The Climbers' Club

Routes are listed in chronological order of submission.

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including Area, Crag and Route Name.

Correction Submitted by : Nick Gough - member of first ascent party Area : Tremadog Crag : Craig Pant Ifan Route Name : Périphérique - in Guide book as Girdle Traverse of Peuterey Buttress Climbers : N Gough, M Creasey - correction of climbers initials

Submitted by : Tristan Peers - SEE NOTE FROM MIKE LEWIS BELOW Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest, Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 18/02/2007 Route Name : The Plimsoll Line Length/grade/stars : 26m, VS, 1 star Climbers : Tristan Peers Start location: The route is a few metres right of 'Cat O' Nine Tails', near the rowan tree. Pitch descriptions: 1) 26m, 4c. Start two metres right and below of the rowan tree. Climb the centre of the slab, then follow the obvious crack above. Additional info: Repeated by Jodie Cuff, David Peers, Hugh Walton. A topo (photo) of the route is shown below.

Submitted by : Tristan Peers - SEE NOTE FROM MIKE LEWIS BELOW Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest, Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 05/05/2007 Route Name : Escape from Monkey's Island Length/grade/stars : 20 metres, Severe, 2 stars Climbers : Tristan Peers Start location: The routes starts immediately at the bottom of the Wardroom Gully. Pitch descriptions: 1) 4a. Start immediately at the bottom of the gully. Climb up trending right to reach a nose facing out rightwards. Traverse back left to find good holds and follow these up to the heather ledge. Finish via the second pitch of Monkey's Island Direct or abseil off using the tree. Additional info: Repeated by Jodie Cuff/David Peers. Topo showing all routes on this buttress available.

Topo for Moel Y Gest, Mainmast Buttress - provided by Tristen Peers - see notes below: - SEE NOTE FROM MIKE LEWIS BELOW I have spent some time at this crag lately. I put up a new route called the 'The Plimsoll Line' back in February. Having visited on the weekend and done some more gardening, I have put up a new variation of the Monkey's Island routes called 'Escape from Monkey's Island'. (See above for description) I have created a topo (showing all the routes) on this buttress using the descriptions from the latest Tremadog guidebook. The problem is that I cannot see where the route Monkey's Island Ordinary (Diff) goes. The description does not make sense at all. The description is: 'Climb easily up the right of the chimney then take a line of weakness on the slab on the right. Belay well to the left in wardroom gully' There is no obvious chimney, and then if you have done this pitch, you would be up on the heathery ledge so it would be impossible to belay in wardroom gully without making a 5 metre jump down to it. The only climb in this area which would be of a 'Diff' standard would be up the overgrown corner in the gully. I have marked this in yellow. The guidebook does say that these descriptions were done by memory.

Amendments submitted by Mike Lewis Re. new routes Plimsoll Line and Escape from Monkey's Island   I’m sorry to have to disappoint you but the Plimsoll Line and Escape from Monkey’s Island are not new routes.  Escape from Monkey’s Island is actually the first section of Monkey’s Island Superdirect and the Plimsoll Line is the top section of the same route.  The grade is Severe 4A and not 4c.  I repeated it again this week just to confirm the grade. As regards the topo, the line of Monkey’s Island Direct is incorrect.  From the stepped overhanging corner you mantelshelf out left, continue traversing for a few feet and then climb easily up to the large ledge (Monkey’s Island).  The exit onto the ledge is obviously worn.  Going up the corner right of the stepped overhang to reach the extreme right of the big ledge is often done as a variation, and is slightly harder. Hard Severe maybe?  Describing route no.5 as the Superdirect is also wrong. With regards to Monkey’s Island Ordinary.  The chimney is obviously the dirty one at the very base of Wardroom gully and the line is that of route 2 (the first section of Plimsoll Line) on the topo. The guidebook is incorrect in saying that the belay is in Wardroom Gully.  I have a copy of the original (1951) guide and it clearly describes the belay being on the left hand side of the big ledge. I hope this clears up the mystery.   I should point out that since the publication of the guide (and before) many new lines have been claimed on Moel y Gest.  You will find details in the new routes book at Eric’s Café at Tremadog

Submitted by : Mat Dowsett Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainsail Buttress (Central Buttress) Date of ascent : 28/05/2007 Route Name : Walk The Plank Length/grade/stars : 100ft VS 5a Climbers : Mat Dowsett, Catherine Randall Start location: The climb starts on the central buttress of Mainsail, between Oh Captain My Captain! and Shiver My Timbers. Pitch descriptions: One pitch. Start below the centre of the buttress and climb a stepped block to reach a white-lichen stained pinnacle.  Climb to the top of the pinnacle to just below the overlap.  Reach up and place gear on the left or small wires in the crack (harder for the short) and then pull through the overlap on small holds to reach the top of the crack.  Climb up to reach the steep slab and ascend this on the right to reach a large diagonal crack which leads to the top. Additional info: Climbed in traditional style.  The upper slabs appear to have been climbed before, but the lower half was dirty and required a little gardening.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 24/11/2003 Route Name : Monkey Island Directisimo Length/grade/stars : 130ft VS Climbers: H J Walton, D G Peer Start location: Start at the lowest point of the buttress. Route lies between Crow's Nest and The Catwalk. Pitch descriptions: 4b Climb up to the square cut block below the overhang , move up right and climb the corner crack to a ledge. Follow the continuation crack to a belay below the final wall. 5a Climb the thin crack on the right over the exposed top block.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 11/2007 Route Name : Wardroom Crack Length/grade/stars : 50ft S Climbers: D G Peers, H J Walton Start location (see photograph above): Start at the top of Wardroom Gully above left of the start of Cat O' Nine Tails. Route lies between Crow's Nest and The Catwalk. Pitch descriptions: Climb the obvious hand –width crack, step left when it peters out.to finish up the groove.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 02/2008 Route Name : Half Mast Length/grade/stars : 80ft S Climbers : H J Walton, D G Peers Start location: Start just left of Crow’s Nest Pitch description: Climb easily up to the steep wall below the headwall. The left hand crack is taken by the route below. Traverses right from the foot of this crack and climb up to a good ledge on the right side of the face.. Pull steeply up the weakness above to finish more easily.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 02/2008 Route Name : Alas Poor Yoric Length/grade/stars : 80ft S 4b Climbers : D G Peers, H J Walton Start location (see photograph above): Start just left of Crow’s Nest and climb easily leftwards to the steep wall below the headwall. This route climbs the steep face of Mainmast buttress using the obvious crack system on the left side of the main face. Pitch description: Climb the left hand crack to a ledge below the steep final headwall. Climb the steep crack and pull over the top on good holds to finish. Additional info: In situ gear for abseiling off from the above two routes.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 11/2003 Route Name : The Western Front Length/grade/stars : 20m VS 4c Climbers : D G Peers, H J Walton Start location: Just below the main summit of Moel y Gest on the far west end is a clean steep buttress. It is the obvious buttress before the stone wall drops down to Poop Arete on the left. This route starts at the toe of the buttress and takes the weakness up through the main face. Pitch description: 4c Climb straight up until forced left to the crack system which leads steeply to the top.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 17/03/2008 Route Name : Far Horizon Length/grade/stars : 20m HS 4a Climbers : D G Peers, H J Walton Start (see photograph above): Start on the left. Pitch description: 4a Climb up then right until it is possible to move back left to the edge of the buttress. Climb up the edge until forced back right to the obvious crack and groove system which leads to the top.

Submitted by : David Peers Area : Tremadog Crag : Moel Y Gest - Mainmast Buttress Date of ascent : 17/03/2008 Route Name : The Prow Length/grade/stars : 20m HVS 5a Climbers : D G Peers, H J Walton Start (see photograph above): This route takes the main challenge of the face. Pitch description: 5a Start below the obvious pinnacle. Climb the right side and step right off the top to below the overhangs. Surmount these through the weakness on the right and then layback up to a ledge below the final wall. Climb the thin crack to the top. A fine pitch.