Dave Williams making an ‘amazing journey’ on the first ascent of Beaj Iskis, HVS 4c Ynys Lochtyn An interim guide Ynys Lochtyn will be fully detailed in the forthcoming Climbers’ Club guide to Mid Wales (anticipated publication date of 2015) Doug Kerr Dave Williams making an ‘amazing journey’ on the first ascent of Beaj Iskis HVS 4c This is an interim guide to climbing on Ynys Lochtyn © Doug Kerr/ Climbers’ Club Ynys Lochtyn and the neighbouring areas of Pen Trwyn Lochtyn and Pen Bilis will be fully documented in the forthcoming Climbers Club Mid Wales Guide / Meirionnydd Supplement. This publication will update the Meirionnydd (2002) guidebook and provide definitive coverage to new areas of Mid Wales such as Elenydd North and Elenydd South (including the entire Ceredigion Coast). In the meantime the climbing at Pen Trwyn Lochtyn and Pen Bilis (adjacent to Ynys Lochtyn) is fully detailed in the Climbers Club Pembroke North Volume 1, published in March 2013. This guidebook details a further 29 routes (from D to E3). Approach The small tidal island of Ynys Lochtyn lies 1.5 miles to the north east of the seaside village of Llangrannog in Ceredigion. Llangrannog is approached via the A487 from Aberystwyth (30 miles to the north east) or Cardigan (12 miles to the south west). For full details of the approach/car parking from Llangrannog please refer to the Climbers Club Guide Pembroke North Volume 1, see page 45. Ynys Lochtyn is the island situated just beyond the headland of Pen Trwyn Lochtyn. Ynys Lochtyn only becomes an island at high water. It is possible to cross to the island by means of a rocky beach, normally passable up to approximately 2.5 hours on either side of high water during neap tides but more time should be allowed during spring tides. The rocky beach is gained by an exposed and steep cliff path which leads down (in a south easterly direction) from the eastern tip of the peninsula. The path becomes extremely slippery when wet and care is advised under such conditions. Alternatively, an abseil stake can be used to make a 35 metre abseil into the narrows between the headland and island. All the climbs are described from Left to Right and in turn the cliffs are described from North to South © Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales 1 © Hawlfraint y Goron: Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru Page Did you know? “Ceredigion's 80 km of coastline boasts some fine sandy beaches and high quality transparent sea water. Ceredigion is one of only two places in the United Kingdom with a permanent summer residence of bottlenose dolphins.” Wikipedia Black Caviar, HS 4b, Doug Kerr on the first ascent The first ascent of Heavy the Beat of Weary Waves, S 4a, Doug Kerr attempting to make the first ascent of Deep Blue, Dave Williams climbing E1 5b, before rain stopped play 2 Page The West Coast Stormborn Walls The Stormborn Walls are located at the far northern end of the island. The routes here are very condition dependent and all of the climbs require low tide, calm seas and a settled period of dry weather. Stormborn Walls Left Hand Approach: Via an easy scramble down the rocky ridge and then by an abseil to the ledge (exposed at low tide) beneath Black Caviar. The short slab to the left of Piano Tuna has been climbed in several places but the climbing does not warrant further detailed description. 1 Piano Tuna 12m VD Gain the hanging groove and finish direct 2 Black Caviar 15m HS 4b The quartz slab. 3 Salmon en Route 16m HVS 5a The sustained corner. 4 Tuna Hash 18m E1 5b The shallow groove with a hand traverse rightwards. 5 Fish Fingers 16m E1 5b The thin crack to finish up the hanging groove on the left. Prone to dampness. 6 Salt Water Cure 20m S 4a The left hand line which can also be started to the right at the same grade. 7 Creative Whiting 20m S 4a The centre of the slab. The next two routes are not shown on the photo-topo: 8 Fate Loves the Fearless 20m E1 5c The black slab gained by a traverse from Creative Whiting. Often wet and greasy. 9 Lemon Soul 20m HVS 5b 3 The slanting chimney/corner which terminates the wall above a deep, narrow inlet. Page Stormborn Walls Stormborn Walls Right Hand Approach: Is made from the south by descending a narrow slabby ramp and by traversing northwards along very slippery ledges. Low to mid tide required. The first two routes can also be approached directly by abseil. 10 Can You Tell What it is Yet? 19m VS 4c The slanting arête that overlooks Lemon Soul. 11 Paint it, Black 19m VS 4b The deep, shallow groove just to the right moving right to pull through the bulge. Hardly independent climbing. 12 Black Snapper 19m E2 5b The steep hanging groove with a bold start. 13 Big Guns 19m E3 5c The overhanging crack. 14 Little Miss Sunshine 18m E4 5c The overhanging wall is gained from the left. Steep and bold. 15 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Climb 17m E4 6a The hard and blind overhanging wall. 16 Lochtyn Syndrome 15m VS 5a The corner is tricky at the top. 17 Dawnsio Ar Y Dibyn 15m HS 4a The shallow groove to the right stepping left to finish up the arête. 18 Born of a Broken Man 15m S 4a The left hand side of the short black arête. 4 Page Undercover Wall Approach: Is made from the south by descending a narrow slabby ramp (as for Stormborn Walls Right Hand). The routes here can be climbed at high tide. About Time HS 4b The left hand arête on its right hand side (not shown on the topo). 1 Full Time 15m S 4a 2 The Last Time 15m HS 4b 3 Come in, Your Time is Up 15m VD 4a 4 Time on My Hands 15m S 4a 5 Time of Your Life 15m HS 4b The leftward trending flake. 6 Out of Time 15m E2 5c F inish direct or more easily to the left at E2 5b. Yellow Wall This is the area of broken rock that lies between Undercover Wall and Quartz Wall. Approach: By abseil or via a scramble descent from either the south or from the north. A fairly low tide, with a calm sea, is required. The rock here can be climbed anywhere; other lines have been climbed but only the better ones are described here. Yellow Wall Left Hand 1 Dyddiau Melyn 30m VD Start 4m to the left of the corner/groove of Sgyl ‘N’ Crosbons and climb direct. 2 Storm in a Sea Cup 30m VD This follows a narrow blocky pillar on the lower wall to finish direct. 3 Sgyl ‘N’ Crosbons 30m D The initial quartz groove/corner and finish via the broken upper crack. 5 Page Yellow Wall Right Hand Yellow Wall Right Hand is the short upper wall to the right of Sgyl ’N’ Crosbons. The routes can be climbed at all states of the tide. The broken lower walls have also been climbed but the climbing is of the ‘go anywhere’ variety which does not warrant any further detailed description. 4 Cae Melyn 10m VD The groove. 5 Disruptive Elements 10m HS 4a 6 Spirit in Motion 10m S 4a 7 High Finance 10m S 4a 8 Room at the Bottom 10m D The quartz groove. 9 Cwyn y Gwynt 10m D The right hand groove. 6 Page Quartz Wall This lies at sea level to the right of Yellow Wall. Approach: By abseil or via a scramble descent and a straightforward sea level traverse from the north. Mid to low tide is required. 1 Heavy the Beat of Weary Waves 30m S 4a The stepped quartz ramp. 1a A direct start gains the ramp at a higher point. 2 The Icing on the Cake 32m HVD A counter diagonal line. 3 Heulwen Cwarts 30m E1 5a Bold climbing up the slabby quartz wall. 4 Something Nasty in the Vault 30m VS 4c The deep corner/groove on the right. Recessed Wall This is the wall extending rightwards from Quartz Wall. Approach: At mid to low tide (calm seas required) by abseil or via a scramble/traverse from the north. 1 Hiraethu 30m VD The flake line which bounds the left edge of the wall. 2 We Know our Onions 30m S 4a 3 Boots, Boots, Boots 30m VD 4 West Coast Life 30m VD The shallow groove in the left wall of the recess. For the next routes there are good belays in the starting recess of West Coast Life. 5 All is Safely Gathered in 30m S 3c Climb direct from the recess (bold) and straight up the slabby wall. Finish more easily up the hanging groove. 6 The Day the Balloon Went Up 30m S 4a Step right and climb the left hand side of the slabby wall to finish up a shallow corner. 7 Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel 32m E2 5b A direct line up the right hand side of the slabby wall. Finish up the white quartz wall. 8 Beaj Iskis 35m HVS 4c 7 The stepped corner is sustained. Page Ocean Wall This is the compact buttress between Recessed Wall and Hidden Wall. The base of the wall is sea washed at all times so approach is made by abseil. Climbing is possible here at all states of the tide unless a big sea is running.