The friendliest of the crags you have to abseil into and therefore deservably popular. Lighthouse arete is often the first 'Gogarth' experience for many, and sometimes the last!

Don't be fooled though this is not just a punter venue, and at low tide it is well worth traversing round to below the main overhangs, where Stevie Haston forged his way through.

There is a A4 PDF topo of this crag on the photo topos page

Edit or view topos: Castell Helen Castell Helen 2

Approach

It is best to park at the South Stack Cafe, to do this you will need to patronise the cafe, but another brew and some cake a is great way to start and finish the experience. From the car park head towards the small white castle, this is Ellen's Tower, owned and run by the RSPB, where there is a CCTV monitor of the birds and sometimes climbers on Red Walls.

Go over a small wall just to the right of the tower (this panorama is taken from the top of the descent path) and descend a small steep path to the cliff edge and racking up spot. The abseil point for the the route on this section of cliff, is to the left looking out to sea. A 60 metre rope will get you as far as you need to go.

The Routes

The first couple of routes lie between the main section of the crag and redwalls

Captain Nemo E3 65m (R)

Nematoid 40m E3 5c (R)

From the belay at the top of the first pitch of Captain Nemo, climb up the obvious groove. At the top of the groove, go over a small roof and weave a way up the wall above to reach a diagonal break/ledge. Follow the break/ramp left to a large corner and finish up this to a grassy scramble.

A.Wainwright, J.Harrison. (on-sight) 5/9/96

Black light HVS 82m (R)

The next routes are access from the main abseil which is just down and left (looking out to sea) from the racking up spot, head down the corner on the left hand side of the massive half way girdle ledge. There are rumour abound that this ledge has been jumped off into the sea below, I would either a) check the landing or b) not listen to vicious rumours. As you approach the tide line of the cliff there is a triangular niche further out left. The routes to NW passage belay from here, it can get quite crowded. For other routes abseil down butswing right to a good traverse line that leads to below the large stepped overhangs.

Lighthouse Arete VS 80m ** (1966)

A great route to introduce people to the great experiences of sea cliff climbing and relatively easy for the grade. Pitches 1 & 2 and 3 & 4 can be linked.

1. 20m 4a. From the niche, traverse obvious ledges out left, trending up and to a ledge on the arete.

2. 15m 4b or 4c. Climb the wall on the right to a crack head direct to the small ledge below a roof that leads to the corner above, or more easily from the crack move right to ledge on the arete and go up to the same belay.

3. 15m 4c. Surmount the roof above and bridge in wild position for the grade up the corner. To the ledge above.

4. 30m 4a. From the ledge climb the crack on the right to easier ground and make a rising traverse traverse to arrive back at the abseil station that can become quite crowded, as many routes converge here.

A. G. Cram, M. Yates. 1966.

Lighthouse Arete Direct VS 75m **

this is the 4c variation on pitch two of the route.

First Ascent?

Blanco HVS 71m ** (1966)

A good route that is fairly straight forward for the grade. Start from the triangular niche.

1. 28m 4c. From the niche climb rightwards up the crack, then trend leftwards up the wall to a good stance around the first white patch.

2. 18m 5a. Move left and climb the steep wall to a niche, continue up the short groove on the left. Turn the overhang on the right and climb straight up to the stance on the arete.

3. 25m 4a. Ascend the arete to easier ground, and then trend right to reach the abseil station.

First Ascent?

A State of Saturation 73m HVS (1984)

An eliminate that squeeses it way in between Blanco and Posiedon.

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First Ascent?

Poseidon VS 68m *

A similar line to Blanco?!

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Pel VS 65m **

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North West Passage E1 71m **
Start as for Rap
1. 5a. Move across the walltrnding slightly left to a crack system in the middle of the wall, straight up the wall to a vague groove and follow this to theleft of the platform.
2. 5b. Climb up to a traverse line after 6mts. follow this right to a peg. and gain the next break up. Up left into a short open groove. Step left onto the front of the face.Climb straight up to the top in a fine position.
FA Al Evans, Jim Moran (led pitch 1). G Milburn, N Siddiqui, 1.5/78

Rap VS 65m **

Start at ledges at the bottom right of the front face. Feels quite hard for VS.
1. 4c An excellent steep pitch but with good holds and gear. From the ledge climb up and initially leftwards before straighteneing up and heading for the obvious corner/groove in the middle of the face. Tricky moves gain the corner which soon eases and so romp up on good jugs to reach the belay ledge.
2. 4c From the belay step left and climb up the centre of the red wall to an obvious large break. Ferret around in the back of this for good gear (make sure its well extended) and then quest on up the wall above. This can feel hard on first aquaintence, especially if takled directly, coming in from the left may make things easier for you. As the angle eases bear leftwards, round a big block to reach a slab and so up this to the ab point.

Limping Lisa E2 5b 37m

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True Moments E1 86m **
Start as for Rap.

1. 4b Climbs the righthand arete and the wall just to its left. An excellent pitch with some beautiful climbing and good gear. From the belay head up for a few metres until good holds enable you to gain the arete. Climb this, taking time to enjoy the amazing scenery surrounding you, untill you are forced back onto the face. A slightly awkward move up leads to easier climbing and the half way ledge.

Caress of Steel

Atlantis E1 68m **

1. 5a Climb the obvious right facing corner, to belay on the halfway ledge. This pitch is technical, sustained and excellent.
2. 5c Above the belay just to the right of centre is a short technical groove (peg reported MIA in 2007), climb the wall to gain the groove, an awkward move right allows one to exit the groove. Continue diagonally up and right to gain another more continuous groove. Climb this to the top.

Freebird E1 104m ***
1. 4c. Move up to the ledge on Lighthouse Arete. Climb diagonally right across Blanco and gain the platform by the groove of Pel.
2. 5b. From the right of the Platform follow a lower traverse line and belay below the roof on the slab.
3. 5b. Step up left where the roof is an overlap and pull into the groove. Climb diagonally rightwards above the roof (exposed) to finish up an easy groove, a fine pitch.
FA Al Evans, N Siddiqui, G Milburn,Jim Moran (led pitch 1). 27/3/78

Atlantis/True Moment/Freebird E1 92m ***
1. Climb the corner of Atlantis to a few metres below the belay ledge, then quest out right as for true moments to the belay. Finish up Freebird.

The Flight of the Do Do E4 6a 30m.

Start below an overhanging corner, 17 metres right of the last belay of Freebird. Climb the overhanging wall (small hidden wires) to pull leftwards onto the wall, right of the top pitch of Freebird.

M.Turner, L.Thomas. (1996).

Caught 'Twixt the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea E3 43m

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This climb is uncredited in the CC guidebook. It was first climbed by Kevin Howett and myself ca 1982. The name came about because we turned the car radio on as we drove home and those were the first words that came out of it! Stephen Reid

Atlantic Wall (Original)

Atlantic Wall 2000 E3 75m. *

1 45m. 5c. Climb the arête right of the Atlantis pitch 1 corner, easily at first until forced to climb the centre of the wall for a few moves. Move immediately back right to stand on the arête where Atlantic Wall emerges from below the overhangs. Climb up then diagonally rightwards along a broken crack to gain a blunt right-facing rib after a few metres, which is climbed to reach the traverse of True Moments at the shallow cave on the traverse fault - about 6 metres right of Atlantis corner. From the right-hand end of the cave, gain the wall above and climb directly to the girdle traverse line, just below the thin wet groove that is 4 metres left of the North West Passage groove line. Belay.

2 30m. 6b. Gain and climb the thin wet groove to its junction with Caught 'Twixt the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Make a move up the leftwards slanting groove of Caught 'Twixt.. until a step rightwards across the face can be made to gain a footledge on the right. From here, climb difficult moves straight upwards, well protected by R.P's, to join North West Passage. Follow this to finish.

First Ascent ?,1969

Given a brief description in the Alec Sharp guide, Atlantic Wall was redescribed by Geoff Milburn in the 1981 supplement with the top pitch moved rightwards to make room for North West Passage. The 1990 guide redescribed Atlantic Wall once again and, with a fine disregard for historic precedent, relocated the first belay far to the right of the halfway ledge, creating an excellent pitch at a stroke. In keeping with tradition, Atlantic Wall is redescribed for the new millennium as climbed by G.Huxter and H.Jones,(5/00).

Hanging out at Glastonbury E4 **

A good traverse which allows the excellent 3rd pitch of Free Stone Henge to be experienced by lesser mortals. Start 7m down from Castle Helen Ledge in the corner of Atlantis, on good nuts.

1 17m. 5c. Follow the obvious traverse line right to the arête and belay (junction with Obelisk).

2 6a. Reverse the traverse of Obelisk and carry on right to belay in centre of slab.

3 5c. Pitch 3 of Free Stone Henge.

4 5b. Finish up Kalahari.

M.Turner and ?


Obelisk 79m E5 ***


Vital Statistix E8 77m.

Start on the right hand side of the two cheese wedges.

1 23m. 5b. Step off the left hand end and climb up steeply to the base of a right facing corner and continue up the slab to belay below the overhanging v-roof of Free Stone Henge.

2 7m. 6c. Take the roof direct, right of Free Stone Henge. Start by reaching a large undercut (good nut) and continue with body bars to a rest and undercut up the overhanging groove to a wild bold finish.

312m. 6c. Climb the roof left of Free Stone Henge.

4 35m. 6c. Climb the overhanging wall left of Obelisk's top pitch. Follow the quartz streaks to a peg and R.P's. A hard move left and up gains undercuts, peg, and continue steeply direct to finish. Bold.

M.Turner, L.Thomas. (6/95, climbed over various days).

Kalahari E3 73m **
A quality route traversing rightwards through the big roofs. Good gear and solid rock with the hard climbing short lived. from the base of the abseil, traverse right (looking in) to some sloping ledges below the first bulge.
1 10m. 4c. From the right end of the ledge, pull steeply through the bulge on large holds. Belay on the slab on the right.
2 45m. 5c. Be wary of rope drag on this pitch. Move up the right end of the slab to a peg. Hard moves right lead round onto the next wall. Follow the slanting crack rightwards to a fine position on the arete. Carefully climb the runout groove above followed by easy slabs to belay beneath the upper headwall.
3 28m. 5b. A fine mini-route. Climb up onto a large block from the left and tackle the strenuous but well-protected crack above. Climbing the centre of the block via a thin crack is poorly protected 5c (pushing grade up to E4?)

Drunken without Trace E6 46m.

Start at overhanging groove directly below top of pitch 1 of Kalahari.

1 13m. 6b/c. Climb up the wall to below the overhanging groove. Over this and move up to the obvious line of jugs leading to the ledge.

2 33m. 6a. Traverse right across break to a loose spike (white tape) and climb up and left through Kalahari (rest). Climb straight up and thrutch through the overhanging chimney. Wild pull out leads to slab above.

M.Turner, L.Thomas, Ian. McNeill. (1992).

Gobi HVS 76m

Where Puffin's Daren't * HVS 4a-5a
A girdle with fine climbing, slightly easier than Castell Hele Girdle mostly above that route but they join for the last two pitches. Start up Lighthouse Arete Direct pitch 1. Up 10mts to the big break and across to belay in the corner of Atlantis. Go across the steep wall to a juggy break across to the belay below the roof on Freebird. Down to join Castell Helen Girdle and follow this for 3 pitches to finish,
FA Al Evans, G Milburn, N Siddiqui, S Horrox.. 28/5/78

Castell Helen Girdle E1 5b
As for pitch 1 Freebird then follw a traverse line to the belay on Freebird. Follow slabs under the roof. Up the exposed ramp and right above huge overhangs to a corner.Traverse 3 mts right to a foothold on the arete, steeply back left and up the corner on good holds to the top.
FA A Cram, M Yates 8/10/66