29/06/2009New Bouldering Venue Unveiled

North Wales has a new high quality bouldering venue. After steadily cleaning up - in both senses of the word - all the best lines on the dolerite boulders at the base of the right-hand section of Moel y Gest Quarries (near Tremadog), Dave Noden is now more than happy for the wider world to know about it.

Andy Godber had originally sniffed out the possibilities a few months ago but failed to capitalise on his knowledge before his badly kept secret became Dave's rich pickings throughout June. To make the repeated visits less arduous he stashed a pile of mats at the crag. You'll definitely be happier having two or three bouldering pads for some of the rocky landings. This north-facing venue has clearly benefited from the recent dry spell.

On the two main boulders, only a few yards apart, Dave has climbed several superb lines, following grooves and aretes, mainly in the V7-V11 range. Chris Davies visited to add a short V11 (Drag Racer) with his signature flick-move and Jon Ratcliffe added a high V7 (Chummer's Wall) about 100 yrds further along.

The best problems on the right-hand of two split boulders closest to the cliff face are an obvious groove (Pinball Wizard, V6 - high crux with poor landing) and two overhanging aretes: Seven Pillars is the right-hand one (V7 stand-up from a pinch and side-pull or V8 sd) and Cruiser Weight on the left (V10/7c+ sd).

Moel y Gest bouldering On the western side of the other block, the stand-out problems include from r-l: Pinch Arete (V4sd), The Block See (V3!), and the magnificent Beatitude's Kiss (V11/8a) up the leaning groove with a sd start from two obvious slopers. At this time of year the block catches the afternoon sun and it'll definitely be unwelcome on the crucial sloper of Beatitude's Kiss. The under-cut left-hand arete on the opposite side of the block gives the three-star Deadman's Curve (V7/7a+ sd).

Details of parking for Moel y Gest can be found in the CC Tremadog guidebook. From the lay-by near the petrol station it's a 20-25 min walk to the boulders. About 100 metres after you exit from the woods and at a rocky rise in the path before a scree patch on the left, you need to follow a faint bracken covered path on the right. This will take you to the edge of the first of three quarried bays from where it's a simple matter of skirting along the base to the quarried 'jewels' at the far end.

Ground Up Productions has produced an interim topo, available as a pdf download. Go to the northwalesbouldering.com website to view it.

Photos

top: Dave Noden on one of his favourite additions to the dolerite boulders at Moel y Gest, Deadman's Curve V7/7a+. © Ray Wood