Smith, of Newport, met his death by a fall from the crags in 1864. His
body was not found until the following spring.
There is another Pen y Gader in South Wales, the highest point in the
Black Forest of Carmarthen (2,630 ft.); also between Y Foel Fras and the
Conway River a hill goes by the same name.
The ordinary excursions up the mountain are made from Dolgelly, by the
Foxes' Path, in 2-1/4 hours; by the Bridle Path, in 2-3/4 hours, or by Mynydd
Moel in 3 hours; from Arthog, easily reached by train from Barmouth, in
3 hours; from Tal y Llyn in 2 hours; and from Towyn in 4 hours.
The walk up from Towyn is by the Dysynni valley and the _Bird Rock_.
This has a very bold and steep front, broken up by narrow ledges. It can
be ascended with different degrees of ease, and is worth climbing for
the view. The rock is named from its usual frequenters, the kite, hawk,
and cormorant showing up in large numbers on the face.
_Rock Climbs._--(_a_) _On Mynydd Moel._--These are all fairly easy in
dry weather, and are worth exploring on a slack day. Standing at the
eastern corner of the little square Llyn Aran, we notice the highest
point of Mynydd Moel to the west. A fine-looking arete leads up to it
from the north, with a well-marked pinnacle apparently half-way up the
climb. This we shall call the north ridge. A prominent pillar of unusual
steepness is seen to our left, reaching to the height of the Ceu Graig
ridge. Its eastern side is cut into by a narrow gully that seems from
below to pass behind the pillar.
To the right of the Ceu Graig pillar is seen another gully, looking
steep but grassy; it is found to offer a pleasant route on to the ridge.
Above the upper screes at the foot of the higher crags several ascents
may be planned from below. The best is marked by two oblique chimneys
that start upwards to the left. Between this and the north ridge a large
scree gully leads up to the highest part of the mountain, and from it on
the right several short scrambles on good slabby rocks are obtainable.
[Illustration: CRAIG ADERYN (BIRD ROCK)]
The first of the Ceu Graig gullies, counting from left to right, is to
the left of the pillar, and takes three-quarters of an hour to ascend
from the lake. It starts with a water slide that we take on the right,
and we pass back into the gully immediately afterwards. Then the ascent
of an easy chimney makes us a little wet if the weather has been rainy,
and a pitch appears just above. This can be taken on the right or left.
The right-hand route gives us wet rocks; the left leads up a side
chimney, and back into the gully by an awkward grass traverse. After
this the gully divides, and leads us to the neck that joins on to the
pillar on our right.
The steep outside face of the pillar can be ascended, but is rather
dangerous. It is a sample of mantelpiece climbing, but the holds are
mostly of grass and heather, and some of the steps are long.
The next gully, a short distance to the right of the pillar, is more
open than the first, and is less steep. Some water is generally coming
down. The first obstacle is a wide cavern, that can be mounted
immediately to the left or avoided by passing up the easy open chimney
on that side of the gully. The second is a waterfall, and that also is
by preference passed on the left; the difficulty finishes with a short
corkscrew chimney. From this we emerge on to the open face of the
mountain, and a few feet of good rock bring us to the main ridge. We are
now at about the level of the upper limit of scree on the Mynydd Moel
face, and a traverse can be effected round to the oblique chimney
already referred to. In doing so we pass first a scree gully and then an
inviting cleft up to the left, but this is found to lose its interest
after the first 20 ft.
The oblique chimneys can be recommended for beginners, as the climbing
is only about 250 ft.; the rocks are very good, and the angle about 45 deg.
Water comes down the gully, but does not offer any trouble, except,
perhaps, at the first obstacle. If this is taken direct we climb up the
right wall, which overhangs, and cling sufficiently close to permit the
water to pass behind us. The second pitch is taken on the right, the
rock being so much undercut that we can pass behind the water. After
this a little more scrambling leads to a scree and an easy finish.
[Illustration: SKETCH MAP OF
CADER IDRIS]
The north ridge is somewhat disappointing. It works well up to the
pinnacle, which may also be approached by a dilapidated chimney on the
left. But just above this, where another ridge joins from the
north-west, it becomes a mere walk along the edge of a cliff.
Perhaps the neatest way of descending this cliff is by a very narrow
vertical chimney, marked at top and bottom by small piles of stones, a
little to the north of the big scree gully, and close to the highest
point of Mynydd Moel.
(_b_) _West of Mynydd Moel._--Here the north cliff is very much broken.
There are innumerable scree gullies up the face, but the rock ridges in
between them have no good features. There are one or two pinnacles just
below the ridge, easy to reach from above, but difficult from below. One
especially is worth a scramble, about 5 minutes' walk from Mynydd Moel;
a thin and uncommonly difficult chimney leads up its outside face.
(_c_) _On Pen y Gader._--The central gully up Pen y Gader is a prominent
feature of this face of the mountain. It was climbed many years ago, but
no definite account of its early history has been obtained. It is in
three obvious portions, as indicated in the illustration, and is
generally wet. The two shelves that divide the climb stretch obliquely
upwards to the right across the whole face, and may be reached in a
great variety of ways. Nevertheless the only good climbing is in the two
lower portions of the main gully.
The first piece takes us on to the shelf with about 70 ft. of climbing.
The gully narrows considerably, and we are forced on to the right-hand
side and up a steep and smooth slope of water-worn rock. Then we cross
over the water to the left, and effect an easy exit on to the ledge. We
next scramble over some irregular blocks and into a narrow recess at the
foot of the second pitch. This is a narrow chimney, very pleasant in dry
weather, landing us in 50 ft. on to the second ledge. From here the
ground is more open, and the climbing is of a slight character to the
summit, except in winter, when the whole gully is apt to be heavily
glazed. Under such circumstances the lowest pitch is almost dangerous.
The first pitch may be varied by striking up from the screes a few yards
to the left of the main gully, by the cleft shown in the illustration.
The second can be quitted altogether, and the columnar rocks to the west
taken in a variety of ways; and all along the upper corridor will be
found short pitches leading to the summit ridge.
(_d_) _On Cyfrwy._--There are two well-defined aretes leading up close
to the summit of Cyfrwy. The first _a a_ is in an easterly direction,
and may be seen in profile from the direction of Pen y Gader. This is
easily recognisable by the curious truncated pinnacle or tower some way
up. The second bears up from the north, and also shows a pinnacle, but
of smaller dimensions. Beyond the two aretes the climbing on Cyfrwy is
inferior, but between them there are a few interesting routes up the
crags.
[Illustration: CADER IDRIS
(seen across Llyn y Gader)]
The terrace _e e_ is easily reached from the screes. From it there are
two definite climbs, one _b b_ up a gully to the left, that leads out
on to the east arete, the other _c c_ up a more open gully that passes
to the summit ridge. It is possible that the notch between the great
tower and the east arete can be reached from this side, but the upper
part looks difficult.
The east arete was climbed in about 1888 by the writer. The first
recorded ascent was in January 1891 (H. K., W. E. S., and O. G. J.), and
the first ascent by a lady in August 1891 (Miss L. G., K. W. D., and O.
G. J.)
[Illustration: THE CYFRWY CLIMBS, FROM THE NORTH.]
It can be followed all the way up. The tower is best turned on the
right, and the vertical wall of 40 ft. that immediately follows is
climbed direct from the little gap, with just a slight divergence to the
left. The only serious difficulty on the arete is a wall of rock 100 ft.
higher up. It can be surmounted by a thin cleft, the jammed stones in
which are unsafe; or by working up the face a little to the left. The
situation is very exposed. This, and any other bad bits, can generally
be avoided by climbing down to the scree gully on our left. Near the top
of the arete we pass the exit of the chimney _b b_, which descends
steeply to the right.
[Illustration: CYFRWY ARETES
(The northern is seen in profile, the eastern is much foreshortened)]
The north arete has probably not been climbed, but the gullies on each
side have been taken. They call for no special comment. The one to the
right is worth ascending for the view of the fine rocks on this face. It
is mostly scree with a small pitch near the top, and was once marked
above by a little cairn. It is admirable when hard snow is about.
The gully _c c_ to the left is very open and risky, consisting of a
series of shelves formed by the falling away of the porphyritic pillars
that characterise the face.
The climb _b b_ is rather better. The scrambling from the terrace is
easy but steep, until a large overhanging boulder entirely blocks the
way. We then climb up the vertical wall on the left and traverse back to
the gully. It finishes very abruptly on the narrow upper ridge of the
east arete, and in a most unexpected way we find ourselves looking down
to Llyn y Gader with the face of Pen y Gader directly opposite.
There are a few short climbs on the face of Tyrrau Mawr, but nothing
very definite can be picked out.
(_e_) _On Craig y Cae._--The great gully of Mynydd Pencoed was climbed
for the first time on May 18, 1895 (W. P. H. S., E. L. W. H. S., and O.
G. J.) It is by far the finest climb in the Cader district; the work in
it is as varied as in any of the more familiar gullies in the
neighbourhood of Snowdon, and the rock scenery in its upper portion can
scarcely be surpassed on British soil. The upper part of the gully
attracted the attention of the writer in 1890, but it was not until
April 1895 that he made any attempt to enter the gully at its lower
extremity. Then he succeeded in forcing his way over the first pitch,
but the great rush of water coming down the gully made the second pitch
impossible, and the untimely fracture of an ice axe prompted a temporary
withdrawal.
On the day when the successful attempt was made the rocks were unusually
dry. In wet weather the difficulties of the climb are likely to be very
much increased, more especially in the narrower pitches, where the route
chosen by the climber is identical in position with that chosen by the
water, though opposite in direction so long as valour needs diluting
down to discretion. It seems probable that grass traverses may be found
to circumvent the lower pitches. The first and second, for example, may
be avoided by traversing into the gully from the left, over the grassy
buttress that supports the Pencoed Pillar. The third pitch may be passed
immediately on the left, if one treats the loose soil with due
consideration. The fourth and fifth seem from above to permit an
alternative route up to the right, over steep grass and back to the
gully by a treacherous-looking upward traverse to the left. From here
the three remaining pitches directly up the gully offer the simplest
solution to the rest of the problem; variations to the left and right
have been freely suggested, but are still untested.
[Illustration: LLYN Y CAE (OR CAU) AND CRAIG Y CAE (FROM CADER IDRIS)]
The climbing starts within 200 ft. of the level of Llyn y Cae, with a
short pitch some 12 ft. high, marked above by a cairn of stones. The
second pitch begins almost immediately, and must be taken direct, the
roof of the cave in its upper portion to be approached by a serpentine
squirm of the body after the cave is entered, up the thin crack on the
right. The third pitch is ferocious in aspect, but uncertain in action,
on account of the poor quality of its material. It consists of a large
cavern with a pendulous mass of brittle rock hanging down from the roof
somewhat to the left. The cavern is penetrated as far as possible on
this side, and then, with back to the hanging rock and feet on a hold
invisible from below, a passage may be effected outwards to the firm
hand-holds in the open. A jammed stone with debris attached, in the most
handy situation at the corner of the exit, is best left alone.
Soon after this we approach a long narrow chimney close to the left wall
of the gully. It is about 35 ft. in length, and the upper part gives
trouble. But a very fine foothold some 12 ft. up gives breathing space
for the final portion. Then the interest ceases for a while, as we mount
some 130 ft. of scree and smooth rocky slabs at an easy angle. This is
an excellent arrangement, for the fifth pitch, that now comes on, is
likely to demand all our powers of admiration for a while.
It consists of a cavern divided by two steep buttresses into three
parts, side by side, the middle one being most open to inspection but
most difficult to approach directly. Immediately above the left-hand
portion a vertical chimney rises some 40 ft., its lower end projecting
well over the cave and manifesting no direct route of approach from
below. To get to the foot of this chimney is the chief difficulty. The
method adopted was rather intricate, and probably permitted much
improvement. It has, however, the advantage that the leader need not
climb straight away the full 80 or 90 ft. without a halt. He first
penetrates as far as possible into the cave on the left, until the roof
bars further progress. Then he traverses over a dangerously smooth and
wet slab, with no perceptible foothold, to the middle portion of the
cavern. From here he works upwards and outwards until with a long stride
he steps out on to a little ledge on the right wall of the gully. Here a
hole through a large block enables him to manipulate the rope with
safety, and the second man can join him. The second may reach the
terrace more directly, if the rope is available, by working directly up
the middle of the gully till the level of the ledge is reached; but the
climbing is very uncertain, on account of the treacherous footholds.
From the ledge the leader passes back across the centre and over a
notched curtain of rock into the upper chimney. Here there is no doubt
as to the route; a resting-place is afforded for a moment by a little
cave, through the roof of which only the thinnest can hope to wriggle.
The edge of this roof is mounted on the right, and a few feet higher a
jammed block that dominates the pitch is turned on the right, up some
rather treacherous grass that needs very careful treatment. The writer
would like to add a word of advice to this already lengthy description
of the pitch. Don't attempt to qualify for the through route of the
little cave by slipping downwards and jamming in the chimney.
The three remaining pitches are short and near together, the last one
finishing a few feet below the summit of the ridge, some 850 ft. above
the lake.
_East Gully._--The gully immediately to the east of the Pencoed Pillar
was first climbed on May 19, 1895 (W. P. H. S., W. E. S., and O. G. J.)
As seen from the opposite shores of the lake it presents a striking
appearance, the middle part looking very difficult. It starts higher up
the face than the western climb (about 440 ft. above the lake), and
finishes on the ridge at a somewhat lower level than the top of the
latter (870 ft. above lake). Thus the climbing is much reduced, and the
whole ascent can be accomplished in an hour by a party of three. The
scrambling in it is almost continuous, and towards the middle, where the
rock walls close in the gully, the route is very steep, though none of
the pitches are severe.
We begin with oblique slabs of rock rather inclined to be wet. Then the
direct route lies over a block of rock with uncertain holds, but a cleft
to the left promises much better, and a traverse at the top leads back
easily to the gully again. The scrambling is very pleasant where the
right wall begins to overhang, and remains interesting till the gully
divides. From here screes lead up each part to the crest of the ridge,
but a small rock arete separating the two branches give us climbing all
the way.
Still more to the east is a shorter gully, composed for the most part of
scree, that can be taken in 20 minutes. It has two pitches, the upper
one requiring a rope. The first is taken up on either side, and is only
about 12 ft. high. The second is a cave pitch with a very fine interior.
The ascent is effected by backing up the rather loose walls of the cave,
and then bearing out to the left and over the obstacle. From here to the
summit is nothing but scree. The gully is afflicted with the near
neighbourhood of badly weathered rocks, and shows signs of having been
quite recently bombarded from the crags on the left.
These three gullies on Mynydd Pencoed represent all the climbing that
has as yet been attempted on the south side of Cader. It is much to be
hoped that a few interesting routes will yet be found between the pillar
and the small col that represents the lowest portion of Craig y Cau, and
the account of what has been done may induce others to visit this
unfrequented region. To the same end it might be advisable to throw out
the remark that the Pencoed Pillar, some 700 ft. high, looks quite
inaccessible from the grassy buttress at its foot.
South Wales.
It is scarcely worth while to enumerate the southern counties, as all
alike are destitute of climbs, except upon the sea cliffs. Some of these
are remarkably bold and picturesque, especially about Lydstep (Tenby)
and St. David's Head; but they cannot compare in any way with those of
Ireland, and least of all for climbing purposes, being mainly of
limestone. Just north of Aberystwith are some highly curious rocks,
giving a climb or two. Some twenty years ago a schoolboy was killed by
falling from them.
Of the inland rocks it will be sufficient to mention a few.
* * * * *
[Illustration: CLIFFS NEAR LYDSTEP (TENBY)]
=The Brecon Beacons= (2,910 ft.), in Brecknockshire (which name the
travellers of old, with some justice, modified to 'Breakneckshire'), are
sandstone peaks of very striking outline. Indeed, Mackintosh (who saw
them from the east) says, 'I was more impressed than I have been with
any mountain in Wales. Their outline excited a very unusual idea of
sublimity.'
Brecon is the best starting-point, and it is a good plan, though by no
means necessary, to drive to the Storey Arms inn (1,400 ft.), eight
miles towards Merthyr, or to go by train to Torpantau, and thus avoid
walking over any part of the way twice.
[Illustration: CLIFFS NORTH OF ABERYSTWITH]
The way is easy, and easily found; but a wary eye should be kept upon
the streams, which in this part of Wales are surprisingly rapid and
copious.
A curious notion once prevailed that nothing would fall from the top of
this hill. Many years ago an unfortunate picnicker disproved this. See
the _Times Index_, but the statement there made that he fell 12,000 ft.
is somewhat startling.
* * * * *
=The Black Mountains=, a wide stretch of charming hill-walking, have
little to attract the mere climber, nor will he find much on such hills
as the bastion-like =Blorenge= (1,720 ft.), in spite of their possessing
caps of 'mill-stone grit.'
* * * * *
=Plynlimon= (2,469 ft.) is seldom mentioned except with derision.
_The Beauties of Wales_ (1818) does indeed speak of 'the towering summit
which bears the name of Plinlimmon,' and quotes the equally appropriate
description given by Philips--
That cloud-piercing hill
Plinlimmon from afar the traveller kens,
Astonished how the goats their shrubby browse
Gnaw pendent.
But, in truth, the great difficulty which travellers have, whether far
or near, is to ken it at all; and many of them have vented their
disappointment in words of bitter scorn.
Pennant (1770) candidly admits that he never saw it, which is easily
understood, for the mountain is neither easy to see nor worth looking at
when seen. The ascent is a protracted bog-walk. It was made in 1767[19]
by L. N., but Taylor, the Water Poet (1652), sensibly calls it
Tall Plinillimon,
Which I no stomach had to tread upon.
[19] _Gentleman's Magazine_, 1768.
An amusing notice used to be seen at Steddfa Gurig (then an inn), 2-1/2
miles south of the summit, and 13-1/4 miles by road from Llanidloes:
'The notorious hill Plinlimon is on the premises.' This place, being
1,358 ft. above the sea, is the best starting-point for the ascent of
the mountain, and coaches run past it from Llanidloes.
* * * * *
=Aberedw Rocks= are fairly typical of the kind of climbing which is to
be found in South Wales. The rocks being quite close to the station of
that name on the Cambrian Railway, are brought within easy reach of
Rhayader and Builth Wells on the north and of Brecon on the south. Three
or four rock terraces, 15 to 20 ft. high, break the slope of the hill
beside the railway, and a sort of rocky cove penetrates it as well. Bits
here and there are not unlike the 'chimneys' on Slieve League, but the
material is more friable, resembling loose walls of very inferior slaty
fragments. A few harder masses stand out picturesquely as small
pinnacles, especially in the cove, near the head of which a lofty
bulging piece of rock has a vertical rift in it, which for a few feet
offers quite a difficult climb.
The river =Edw= (close by) has extremely steep, cliff-like banks, and
these are a common feature in other tributaries of the Wye. The
=Bachwy=, for instance, has a gorge which, seen as the writer has seen
it during a winter flood, is profoundly impressive. Malkin's description
(1804) should not be missed. He found 'rudely-shaped eccentricities of
nature, with all the mysterious gloom of vulgar and traditional
ascription,' 'dwarfishly fructified rock,' 'features all of a revolting
cast,' and 'a prospect rude and unchastised.'
The =Irvon=, again, has sides so rocky as to be chosen by the falcon for
nesting.
* * * * *
=Cwm Elan=, 5 or 6 miles from Rhyader, is a very pretty spot, and the
gorge of Cefn Coch is exceedingly striking. Mackintosh says that the
height is not less than 800 ft., and the cliffs are in many parts mural
and quite perpendicular. He declared that, while the cliffs on the
left-hand side of the river are very fine, he had seen nothing to
surpass those on the right. This from a hill traveller of his experience
is remarkably high praise. The writer has only visited these rocks once,
and has never attempted to climb there, nor, indeed, has he ever heard
of anyone else doing so. The Birmingham reservoir is to submerge several
miles of this cwm and the two houses in which Shelley stayed.
* * * * *
=Stanner Rocks= are quite near the station of the same name on the
branch of the Great Western from Leominster to New Radnor, and on the
north side of the railway. The material of which they are composed is
superior for climbing purposes to the soft shaly stuff so common in
South Wales, being the same eruptive trap rock which forms the hills of
Hunter, Worsel, and Old Radnor, and has metamorphosed the surrounding
limestone. These rocks narrowly miss being a good climb. The train from
Leominster takes about 50 minutes.
Near New Radnor is a precipice down which Cliffe (1854) mentions that a
gentleman rode, and he also records that another climbed the fall called
_Waterbreakitsneck_.
IRELAND
=Introduction.=--Climbing in Ireland, in the sense in which it is
understood in Switzerland, is, of course, unknown, although during a
winter of happily rare occurrence, such as that of 1894-5, abundant snow
and ice-slope work is no doubt obtainable. It would be accompanied,
however, by extreme cold and days of too short a duration for work.