Today my friends kid had her first multi pitched climbing experience with her dad, scaling the tiers of Lion Rock to the top. She is 6, had previous never got to the top of the climbing wall, but loved climbing outdoors. I had tea with her and her dad, as well as another young family from Llanberis whose kids do gym, ride horses and there mum wants to get them into ‘circus skills’.
North Wales is nothing if not an eclectic mix of people who do all types of wild and wonderful things. Whilst another handful of my friends took part in the Slateman Triathalon, I walked into Cwm Silyn on a lovely day that was trying its best to be summer but was fighting a pretty persistent and chilly wind.
Where I met another friend who was taking their friend daughter out for her first ‘real’ multi pitched route on Outside Edge. I can only think that that would be a really special day out and when we met them again half way up they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
I climbed with a friend I have never climbed with before, which is always tricky. As you don’t really know what they are really like at climbing. Simon obvious thought I was still climbing like I did a few years ago so gave me the crux pitch of Crucible, which at E1 I knew might be tricky as a friend previously suggested that it feels as hard as Jabberwocky the E2 to its right.
Anyway Si dispatched his pitch pretty quick and left me to mine. I got to the crux and was up and down widdling in gear. I then committed hung around placing another runner and got pumped and scuttled back down to the ledge.
It all seemed to be taking time, but eventually I committed and got through the crux, which was pretty good and reasonable testing for an E1. I then made my way across what I hoped was the rest of the pitch with plenty of Si re-reading the description with me trying to make the route fit.
Si ran up the last trick pitch and we join our friends on the Sunset ledge, before firing up the last easier angled rock to the top. It was the first time I have been to Cwm Silyn and it is a mighty fine crag, which gets a fair bit of sun.
I was surprised to see the VS’s mobbed by around 5 or 6 teams.
If you fancy coming to wales to enjoy some classic mountain routes or want to learn to rock climb then visit snowdonia Mountain Guides.