Ty Powdwr - Birthday climbing

Present: Colin Maddison, Roisin Maddison, Duncan Lee, Vicky Alderton, Kieran Lee, Roger Dyke, Kevin Anderson, Jim Symon, Robert Clarke, Dave Wyllie, James Williams, Rick Kruz, Ruth Ashton, Al Metelko, Jamie Warr,

 

The intense sun beats down on the climbers, baking the gleaming white limestone. They look oddly shaky through the shimmering heat haze. The silence is broken only by the occasional call and the chirping of a thousand cicadas. It is a scene that could be witnessed at any number of crags across southern Europe.

But, alas, this is North Wales and Castle Inn Quarry. The intense sun is more akin to a 60 watt light bulb, the heat haze in fact a light mist drifting in from the Irish Sea, the climbers genuinely shaky and the chirping of the cicadas the incessant chatter of a young child of the genus Lee.

Such is Roger’s introduction to sport climbing by Duncan and Vicky. But the bug has bitten; next stop SDS Tool Hire for the Hilti drill.

Saturday; b----r, a year older! But, hey ho, it’s dawned fine. Several have arrived the night before, including the A55 rock jocks. There is uncertainty in the face of dry rock, but plans are quickly made.

Quick to exploit a rare occasion when Dave has, “Not a thought in my head”, Roger drags him to the quarries to satisfy his new found craving for bolts. Rick and Ruth head for Tremadog and Jim and Robert take the bus up the Pass. Amid this frenzy of activity Dr Anderson settles to some al fresco PhD assessment.

Vicky, unfortunately, is under the weather so we make a later start for the slate quarries and Australia, where Duncan assures me I have a burning desire to lead ‘Looning the Tube’ (HVS 5b). In turn, Duncan leads ‘Gadaffi Duck’ (F6b) and I’m more than a little surprised in following that I can still get my foot somewhere near my ear when circumstances absolutely demand it!

Whilst Vicky heads to the hut father and son go exploring, so I wander up a few levels in search of Wylie and Dyke. I find them packing their sacks in the mistaken belief that they are done for the day. Between them they have polished off everything up to and including F5c+ on the Sidings.

They are easily seduced up a few more levels to the Skyline Buttress. On the way Roger relates a tale that inspires the muse of poetry.

There was a young lady from Lymm

Who went climbing with Rog Dyke in Cwm Silyn

Her name he forgets

But has no regrets

As the climbing he found quite fulfillin’

Well it nearly works and it’s not as if you’re paying me to write this stuff!

Up at the Skyline Buttress Dave follows me up the fine 40m pitch of ‘Clash of the Titans’ (F6a) and is only mildly surprised at the single rusty bolt and slate cairn belay.

Back at the hut for a cuppa and we find James just arrived and eager to climb. Jim and Robert return from the Mot having enjoyed ‘Western Slabs’(VS). Jim joins James, Roger and myself for another trip into the quarries where we are joined by Al, another late but welcome arrival. James puts in a good effort on the sharp end on ‘Gadaffi Duck’(F6b) and Jim puts in a lot of swearing on the blunt end. Then Roger presides over a mass ascent of his namesake ‘The Deceptive Dyke’.

Meanwhile down at Tremadog Rick and Ruth take in a couple of routes on the upper tier of Pant Ifan before strolling over to Bwlch y Moch for ‘Chwys’, a traditionally tough HVS that has long aspired to be an E1 and is now an E2!

A good day done we all settle to an enjoyable evening and a fine shared evening meal, birthday cake and other goodies prepared by Roisin’s loving hand with help from her assistant Jamie.

Jim is quizzed over his fledging IT skills and pressed for his email address:

Jim, “It’s Jim Symon at Hotmail dot com”.

Kevin, “Hot male! You could be done under trading standards”.

Alas Sunday dawns wet. Some head homeward, but it dries up towards midday and those that remain venture out. Jim and Robert go for a run, whilst Dave goes for a walk “Over yonder” which turns out to be the whole skyline opposite. Duncan, Vicky, James, Al and myself go back to the quarries and Never Never Land for various combinations on ‘Hawkeye’ (F5+), ‘Fresh Air’ (F6a) and ‘Tomb Raider’ (F6a+). A couple of short routes in the Bus Stop rounds of proceedings and a fine weekend.

Thank you to everyone that came along and made it a really enjoyable weekend and especially to Roisin for an excellent birthday supper.

Colin Maddison