A secret area on Anglesey has finally been revealed after months of procrastination by the injury prone protagonists who discovered and developed it.

The chief interest is a trio of brilliant new problems climbed (in the end) by Jon Ratcliffe at the northern end of the Upper Tier of Angler's Zawn, one of the limestone crags at Benllech. The major line being an impressive roof crossed left to right by a diagonal ramp: Anglesey’s answer to Jerry’s Roof in fact (yes, it’s that good!). The Main Event V8/7B starts sitting at the base of the ramp feature and follows it to a prominent beak jug at the very end – top out onto the upper slab, or drop off (carefully). The climbing is intense, technical and very sustained, with plenty of opportunity for alternative sequences.

In the same area Jon also climbed two other significant problems. Plan B V5/6C takes the leaning wall above the low roof 10m right of the main block. Start sitting on the edge of the roof where it meets the back wall, and follow holds out right on the lip and then go up the centre of the wall to high jugs. Expect sequential hand moves and sustained difficulties. A direct version up the drainage line above the start is possible at an easier grade, but the holds are very spiky. It is also possible to keep going out to right to reach and climb the hanging arête (again expect some spiky holds).

On the other side of the same roof another undercut wall presents itself. The Bonus V6/7A is almost a mirror of Plan B, except much steeper. Start sitting, hands matched on the obvious spike where the roof meets the back wall and make a few moves out left along the lip, before powering up past some fingery holds to horizontal ramp leading out left to a good hold. Either top out or drop off.

The area sits close to the recently developed Upper Tier of Angler's Zawn, and was spotted independently last year by both Jon and Simon Panton who had been down there doing some guidebook checking work for the Gogarth North guide. Simon explains how it worked out:

“I confided in Jon that I had found this stunning unclimbed line and that I needed some help sorting it out. He then said that he also had found a great looking project and that he needed some help with that one too. We agreed to share our finds and fell about laughing when we realised it was the same thing.”

“We made a pact to keep it quiet and to not visit the crag with anybody else (apart from, as it turned out, a trusted friend, Gav Foster) until one of us had nailed it. We went there and spent the first session cleaning it up and building a patio in the landing zone. The subsequent session was spent sussing out the complex sequence, and pretty soon we both had something workable with two different and distinct methods. Jon came close to piecing his sequence together, but in the end a lack of daylight forced an end to attempts. On the third visit we were plagued by seeping holds, so shifted our attention to the adjacent roof, cleaning and climbing Plan B and then in almost total darkness Jon snatching his way up a very damp The Bonus.

“On the fourth visit I was out of the game with a bad finger injury, but came along to spot and take pictures. Jon came very close to doing it, but a wet hold spat him off near the end. A further visit with Gav Foster saw a similar outcome. And then disaster struck for Jon too: he broke his finger. We both stopped climbing for a few months, and had to sit it out during a very dry period over Christmas when we knew the problem would be in perfect climbable condition should anybody else stumble upon it.”

“In the New Year my finger got better and I started to boulder again, but I felt I should wait for Jon who was still only partially recovered. So we sat it out a bit longer, only for my finger injury to return after a few weeks of intense winter climbing. The new sport climbing crag next to the roof was getting popular and we knew that it was only a matter of time before somebody turned up and snatched the first ascent. Jon was climbing well again and it seemed obvious that he should go for it – better that one of us gets it than a chancer who had put no effort into cleaning the line and building the landing zone.”

“The first day back on it came after some heavy rain and we were disappointed to find a line of seepage running over one of the main holds. Luckily though the seepage was weak and with some toilet roll stuffed into the crack above we managed to keep the hold dry. It was late in the day and a perfect full moon rose on the horizon casting a long and bright reflection across the sea straight towards the roof. It seemed symbolic and I commented that I had a good feeling, and that this was going to be the one. Jon readied himself for the redpoint, quietly psyching himself up for the big effort. He pulled on and blasted through the crux, even switching to a more powerful sequence at one point. A few anxious moments on the last section and then he was there, hanging on the big jug whooping with delight.”

“Jon reckoned V8/7B, but I think V8/7B+ is nearer the mark (and V7/7A+ for The Bonus, although it was pretty damp and dark when I tried this). Either way The Main Event is a true classic and I’m only slightly gutted to have missed out on a shot at the first ascent.”

To reach the crag park (assuming you have come by car) by the main beach in Benllech and walk northwards towards Moelfre along the land side of the beach, joining the coastal path by the side of the Benllech Isaf café. Follow the coastal path for about 15/20 minutes until you reach a point where some steep rock overhangs the path, and a little further on another steep little crag is visible beyond a fence (this is the seaward edge of the caravan park). Continue for another 50m until a steep slope leads down from the path past a tree to an open flat area. Follow a vague beaten path rightwards and then down on the left side of a huge veg topped block. The steep under side of this is The Main Event. The described problems are non - tidal.

Full details of the recently equipped/re-equipped crags in this area are covered in the Gogarth North guide. Plans are afoot for an updated pdf for the recently climbed routes on the Upper Tier of Angler's Zawn. This will be posted on the Ground Up website soon.

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