Climber Magazine Nov/Dec23 Back Issue

CLASSIC ROCK
Welcome to a new edition of Climber. In this issue we have a feature
on one of my favourite crags in North Wales, Craig y Castell. As the
title to the article says, it’s Tremadog’s best forgotten crag and this
alone makes it attractive, given how busy nearby Bwylch y Moch can
be. But a crag being quiet won’t cut the mustard if the routes aren’t
up to scratch and, thankfully, there are plenty of superb routes. One
even graces the pages of the iconic tome, Classic Rock. Creag Dhu
Wall offers a wonderful and varied two-pitch climb that takes in some
impressive ground considering its grade, including an airy traverse
and a delightful upper wall. If you’ve never been and climb in the VS
to E2 grade range, get yourself there and escape the crowds, well apart from the team that will be on Creag Dhu Wall, of course, Classic Rock tick and all.
Talking of classic rock, I recently headed to Lundy Island off Devon’s
north coast to help with getting action shots for a future Climbers’ Club
Lundy guidebook along with a bunch of CC members and two other
photographers, Simon Cardy and James Mann. With these trips there’s
often little chance of getting any climbing in, given the photographic task and how long this actually takes, especially on sea cliffs. In fact, this was my second trip to Lundy, the fi rst many years before, to photograph a potential ascent of a new E8 by Nic Sellars. I was on the island for two nights and, frustratingly, a wet hold stopped Nic getting on the route that trip. I did manage to solo a couple of routes though, a Moderate and a VD, and neither of them classic.
The plan this time was to get photographs, climb a few classics and the job’s a good ’un. Someone forgot to book the good weather though and with only a short period of settled weather, my personal climbing took aback seat.
Until next time, be safe.
David