Craig Cywarch

Crag: Tap y Graig, Craig Cywarch
Routes: Will-o'-the-Wisp (VD:led p.2), Bluebell Babylon (VS 4b,4b:led p.1), Mud Slide Slim (VS 4c:sec)
This venue has been a gap in my education for a long time. Although I had visited the valley for a hillwalk a few years ago, I'd never climbed on Cywarch. Vic had never been either, and we both found it very rewarding from a mountaineering perspective. It was a beautiful day, and the head of the valley is wonderfully isolated: a tranquil place to climb, very much my cup of tea. The walk-in is a delight, we treated it as training and got to the crag in less than 25 mins. We then romped the classic VDiff in less than an hour, doing it in two pitches rather than the usual six. Vic merged the scrambly first section, to the 'tea ledges', with the long traverse (a pleasant sun-drenched saunter in a nice position). I then led the arete which holds so much promise in the first few metres - huge holds and a fine position - but then peters out almost immediately. I continued past the tree to a finish over blocks and slabs. A quick descent down Little Gully, nice rock scenery, and back across for the classic VS of the crag, Bluebell Babylon. I merged the first two pitches to give a disjointed, slightly unusual pitch - up the scrambly start of WW to a steep crux wall. This is juggy and very short but out of character with the rest of the route. After pulling over this, a more delicate slab gains the belay in a wonderful position looking right down the valley. A red kite circled below, and a peregrine flew higher up. The sky was deep blue, no vapour trails and no aircraft noise (thanks to the Icelandic volcano). And no other climbers: just a great place to be. Vic merged the last two pitches, with some enjoyable climbing up a steepish wall on very good holds leading to a vegetated final tower. A nice route, varied, but low in the grade with no technical difficulty. No evidence of recent ascents, and no polish: instead you get interesting route-finding, lichen, heather, and a refreshing pioneering flavour. Another descent of Little Gully brought us to the foot of the other good VS: Mud Slide Slim. Another pleasant route, up a ramp to an interesting traverse below an overhang: good rock, good climbing, although a tad awkward for the second. This gains an easy blunt arete which leads up dirty rock to an overlap. Huge holds overcome this, before another steep crack above the WW belay gains the big tree. Had to excavate some of the holds on this, not something you would expect on most crags further north. It would have been nice to do another route, but the length of the drive meant we had to call it a day. Lovely ambience in the valley as we left the crags.