Journal_, May 7, 1887.
The following notes are among the records of Penygwrhyd:--
On September 23, 1887, W. E. C. and A. E. ascended Snowdon from Glaslyn
by the first gully on Clogwyn y Garnedd.
In 1890, on June 20, W. P. and G. B. B. descended from Snowdon to
Haseler's Cross by the gully immediately above it in Clogwyn y Garnedd.
In 1890, on September 27, F. W. J. found an excellent gully climb,
possibly that referred to in the note of September 23, 1887. He started
from Glaslyn, keeping to the right edge of the lake, and, facing towards
Bwlch y Saethau, saw a gully choked by jammed stones (five in number),
beginning almost from the foot. It has often been climbed. The most
interesting and difficult piece is where a large stone roofs a cavern
some 15 ft. high. In it there is a kind of skylight, through which the
climber must go by an indescribable twist of the body. From the bottom
of the gully to the huts where the climb ends is 900 ft., all except a
portion of the upper end being narrow gully, and the rest a scramble
over rocks.
On December 13, 1891, Mrs. H. ascended the big Clogwyn y Garnedd gully
direct to the summit of Snowdon.
On September 24, 1892, Miss B. and a large party of gentlemen climbed
(second lady's ascent) the Clogwyn y Garnedd gully through the cavern.
In May 1893 a party climbed up by this and down by the next gully, on
the north, which has its head just below the huts.
In September 1893 the two Misses T. descended the great gully in 1 hour
25 minutes.
In 1894, on September 14, Messrs. W. E. C., S., and B. descended the
face of Clogwyn y Garnedd to the left of the big gully.
* * * * *
[Illustration: SNOWDON FROM THE NORTH, WITH LLIWEDD ON THE LEFT]
=Lliwedd= (2,947 ft.) stretches away eastward from the summit of
Snowdon, dividing Cwm Dyli on the north from Cwm y Llan on the south.
Strictly speaking, perhaps the name only applies to the central portion,
where its magnificent northern crags overlook the head of Llyn Llydaw,
but, as in the case of Crib Goch, the significance of the name has
been enlarged, and it is frequently used to denote the whole length of
the ridge.
At the Nant Gwynant end a transverse ridge, called Gallt y Wenallt,
bears near its base some remarkably fine rocks, on which there is very
good climbing. West of the Gallt a side valley, called Cwm Merch, runs
nearly due south, and beyond this Cwm Lliwedd proper begins. The
southern slope of it is steep, but that to the north is imposingly
precipitous. It is, in fact, unsurpassed in Wales. Advancing in the
direction of Snowdon, the cliffs become less sheer and the crest less
broken, and as soon as the highest point of Crib Goch is 'on with' the
head of Llydaw Bwlch Ciliau offers a rough descent into Cwm Dyli. Next
on the west comes the Criman, corresponding geographically to Clogwyn y
Person on Ddysgl, but more broken; beyond them Bwlch y Saethau (i.e.
_Arrows Gap_), leading down to the head of Glaslyn. The last quarter of
a mile up to the top of Snowdon is very steep, rising nearly 1,000 ft.
in that distance. It was here that Mr. Maxwell Haseler, in 1879, lost
his life by keeping too much to the right.
[Illustration: LLIWEDD FROM THE NORTH-WEST.]
In August 1872 Mr. T. H. Murray Browne and Mr. W. R. Browne, the
discoverers of the Scafell Pinnacle, saw the merits of this climb, and
attacked it without success. Public attention was first drawn to Lliwedd
as a climbing-ground by the ascent made in 1883 by Messrs. T. W. Wall
and A. H. Stocker, and thus described by the former in the _Alpine
Journal_:[16]--
[16] Vol. xi. p. 239.
'This northern face consists of four buttresses, with three fairly
well-defined couloirs between them. The summit ridge has two peaks, of
which the western, nearer Snowdon, is the higher by a few feet. In
January 1882 from the summit of Crib Goch Mr. A. H. Stocker and myself
were struck by the grand appearance of the Lliwedd cliffs, and hearing
from Owen, the landlord of the Penygwrhyd Hotel, that the northern face
had never been climbed, the desire to make the first ascent naturally
came upon us. On the 10th we made our first attempt by the central
couloir, which leads up to the depression between the two summits. As it
was raining the whole day the rocks were in an abominable state, and it
was with the greatest difficulty that we managed to get up about 150
ft.' On January 3, 1883, they tried again. 'On January 4, after
carefully observing the rocks of the buttress to the west of the central
couloir, we came to the conclusion that it might be possible to cross
the face in an upward direction from east to west, and then strike
straight up. At 11.15 A.M. we got on the rocks, beginning from the lower
of two dark green patches seen from below. From this a ledge runs up to
the right, and if it had only been continuous Lliwedd would present no
very great difficulties. Unfortunately this was not the case; there were
most formidable-looking gaps in it, and the ledges above and below were
tacked on to it by smooth and almost perpendicular gullies. Three bits
in particular may be mentioned as far the hardest, although they are
more or less typical of these crags, which nowhere offer 20 consecutive
yards of easy rock-work. The first difficulty which presented itself was
where the ledge was broken by a bold face of rock. One of us was pushed
to the top of the smooth part, and finding that he could not descend to
the ledge on the other side, he ascended a little higher, anchored
himself firmly to the rocks, assisted his companion up, and let him down
to the required ledge; then, throwing the rope over a pinnacle, he gave
both ends to his companion to hold tight, and slid down the 40 ft. of
rope to join him. After a few yards of easier work we came to a ledge
about 6 inches wide and 4 yards long; the rock above was nearly
perpendicular, with no hand-hold, and there was nothing below. It was
the only way; we could not turn it, and somehow we got over, but neither
of us wishes to be there again. From that ever-to-be-remembered ledge
the climbing was grand work up to the point where we had to turn from a
westerly direction to go straight up the face. Here there was one nasty
corner. A narrow ledge about 2 inches wide had below it a sloping face
of rock with three minute cracks in it. One of us had crossed this in
safety, and so assumed a position in which the rope would have been of
very little use. He was then opposed by a steep bit, topped by 4 ft. of
perpendicular rock, with a very steep slope of heather above. At the
moment that his last foot left the highest peg of rock his other knee
slipped, and the heather, grass, and earth began to give way in his left
hand. It was an awkward moment, for the other man was not well situated
for supporting a jerk at the end of 30 ft. of rope, which would mean a
fall of about 50 ft. Happily the other knee got on the heather and the
axe held firm in the earth. Our difficulties were then over. The rocks
grew less and less difficult as we ascended, and after 4-1/2 hours of
incessant work up 850 ft. of rocks we found ourselves on the summit
ridge, exactly 13 yards from the cairn.
[Illustration: LLIWEDD FROM LLYN LLYDAW
_a_, East buttress.
_b_, Central gully.
_c_, West buttress.
_d_, Slanting gully.]
'It may be mentioned that the only real difficulties lie in the first
200 ft.; above that point the mountain presents rock-work of a very high
order, but nothing stupendously difficult, the rock being very firm.
'Future climbers will probably find that of the three couloirs the
western is comparatively easy; the central may perhaps be ascended by
climbing the lower rocks on the right, and the eastern by a long detour
to the left. The buttress to the left of the central couloir looks as
difficult as rocks possibly can look. But there is a chance that a
careful search among the rocks to the left of the central couloir might
reward a rock-climber with an exciting and successful scramble. In any
case the whole northern face is distinctly difficult.'
Under the date of April 12, 1884, we find recorded by H. S. and C. S. an
ascent of Lliwedd by the ridge from Llyn Llydaw, which is apparently
nothing more than the ordinary walk, but in 1887, early in April, is an
important note in the hand of Mr. Stocker.
'_Hints for the Ascent of Lliwedd by the North Face._
(N.B. Lliwedd consists of two peaks--the eastern and western
buttress--with a well-defined gully running up between them.)
'1. _Ascent of Western Buttress to the Right of Central Gully._--Make
for the lower of two green patches easily seen from below just to the
right of the foot of the central gully. From it work upwards to the
right to the second green patch; then again upwards, still to the right,
to a very small, steep green slope. From this the climb is almost
straight up, inclining a little to the left at first. This will land the
climber a few yards to the west of the cairn.
'2. _Ascent by Central Gully and Western Buttress._--Go up the gully
till the foot of the steep bit is reached; then climb out of the gully
by ledges on the right on to the western buttress. As soon as possible
make straight up the face, keeping the gully a little to the left. This
will land the climber at the cairn.
'No. 2 is an easier climb than No. 1. All through the hand and foot
hold is very good. The chief difficulties lie in the first 200 ft. after
leaving the gully. The upper part is fairly easy. The whole climb is
about 850 ft.'
In 1887, April 11, O. E. and T. V. S. ascended Lliwedd by the central
gully at first and afterwards in a line rather left of the summit. Time,
under 3-1/2 hours.
In September 1887 W. E. C. and A. E. climbed Lliwedd by Mr. Stocker's
second route in 1 hour 23 minutes from base to cairn, and subjoined a
list of previous ascents, viz.--
First attempt. T. H. M. B. and W. R. B., August 1872 (Vis. Bk.)
January 7, 1883, Messrs. Stocker and Wall, by route 1.
April 24, 1884, Messrs. A. H. S. and P., by route 2.
April 11, 1887, Messrs. O. E. and T. V. S., by route 2.
September 10, 1887, Mr. R. W., by route 1.
September 20, 1887, Messrs. W. E. C. and A. E., by route 2.
On May 20, 1888, Mr. Alfred Evans and two friends, W. E. C. and -- K.,
left Penygwrhyd at 10 A.M., crossed the northern arete of Crib Goch and
Cwm Glas, and climbed Clogwyn Person and by Crib y Ddysgl to the top of
Snowdon. Evans and K. then descended by the second or third gully from
Bwlch Glas on Clogwyn y Garnedd to the head of Llyn Llydaw. C., E., and
K. started up the central gully of Lliwedd at 5.5 P.M. At the bottom,
and for some distance up, the rocks are water-worn and but little broken
up, and the water flowing down rendered this part difficult. At the
moment when C. was about 300 ft. above the scree Evans was about 80 ft.
below him, and could not advance. C., therefore, went down 3 or 4 ft.
and rested. Evans then tried to get out of the gully by the ledge
mentioned in Mr. Stocker's account. This ledge is divided in two parts
by a huge outstanding buttress with very scanty footing. Both men passed
this; then Evans lowered himself by K.'s ankle on to a rocky foothold
and tried to work to the right, but after doing 5 or 6 ft.--half the
requisite distance--his feet slipped, his arms were unable to support
him, and he fell on his feet about 5 yards on to the edge of a steeply
sloping grass ledge running up to this part of the cliff. From this
point in four or five terrible leaps he fell over and over, a total
distance of 200 ft., to the screes below. The accident happened at 6.55
P.M., and K. is stated to have descended to the body, a distance of 200
ft. of the most awkward climbing in the whole gully, in the space of 5
minutes. This is hardly credible, but under such circumstances people do
not judge time accurately.
This accident need never have happened. If ever a party courted disaster
it was done on this occasion.
A cross was erected by friends of Mr. Evans on the spot where his body
was found, but being much damaged by stones it had to be removed in 1892
to a rocky knoll not far off, where its position is more secure. It
records the age of Mr. Evans as 24.
On June 10, 1889, M., A. L. M., and B. climbed the north face of Lliwedd
by the rocks of the western buttress, keeping close to the central gully
almost the whole of the way.
On January 1, 1893, F. P., F. W. O., and H. J. R. ascended the north
face of Lliwedd by the western buttress, starting just to the right of
the central gully, and coming up at the cairn. Time, 3 hours.
At Easter 1893 H. G. G. and -- W. climbed by the central gully and the
western buttress, coming out at the cairn, in 3 hours 5 minutes, all the
rocks being dry.
On April 7, 1893, T. H. M. climbed the north-west face alone in 2-1/2
hours: he found two difficult spots near where Messrs. G. and W.
scratched their initials on the rocks. Everything was dry.
On September 14, 1894, W. E. C. and M. K. S. ascended the central gully
for about 200 ft., then went up the western buttress, and crossed the
gully again to the eastern buttress, about 300 ft. below the top,
reaching the summit in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
On October 14, 1894, J. M. A. T., H. H., and H. E. ascended the central
gully to a point apparently beyond that where others have broken out
upon the face, and continued up a steep stretch of rock by taking a
narrow gutter between the centre and right wall, the upper part being
found difficult. A broad ledge brought them to a similar reach, where
the outward slope of the holds became more and more pronounced. Finding
the rocks above quite impassable, the party descended by means of an
iron claw, which had to be left, and then by a ledge in the right wall
and an awkward corner got out on the face of the west buttress. Here
they found the ledges narrow and the crags extremely steep, but working
upwards and tending to the right they crossed an incipient gully by an
awkward stride, and thereafter met with only ordinary difficulties, but
on passing a cleft which opens into the gully enjoyed a magnificent view
of the latter, and struck the summit at the cairn. They pronounced the
climb to be quite impossible for one man.
_The Slanting Gully._--This gully, on the west side of the western
buttress, is easily identified, being the next one to the west of the
great central gully and a striking feature of the north face of Lliwedd.
It is clearly marked all the way up, and is most readily approached by
crossing diagonally up the screes below the great gully and then
skirting the base of the rocks of the western buttress. This gully was
attacked on January 9, 1894, by Messrs. F. O. W., C. W. N., E. H. K.,
and H. K. It was then frozen up and covered with snow to a depth varying
from a few inches to 3 ft. In 4 hours an estimated height of 350 or 400
ft. above the starting-point was attained, the whole of this distance,
with the exception of a few steps in deep snow, having to be climbed.
The party kept in the gully the whole way, usually close against the
rocks on the western side. Progress was finally arrested at a point
where the gully becomes, for some distance, a mere crack, formed by the
western rocks overhanging an almost smooth slab, where hold for hand or
foot seems almost entirely wanting. With longer time at disposal it
seemed possible that this difficulty might have been surmounted by
wriggling up inside the crack, or by a dangerous scramble on the face of
the slab. Two members of the party were provided with crampons, and
derived great steadiness and safety from their use. The uniformly steep
angle at which this gully lies may be gathered from the fact that a
ruecksack dropped from the highest point was picked up at the
starting-point on the return. It was the opinion of most of the party
that the condition of the snow and rocks was, on the whole, favourable
for climbing, as the ice and snow gave some assistance in places which
without them might have been still more difficult.
The next attempt is valuable, as notes were taken on the heights of some
of the obstacles.
On March 26, 1894, the gully was attacked by J. C. M., O. M., and W. P.
from the screes (2,300 ft.) at 1.55 P.M. They arrived in the cave (2,690
ft.) at 5 P.M. They considered the conditions favourable, except that
the snow was melting, but found the climbing difficult all the way. At
about 2,500 ft. a chimney 70 ft. high had to be squirmed up. They were
of opinion that the gully could not be climbed direct, and all their
efforts to break out on either side were frustrated. The climbing does
not, as in the central gully, become more easy as progress is made; on
the contrary, the difficulties increase. The party carried two ropes,
one of 50 ft. and one of 80 ft., and at one place had to use the full
length of both together. The descent took 2 hours.
On Thursday, August 30, 1894, this gully cost a valuable life. Mr. J.
Mitchell, of Oxford, an assistant editor of the _New Historical English
Dictionary_, started from the foot at about 2 P.M. The first pitch was
quickly ascended, and he then proceeded, apparently without difficulty,
to the foot of the long chimney, which he passed by means of the face.
On reaching the top he waved his handkerchief, and, being asked what it
was like, replied that it was very stiff. Not long after he was seen in
a cave, which the lookers-on (probably in error) identified with the
highest point reached by previous climbers. From this he climbed with
great difficulty to the top, as it appeared from below, of a long chasm,
with his head just below an overhanging rock, upwards of 150 ft. above
the cave, and after more than half an hour of fruitless endeavour to
make further progress he fell at 4.30 P.M., and was killed on the spot.
The body was found at the above-mentioned cave, and was brought down by
four quarrymen at great personal risk. The lesson which should be drawn
from this is, that if a man will insist on climbing alone he should not
choose for his attack climbs which parties of greater skill and
experience than his own have found to be beyond their powers.
* * * * *
=Cwm y Llan.=--This large cwm stretches away from Snowdon top to the
south-east between Yr Aran and Lliwedd. The scenery consists mainly of
the South Snowdon Slate Works, which occupy the centre of the valley, at
a height of about 1,100 ft., and of Sir Edward Watkin's road up Snowdon.
There is very little climbing, though some parts of Geuallt and Aran are
very steep. On the Lliwedd side there is a good rock (Craig Ddu), not
far from the slate works, and others rather smaller near the exit of the
valley, while at the head, near Bwlch y Maen, almost under Snowdon and
near Bwlch y Saethau, some difficult passages occur.
The slate quarry here must not be confused with 'Cwm y Llan slate
quarry,' which is not in this valley at all, but on the western slope of
Aran, about a third of a mile beyond Bwlch Cwm y Llan. This little pass
(about 1,700 ft.) is very useful to anyone who, after a climb on
Lliwedd, wishes to reach the nearest railway station, for Pont Rhyd-ddu
is very much nearer than Llanberis and can be reached without climbing
over Snowdon summit. From the top of Lliwedd the pass is in full view,
and a stone wall is seen stretching half-way from it towards two little
reservoirs which are some 600 yards higher up the valley than the slate
works. It is a mile and a half from Lliwedd by way of these reservoirs
to the top of the bwlch, which will hardly be reached within half an
hour. From the bwlch a fair path on the right bank of the stream leads
towards Llynygader, and soon crosses the path from Snowdon to
Beddgelert. By keeping round the hill to the right the Carnarvon
highroad (which is easily seen from above) is gradually neared. The
distance from the bwlch direct to the station may be covered in
three-quarters of an hour, making in all 1-1/4 hour from Lliwedd, as
compared with at least 2-1/2 hours which would be required to reach
Llanberis from the same point.
* * * * *
=Cwm Creigiog= is a shallow and unimportant hollow on the south-west
side of Snowdon, lying between Aran and the ordinary Beddgelert path to
the summit. The cwm has no attractions for a climber, yet at least one
life has been lost in it. This was in the winter of 1859, when a Mr. Cox
is said to have ascended Snowdon from Llanberis, and to have become
exhausted on the way down to Beddgelert, between Llechog and the farm
called Fridduchaf. His foolish guide left him alone and went in search
of food, with the result, which in such cases usually follows, of
finding his unfortunate employer dead on his return. The spot is marked
by a heap of stones. Mr. Baddeley says it 'marks the spot where a
tourist lost his life from exhaustion in 1874'--perhaps a mistake
arising out of a death of the same kind in that year on quite another
part of the mountain.
* * * * *
=Clogwyndur Arddu= ('Black Precipice') is the magnificent ridge which
divides Cwm Clogwyn on the south from Cwm Brwynog on the north, being
the western buttress of Y Wyddfa, or more strictly of Carnedd Ugain. The
ascent from the Snowdon Ranger traverses nearly the whole length of the
ridge, which broadens out at its western end into Moel y Cynghorion,
beyond which again is the low pass of Bwlch Maes y Cwm (1,100 ft.),
giving an easy passage from Llanberis to Snowdon Ranger and Beddgelert.
The cliffs on the north side of the ridge are grand, and have been
concerned in more than one fatal accident. In 1846 the Rev. Henry
Wellington Starr, B.A., of Magdalen Hall, Oxford, eldest son of Mr.
George Starr, of Hilperton, Wiltshire, and then a curate in Northampton,
left Dolbadarn Inn on September 6 to ascend Snowdon. He failed to
return, and on inquiry being made by his friends people came forward
with evidence which seemed to show that he had reached the top of
Snowdon, then descended to Gorphwysfa, crossed the head of Llanberis
Pass, and ascended Glyder Fawr. At that point a guide professed to have
met him, and brought him about half-way down, particularly noting that
he wore a single glove, corresponding exactly to another which he had
left with his luggage at the hotel. Search was made in every direction,
but it was not till the beginning of June in the following year that any
light was thrown on the mystery. On that day some of the clothes were
found accidentally by William Hughes, a huntsman, who was exercising his
dogs, apparently on Moel Cynghorion, and next day, on further search
being made, the skeleton was discovered buried under gravel. His purse
and chain were found, but his watch and ring were gone. It appears from
the evidence of Griffith Ellis, of Llanberis, who found part of the
remains, that the deceased had fallen over the cliff of Clogwyn Coch, on
Moel Cynghorion, while ascending from Llyn Cwellyn--that is, by the
'Snowdon Ranger' route.[17]
[17] The _Times_, 1846, October 14, October 24, October 30,
November 3, and 1847, June 5; the _Globe_, October 1846;
_Chambers's Journal_, May 1887.
In 1859 a fatal accident took place near the eastern end of the ridge.
The victim, George Henry Frodsham, a clerk in Liverpool, described as a
young man of very fine physique, arrived at Llanberis on Saturday,
August 13, accompanied by his cousin, F. A. Nicholson, and four friends,
T. Clayhills, J. Snape, J. Goodiear, and A. Gardner. It was midnight,
but they started off at once for Snowdon. They got as far as the
'half-way house,' where the proper path turns left, and up towards Cyrn
Las; they, however, took the right-hand fork, which leads to the old
copper level above Llyn du'r Arddu. Struggling up the rocks from the
mine, Frodsham, encumbered by an umbrella and a bag, and being,
moreover, in the dark, slipped and fell, unknown to his friends, who
returned to the proper path and gained the summit. His cousin is said to
have searched for him continuously from 4 A.M. on Sunday to 9 P.M. on
Monday. At 6 A.M. on Tuesday the body was found by W. Owen; the skull
was fractured both at the top and at the back, and the bag and umbrella
were found 200 yards higher up, indicating that distance as the extent
of his fall. A sapient jury drew from this sad event the moral that a
guide should be employed as a safeguard against sudden mists; but few
men need fear mists less than those who choose to climb when it is pitch
dark. It may be said that this party neglected no precaution which is
likely to ensure a fatal accident--inexperience, fatigue, darkness,
difficult rocks, the burden of bags and umbrellas.
* * * * *