move up the next slab leftwards to finish up the nice thin crack in the headwall.

Castell

Castell (p 90)

Ripples of Laughter

25m S
21-Mar-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start 1 metre left of The Brown Runnel at a flat block. Descent: down the gully immediately left (looking in).

Climb up rightwards to gain a small ledge at 5 metres. Step up left and follow the slab to a ledge and tiny spike runner below the headwall. Climb a crack for 3 metres and finish up the slab on the left.

Castell (p 90)

Tolkienesque

20m VS
21-Mar-2012, BJ Clarke (solo)
Start: Eighteen metres right of Doctor Butt Says It’s Easy a slab rises above a heather terrace at 6 metres. Start roughly in the centre of the terrace, gained from the right, at a white, left-trending scoop. Descent: traverse left (looking in) along a terrace and descend the gully as for Ripples of Laughter.

4b Climb leftwards up the scoop and continue up the slab; before moving right onto the green streak. Follow this, and pass a steepening at a vague crack above and left. Finish up the holdless, but easy-angled upper slab.

Additional info:
The climbing here is very good- but don’t expect a lot of gear! It’s not as quick-drying as the guidebook suggests- allow 2 dry days! A good indicator is the path up from the lake which follows a stream bed- if the stream is nearly dry- then the crag should be dry!

Nantlle Valley & Cwm Silyn

Nantlle Valley & Cwm Silyn

Waiting in Vain

20m E3 5c ☆
07-Jul-2019, Tom Butel
This is a direct finish to Bronwen.