New Climbers Club Ogwen guidebook.Exclusive review.

It is fitting that the new Climbers Club guide to Ogwen should come exactly one hundred years after the very first publication of an Ogwen guidebook written by the great Edwardian North Wales pioneer, Archer Thomson. Under the diligent and enthusiastic authorship of local activist Mike Bailey with experienced guidebook editor Bob Moulton bringing it all together,the CC have produced one of the most comprehensively updated guidebooks in their long history.
Two quite revolutionary elements are now included which could well act as a template for other guidebooks for mountain areas. For the first time ever, Scrambles of Grade 3 and above are listed amongst rock climbs with bouldering also covered by Simon Panton who offers a selection of venues and routes complimented by topos and action shots. With regard to the Scrambling sections; the guidebook extends its traditional areas beyond the rock climbing community to cater for that growing constituency ' the adventurous walker '. An area stimulated in recent years by magazines like Trail. Look out for some unfairly neglected big old 'Mods' which have been re-invented as entertaining scrambles.
The area stretches from the A4086 Capel Curig to Pen y Gwryd road and sweeps across to the remote crags above Marchllyn Mawr and Carnedd Filiast. Within the former area lies one of the most exciting 'new' developments. Most people know of The Ricks and the Racks but few have actually climbed there. Dismissing the area as a training ground for Plas y Brenin . How wrong can you be. For the first time ever, the crags hereabouts-more properly described as Creigeu Llynnau Mymbwr- which have recorded routes going back to the 1940's- are detailed in a guidebook. The crags here could well be described as 'The new Tremadog' given their pleasant,south facing road side location and the quality of the routes..albeit of the single pitch variety. The jewel in the crown is the impressive 100' cliff of Clogwyn Wen which offers some steep and hard middle grade climbs on its clean white walls.The surrounding smaller crags also sport some great little climbs such as Ginnel Wall a delicate E1-5b on the adjacent crag known as The Blocks. Higher up the hillside lies an area of impressive ribs and slabs known as Creigiau'r Gelli. Check out the elgant Diamond Slab-E1, the steep and exposed Basil Brush-Vs-4c and The temptation of St Jullita; a great little multi pitch V-Diff which is a lovely route for a beginner.
The RAC crags further West offer quality bouldering and hard single pitch problems while higher on the hillside,Craig y Haul Slabs sports a selection of new routes across the grades. Further East lies another new crag....little Craig Rhiw Bach with a selection of easy climbs.
Heading north we arrive in an area which has seen an explosion of development; the great cwm of Nant y Gors under the east face of Gallt yr Ogof.In the remote far reaches of the cwm lies the lumbering 400' Sheepbone Buttress which offers a trio of easy mountaineering routes. By contrast, high above Sheepbone Buttress is the crag which has Ogwen valley's hardest climbs. The ferocious Skyline Buttress with routes up to E9 on a crag lying above the 2000' contour. Only hard cases need apply !
Directly below is one of the cwm's more pleasant suprises. The beautiful pink dolerite slab known as Red Slab. Previously only offering a Tony Moulam V Diff and a Severe of mysterious origin-the crag has been developed and now offers around ten routes mostly in the VS-E1 grade. A perfect quiet venue for the middle-grader to while away a sunny afternoon!
Moving right we come to another crag which has been intensly developed. Craig y Gelynen-previously listed in Ogwen guidebook as Skyline Buttress. This name now applied to the actual Skyline Buttress previously mentioned.Traditionally Craig y Gelynen only offered a couple of old V Diffs but since development it now has a selection of entertaining routes mostly in the HS-HVS grades. The sunny crag is contained by a ridge to the north first climbed by Showell Styles in 1937 and named 'Eagle's Nest Ridge'. A Grade 3 scramble which finally makes it's guidebook debut. Looking down on Eagles Nest Ridge is the steep little buttress 'Hidden Wall' which has a couple of strenuous 'extremes' and a curious ramp line which crosses the face at V Diff.
Over in Cwm Tryfan some new outcrops have been discovered and developed offering a selection of middle grade problems in an attractive location while at the head of the Cwm,the impressive East Face of Bristly Ridge which was mostly developed in the 1940's has finally had its true value appreciated when it's mountain routes were reclimbed by the guidebook author who has awarded two stars each to Skyline Buttress and Great Tower Buttress. ( See...Between the ridge and the beaten path: Footless Crow, May-2010).
Over on the East Face of Tryfan,a comprehensive review has seen some old routes such as Crevassed Rib and Arete Climb duly appreciated as quality alternatives to the old favourites and some 'new' old routes remarkably making a first appearence in an Ogwen guide such as the early 1940's Trinity Corner,the 1970's starred Hard Severe- Crackerjack and a magnificent top end VS mountaineering line from 1973, East of Eden, which deserves to become an essential tick for all VS leaders.
Cwm Idwal remains as the honeypot heart of Ogwen but even here,some new extremes have appeared whilst further up in Cwm Cneifion the West face of Gribin has been fully re-evaluated with some fine scrambles and easy routes complimenting the ever popular Cneifion Arete.
Over on the traditionally neglected West Face of Tryfan, a thorough reassessment of the face's potential sees it emerge as as scramblers paradise with routes like the Wrinkled Tower, V Buttress and Notch Arete- amongst several others-becoming starred scrambles. Traditional routes like Columbyne- VD and Cannon Ridge- Severe are offered as quality mountain lines with new routes such as the 600' severe- Jamie's Route and Flat Iron Ridge emerging as other excellent outings.
Further north in Cwm Goch, a crag which last appeared in 1966-Creigeu Gleision makes a welcome reappearence with a selection of scrambles and mountaineering routes including one of the great Edwardian test pieces-The Great Ridge-HS- amongst traditional routes worthy of further investigation.
The Carnedd Filiast Slabs offer the areas longest routes-up to 1000'- and The Ridge a long Mod/Grade3 scramble could finally be recognized as one of Ogwen's best scrambling expeditions. Finally,we arrive at the remote cliffs of Marchllyn Mawr where routes like Janos and the infamous Corrugated Cracks await.

In Summary; This guide is probably unique in recent times in that it offers an explosion of new crags and routes which are in the more accessible grades. Furthermore; it is complimented by some outstanding images with extensive notes on history,ecology and advice on combination climbs,wet weather alternatives,transport,camping and the first appearance in an Ogwen guide of a graded list which should stimulate some passionate debate! The most comprehensive Ogwen guidebook ever covering an area which is the spiritual heartland of the Climber's Club domain. Well worth the wait!

New Ogwen Routes......
Top row L-R...Haolt-HVS-5a....Diamond Slab-E1-5b...
Middle Row....Red Slab Direct-E1-5a...Ginnel Wall E1-5b
Bottom row....Jamie's Route-Severe..As the Crow flies-V Diff