The Tubes is an intriguing riverside crag close to Fairy Glen on Afon Conwy near Betws y Coed. Although much cherished by a small gang of Tube specialists (Crispin Waddy, Paul Pritchard, Adam Wainwright, George Smith, Nick Dixon, Johnny Dawes) it has never really caught on with a wider audience.

It is normal to take a small top roping kit, as, although the crag is not excessively high, many of the landings are either bad, or submerged by the river. That said, there are a number of problems that can be bouldered out without a rope, and only a small but significant few have not been soloed.

The majority of the problems/micro routes can only be accessed when the river is running low, i.e. during a dry spell. It has a reputation as a summer venue, and it is true that seepage lines do persist on certain problems, but it can come into condition all year round.

George Smith sent in the adjacent images, so I thought I would post them up in the hope that a few folk might get inspired for a visit.

For the full break down see pages 243-8 in the Climbers’ Club 2002 Meirionnydd guide (which strongly hints at the potential for new development).

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