Adam Hocking continues to tap into the vast array of projects that still (after all these years) litter the flanks of the Llanberis Pass. These lines are well known by the local cognoscenti, but sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes, and a fresh pair of arms to bring things to a head.

Tonight Adam trekked up the diagonal approach path to Carreg Wastad from the Jerry’s Roof/Ynys Ettws layby to investigate the large pancake shaped boulder that sits perched up on the steep hillside. The left to right traverse of this huge undercut slab of stone proved to be a real pumpy battle, warranting an admission from Hock that he had to “fight a bit”; make what you will of the suggested V6 grade. He originally said V5, until I questioned his harshness. (Actually, French 7b+ would provide a more appropriate appraisal.) Start on the left and follow the sloping lip rightwards to a cruxy section turning the arête into an uphill sprint up the right side of the ‘pancake’. Rope-free horizontal sport climbing at its best

Just up and left lies a slightly overhanging face, which yielded a hard fingery line. Adam started sitting down on the left, close to the left arête, on a good finger jug, before pushing rightwards into the centre of the face on increasingly poor holds. A final dynamic slap connected him with a jug, and shortly after, the top of the face. This fingery beast rates V9, but the obvious sitting start project to the right remains unclimbed. Fancy a pop?

Names to follow.

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