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Busy times at Porth Nefoedd, the little known but rather extensive area on the Hell’s Mouth side of the headland (Trwyn Talfarach) east of Porth Ysgo. In this first news item a contender for the best 7A+ in North Wales is revealed at the Hell’s Mouth end of the main bouldering area. Owen Hayward’s Hang ‘em High 7A+! tackles the impressive highball hanging aręte right of Jon’s Hanging Groove (a good 6B in itself).
Start matched on the starting hold but, instead of moving up left into the groove, make burly moves up and right to gain the base of the hanging aręte with difficulty. A tricky transition will take you round onto the right hand side of the aręte - use this and holds on the right wall to top out.
This really is a stunning line in a fantastic location – check out the uncropped landscape shot in the V12 Gallery for a better impression of it.
Owen also climbed a very entertaining offwidth roof crack 70m further along the boulder field. The Nefoedd Wideboy rates about 6C on the admittedly strange roof offwidth scale known best by crack specialists, George Smith and Mark Dicken. Start at the very back of the cave using the obvious jammed boulder for hands and with feet stuck up behind the boulder. Bar and thrutch towards daylight using a variety of body parts passing the constriction with difficulty to eventually grab conventional holds and an easy top out.
“This is great fun and open to the sky – it’s very amusing to watch as your mate
struggles beneath!” Explained Owen.
Before he left Owen snaffled a further line to the right. Salty Slapper 6B+ climbs the undercut aręte round to the right. Pull on from a hanging start low on the aręte at some good holds but avoiding the big rounded boulder underneath. Monkey up right along the slopey lip until you can pull up to snag the good sidepull in the
seam above. Rock out easily to finish.
Relevant links:
2012 Nefoedd news item
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