Glyder Fach climbing

Crag: Glyder Fach
Routes: Hawk's Nest Arete (VS 4c,4a:led p.2), Needle's Eye Climb (VD:led p.1), Route II (VD:led p.1)
What was intended to be a day of cragging on high 'summer' cliffs turned into a classic mountaineering day out incorporating not one, but two traditional chimney pitches. This was largely because of bad weather: with strong winds, swirling mist and intermittent drizzle throughout. I used to climb on Glyder Fach a lot, and have ticked most of the lower grade classics. One such, fondly remembered, is Hawk's Nest Arete, which I did with Tim in the 90s. Vic hadn't done it, so we took the hour-long slog past Bochlwyd up to the detached buttress, right of the main crag, and he led it in high winds. It was cold on the fingers, which isn't ideal on this route, which has a surprisingly delicate crux. It looks much harder from below and is a very elegant line. Easy, juggy climbing up to a large block, before a steeper crack leads to a surprisingly hard crux using sidepulls and small holds to gain jugs above. It remains thought provoking above, with a thin finger crack leading to a ledge. All made much harder today by strong winds and cold fingers. A little drizzle in the air at times to add to the fun. The second pitch, my lead, is far easier but was wet and a bit dirty in places. It takes a wide and slightly thrutchy crack to gain a side crack and the top. The descent is complex but quite absorbing and atmospheric, particularly now that the mist had descended and was swirling round the pinnacles and gullies that characterise this part of the crag. We traversed over to Dolmen buttress and then intricately down Central Gully with some caution. After some lunch, I merged the first two pitches of Needle's Eye Climb. This was an obvious choice for two reasons: it is enclosed and out of the increasingly strong wind, and I hadn't done it before. The first pitch goes up a juggy slab to a mantelshelf which gains the top of the initial chimney. Then easy and vegetated climbing up to a clean rib. The next pitch is ungradeable and pretty memorable. Somewhat reminiscent of other famous thrutches like Monolith Crack and the Chasm, but essentially unique. A slab leads to a delicate traverse towards the wide crack behind a pinnacle (this is the 'needle'). It is impossible to get through this initially, even for skinny people. The only solution is to strenuously udge up the crack, with one leg 'cycling' up the outside wall. Eventually it becomes possible to squeeze through the crack to gain the cave beyond like a cork popping out of a bottle! The route keeps coming in this traditional vein, up a pinnacle and several cracks to the top. The mist swirled round and the drizzle got a bit heavier, so we continued the Victorian theme, starting to really enjoy and embrace the unexpected mountaineering ethos of the day. We traversed over to Dolmen Buttress. I have never climbed here before, one of the highest crags in Snowdonia. I led the easy classic of Route II: the first pitch goes up a fine clean slab on jugs. It is exposed for the grade, traversing out to the edge of the slab initially. From the mid-height platform, Vic then led the ultra-traditional top pitch up a very atmospheric chimney in the mist and rain. This goes easily at first, to gain the dank, cave-like interior. Then a back and foot thrutch, during which I tore my coat and dropped my nut key into the depths of the cave. From the top of an internal pinnacle, an easy traverse left allows for an escape to be made! Slightly reminiscent of Great Gully on Craig yr Ysfa: an esoteric little gem despite its lowly grade. Another complex descent, made more problematic by the fact that we were higher on the crag: tricky downclimb to gain Central Gully. Then directly down to boggy Bochlwyd and the car.