Craig y Forwyn climbing

Crag: Craig y Forwyn
Routes: Anne (S 4a:led), Larks a Bumbly (HS 4b:led), Kiwi (VS 4b:sec), Arian (HS 4b:led), Arian Direct (HVS 5a:sec), Wall/Superdirect Finish (E1 5b:sec), Golden Gate (D:led)
The 'banned crag' which has always had a kind of mythical status in my mind: my local crag in many ways, but the supposed 'landowner' withdrew consent just before I started climbing in the late 1980s. Vic and I went there five years ago, after it was realised that only part of the crag was 'owned' by the awkward landlord, only to be shouted down from the classic HVS Sangfroid, on what we understood to be a legal part of the cliff by a quite unbelievably unpleasant individual (presumably the chap that claims to own the central section). It was so unpleasant that it's taken us five years to come back, this time to the left-hand section which, again, is not owned by the uncivil one. We had no problems today, which was just a brief taster of the short but enjoyable routes that characterise this section of cliff. Anne was a vegetated and slabby aperitif, up a narrow pillar of rock. We then both led the splendid corner/groove taken by Larks a Bumbly. This looks hard and very steep from below, somewhat reminiscent of Striptease at Tremadog. In reality, it's just a delightfully simple romp. Well protected moves up a superbly juggy, but steep, corner, lead to more jugs and a perfect footledge to sidle left away from the final overhang, to finish up a short arete. Great route, as was its companion Kiwi, a mild VS to its right. Again, this looks like it has an intimidating finish, but this is an illusion. A rising traverse left, below the bulges on big footholds, leads to a move to circumvent the steepness, then a finish trending back right up a steep exit on big holds. Really nice, interesting climbing at the bottom of the grade. Arian is the other classic on this section of crag: rather more polished than the others but again recently cleaned, giving really good climbing. Another interesting line too, up a steep right-trending juggy flake which begs to be climbed. Then a step left gains a short traverse, giving access to a clean groove which leads to the top. Again, solid and varied: no more than 20m, but packing a lot in to a small space! Vic then led the Direct version, which is steep and sustained up to the roof, which needs a butch move to overcome. Inferior to the normal route, I found it quite dusty and unpleasant. I continued up the more technical, nicely contrasting Wall Finish, using the left arete: the sunshine quite hot now, perhaps the hottest day of summer so far. From the crag top, great views over the most tranquil of valleys, very quiet indeed, with the rocks of Llanddulas further left. I had to finish early, so after abbing back down for fifth time, we donned our big sacs and I led out up a pleasant Diff, taking the outside of an obvious chimney, by way of a mountaineering exit route. Nice to sample another tiny slice of the climbing at this crag. It has always felt political to me, and still does: one day we will get access to the real classics!