A worthwhile venue if the mountains are shrouded in their normal cloud suit. The route hereabouts are considerably less committing than anything on any of the sea cliffs. The rock is the same, although there is a much more obvious glassy feel to the quartzite, though the ramps are rather more flaky. A great way to prepare yourself for Castell Helen.
Holyhead MountainRamp C
Breakaway E2 5c 37m.
Climbs the steep crack on the overhung buttress. Layback round the overhang at 5m to a bridging position. A tricky move up gains an arm swallowing pocket. Go up over a bulge at a shallow groove and finish easily up slabs.
J.Dalton, M.Petty. (28/5/93).
P.C.H HVS 5a 15m.
Climbs the diagonal crack in the wall over looking Primrose Hill Gutter. Climb up the slab, step right and follow a crack, jamming over an overlap at 10m. Easier start further up left.
J.Dalton, M.Petty. (28/5/93).
Ramp D
Stairs Direct 5a?
Climb the short corner as for pitch 1 of Stairs but step left and climb through the 1st roof with a crack in its middle,mantleshelf, then continue up rightwards to the next roof, move right to a short wall and finish up this.
M.Handford,Shan Rees Roberts 03/02/07
Ramp F
Oh Man, I Gotta Have a Wildebeast E1 4c 10m.
The slab right of Mental Block, following a quartz streak. One runner, very low down.
I.O.Roberts, D.Noden, E.Parry. (1999).
Minime E2 5b
The right hand arête of the wall of Pisa, climbed on its left hand side. Fiddley cams and a thin sling protect
I.O.Roberts, D.Noden. (1999).
YELLOW WALL
View or edit Yellow Wall Topo
The Raver
Bloody Fingers
Thread
Wind
Uhuru
Jones' Crack
Bran Flake E2 5b 30m **
Have three Weetabix for breaky before you attempt this one.
Similar to but harder than Ferdinand on the Wenallt.
Split the climb in two (park just after the steep bit).
Better communication and less stretch when your second sits on the rope!
Shreddies E2 40m.
Start at a thin crack between Bran Flake and Croissant.
1 17m. 5c. Climb to the overlap and go leftwards to base of large flake. Go round this on the right to belay up in a cave.
2 23m. Climb easily up slabs to finish.
Nick Sharp, J.Dalton. (12/5/94).
Croissant
Mirrored in the Cleft
Big Jim E3/4 6b 30m
The 'steeper than it looks' crack system left of King Bee Crack turns mean near the top.
From just left of King Bee climb to a left-sloping ramp. Follow this to its top then tackle a technical and strenous flake crack to gain a horizontal break (siesta here?). Exit leftwards up an easy slab.
K Robertson, A Lewandowski (12/7/1981).
A Seagull Ate My Crisps E4/5 6b 20m.
Climbs the slanting crack in the gully left of King Bee Crack. Climb up to a big spike and traverse left along the break until a hideous jam enables a rest to be appreciated in a niche. Climb the arête/corner to the top.
M.Turner, Mel Griffiths. (6/98).
King Bee Crack *** HVS 5a
Snakebite Wall * 37m E4 6a 37m.
A fine eliminate giving bold, thin wall climbing linking KBC and Katana.
From just right of KBC climb a short left slanting crack for 3 metres. A long stretch right via a flat handhold gives access to a series of pockets and edges leading to a peg. Continue slightly rightwards to join Katana for the final pump!
K. Neal, M. Gresham. (10/10/1986)
Trouser Snake E4/5 6a
A variation to Snakebite Wall. From hollow flakes down and left of Katana, crimp up the wall leftwards to join Snakebite Wall after its rightwards traverse. Follow this to just before it joins King Bee Crack, arrange gear. Traverse up and right to a poor tied off peg then up to a good jug/spike, just left of Penny. Ignore thoughts of escape into Penny, instead head up and left to finish via a left facing groove and easy-peesy slab.
Tim Neill, Toby Keep. (22/6/03).
Katana ** E4 6a
Sai Dancing * E3 6b??
Start just right of Katana. Climb the wall directly to a ledge and junction with Penny. Follow Penny for a few moves up the crack (peg) until it is possible to pull out right onto the headwall using undercuts and small edges. Full on!! Your heading for the crack on the R which has a hidden peg at its top. From the 2nd peg, pull over on to a slab and trend back L to an interesting groove (perplexing). Climb the groove and bulge above to belay well back.
Trherh Arête E6 6a
Obvious arête (and slab above), right of Sai Dancing.
Mel Griffiths, M.Turner. (6/98).
Penny ** E3 5c
The higher you go - The harder it gets!
Twilight ZoneThe Electric Spanking of War Babies The Electric Lady Charlotte E3 5c 27m.
The diagonal line running leftwards out of Patience, crossing The Electric Spanking… near the top.A bit loose in places.
Rich Parry, Mike Gresham. (8/96).
Patience
Don't join the Army Frank! E3 6a
On the right side of the main area, takes the superb arête right of Patience. Gain the arête from the right and reach around for an obvious thread on the left wall. Climb the right side of the arête and pull right into a niche. Continue up until a runner can be placed in the crack on the right (Drying Out). Rock over left to a dinky slab finish. P.S: Don't do it Frank.
Simon Sartram, Barric Barrett. (31/7/90).
Drying Out
The Arrow E3 5c 25m.
This takes a slab with an overhanging section at half height. Sustained for approximately 5 metres.
G.Mitchell, J.Loveridge. (1999).
Bad Influence E3 5c 25m
Start at the foot of the slab between Black and Tan, and Breaking the Barrier. Climb the slab via a faint white streak (difficult). Continue in the same line to stand on two large foot holds. Traverse right to gain the thin crack, which is climbed to the top.
C.Greatwich, C.Stephenson, L.A.Dutton. (26/7/91).(The thin crack was climbed as a direct finish to Breaking the Barrier (E2 5c, 1989) by John Donnely).
Point Taken E2 5c
Start as for Breaking the Barrier. Climb to the left of the cracks on Breaking the Barrier to a good crack. Follow a vague groove (R.P's protect) and join Black and Tan on the left. Traverse right to the cracks splitting the headwall, left of the finish to Breaking the Barrier, and finish up there. (A new route has been reported taking this finish. Point Taken is independent and left of this).
J.Hope, K.Niel. (7/91).
Relief E2 5c 26m.
An enjoyable and worthwhile eliminate which follows the arete just right of Echoes.
Climb the crack of Bruvvers for three metres then balance left on reasonable footholds to gain the arete. Follow its slabby left hand side till tricky moves rightwards gain a flake and the top.
Dreaming of Home - worth E1.
Time to Reflect worth E2 5c?
Scissorhands E1 5b
Up the gully from Tempest is a blunt undercut arête, with a crack that stops at 6m.
N.Ashton. (29/8/91).