I've been up for a few hours waiting for everyone else to recover from the effects last night (I feel asleep on a freezer among other things) so we can get things together and go climbing. I can hear some movement at least. I've already digested all the climbing magazines I can find in the house and have been sat outside in a sleeping bag dreaming about Vector at Tremadog.
Tremadog has to be one of the best places to climb, ever. I know thats probably a really big statement to make and there will be plpenty of people who'll disagree with this, but anything that combines a cafe, short walkin and then climb from sunrise to sunset with the view across Porthmadog bay is fine by me.Anyway regardless of the "facilities" the climbing itself is beyond. After spending my summer being a bit of a lobbing lemming** I've been getting a bit sick of it. Pushing yourself to the point that you spend more time clocking up more airtime than a rock time sucks. So I've stopped pushing myself. I did Merlin with the Direct start (HVS 5a) with Uncle Rob. I don't think I've ever had as much fun on a climb as I did with Rob. To say I was a little worse for wear when I arrived in the morning would be an understatement. A few brews later we decided to taclke it. Rob gave me every pitch because he said I was something I had to do and I'm so glad that he did.
I wobbled my way up the first pitch, dropping my wires (yep still hungover) before I could get my head in gear. the route was a little damp and I though I was off more than once but I pulled through and arrived at the belay. Rob joined me with my laughing and grunting to get into the groove. There was alot of debate about whether the tree was "in" as a hold. I said it was, Rob had other ideas and hauled up on it. The I started up the second pitch. A simple slab to a glorious looking crack. I was salivating at the though you jamming my hands into that the crack, but we stumped by the soaked slab leading up to it. After some necky climbing, and dodgy gear I was able to ram a cam into the crack. I sored up this (I love crack climbing) and then broke out to the right and it just carried on with beautifel climbing about the rib and then up the groove behind. Continuing with our casual approach to this climb, I untied from the rope, passed it rounf the tree in the groove and then tied back in. Rob laughed his head off when he got to this, after a moment of puzzlement. We topped out and waxed lyrical about what a great climb this was. Its almost a shame it was so good as we couldn't find anything to inspire us we when got back to the guide book. So we did what all good climbers do... headed to the pub.
Its now to days later and I'm still recovering from the initial pub session with Rob after Merlin. I'm back at Tremadog, this time poised below The Fang (HVS 5a). If you've never done this route, then go and do it. I've done it a couple of times and it already made it onto the annual list. I've done both pitches, but today I was here to help Stewie settle a score. He'd backed off the second pitch last year and its been eating away at him ever since. I took the first pitch (still feeling hungover) which is a bit of a burly climb, well the way I do it anyway. I'd choose to rely on my arms and jamming rather than footwork to get myself up it. This was obvious as we discussed the many different lines everyone takes on the first pitch. The point is, go and do it. Its worth it.Eventually I found myself tucked into the dihedral below the ominously poised Fang being up Stewie. He deliberated for ages over the first move. If you slip off the gear isn't great (3 micros and a high runner) but the climbing is perfect and in complete contrast to the first pitch. Here I think a bit of foot work pays dividends. Its like super steep slab climbing round a break, then more slabby-ish climbing, with just enough gear. Not enough for comfort, but enough to keep you ok. Your out of sight of your belayer at this point so its all on you. Stewie did it in great style, and I seconded up arriving to find him grinning from ear to ear. I do love it when someone concores a demon, and bing part of it has made the fang a little more special now.
So back to the Cafe for a brew. Rob had elected not to climb today, and by elected I mean he had elected to keep drinking the night before. So it just left me and Tom. Before the other left Soames asked "You must have done Grim Wall?", "nope, somehow never did it". The outrage that followed confirmend this as my next climb so off me Tom and Rob trotted. Tom took the first pitch at 4b leaving me with the finaltootering looking wall. After a little route finding difficulty and thankful correction from Tom I got on the right line.
What a route. It doesn't look like it'll go from the base of the route, especially at VS. There is gear all the way up, but the climbing I awesome. Its not slabby, cracky or anything in particular. Itr just tremadoggy gymnastical climbing. Your laying away from a decent hold to an undercut, stop place a piece of pro then stuff your fingers in a little crack, feel them set, move up, lay away again, placing your feet wide. I mean if I die, this is the route I'll just be climbing on until eternity. I just can't believe I've never climbed it before.
Fourth cup of tea now. All in all I can't believe that Tremadog doesn't get more traffic. I mean it used to, its right next to a road. Theres a great cafe, campsite and camping barn all at the base. Eric Jones is always around to help out youths there for thier first time, or just advice on routes. The pub is 15 minutes down the road as well. I'll stand my my first statement that Tremadog is one of the best crags, ever. so I've havn't been get over there!
** Taken from the old Llanberis guide in the slate terminology section "Youth who throws themself at hard routes regardless of the line, only to tick a grade... and then repeatly falls off"
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