Climbing in The British Isles Volume Ii Part 9

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 pa.s.ses 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.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 pa.s.s the exit of the chimney _b b_, which descends steeply to the right.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 surpa.s.sed 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 gra.s.s traverses may be found to circ.u.mvent the lower pitches. The first and second, for example, may be avoided by traversing into the gully from the left, over the gra.s.sy b.u.t.tress that supports the Pencoed Pillar. The third pitch may be pa.s.sed 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 gra.s.s 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 ma.s.s 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 pa.s.sage 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 s.p.a.ce 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 b.u.t.tresses 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 pa.s.ses 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 gra.s.s 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 finis.h.i.+ng 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 sh.o.r.es 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 gra.s.sy b.u.t.tress at its foot.

South Wales.

It is scarcely worth while to enumerate the southern counties, as all alike are dest.i.tute 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CLIFFS NEAR LYDSTEP (TENBY)]

=The Brecon Beacons= (2,910 ft.), in Brecknocks.h.i.+re (which name the travellers of old, with some justice, modified to 'Breaknecks.h.i.+re'), 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 miles south of the summit, and 13 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 ma.s.ses 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.