The Gogarth Experience

     After a drizzly day in the mountains, the sun was shining, so a trip to the sea was in order. To Gogarth. I have not climbed on the sea cliffs since last summer, and I am still growing used to the experience of climbing at Gogarth. Climbing above the sea does not bother me, in fact I quite enjoy the sounds of the coastal environment. It is the rock that I am still growing used to; the weird shapes that have been created, the random quartz which splits through the rock, its texture, and its’ difficulty to read. There are still lots of aspects of these crags that I am becoming more familiar with. The variation in the rock between each different crag in astounding. I have climbed at Castell Helen, Wen Zawn, Main Cliff and Upper Tier, and no two crags are alike. 

3 happy lads above the sea on Lighthouse Arete

     Piers and James both wanted to climb Lighthouse Arete, a route I had done twice before so I gave them the task of guiding me up and they alternated leads. We worked on stance management and rope work as we made progress up the route. Being organised at each belay will prevent any problems with ropes, keeping each of us in the correct position and facing the right way will mean any additional problems will be avoided. We made a quick ascent of the route, with good teaching along the way as there were three of us. 

Climbing in a sea of rock, Imitator Pitch 1

     James and I walked over to the Main Cliff and Upper Tier at North Stack. We scrambled down a loose muddy gully and pushed our way through the heather and bracken towards the rock above the sea. The afternoon sun was baking at the base and the sea calm as we sorted the ropes at the base of our route, Imitator. We had planned to link this two pitch route into Bezel, a three pitch VS on the Upper Tier which would take us to the top of the cliffs. The sun was beating on my neck as I set off up the first pitch, a shallow groove, which was a lot harder than I was expecting, it was only meant to contain 4c moves. The moves that the guidebook described as the crux felt easier than the sustained problem that the groove had proved below. The pitch eased above as I stepped out onto the wall above and followed cracks to the belay. James climbed an easier pitch above and had to have his wits about as the ground turned loose and chossy up to the base of the next route. 

Gogarth Main Cliff. Can you spot us?

     I climbed an interesting pitch into the base of the main groove of Bezel, by climbing a thinner groove before traversing left to reach the belay ledge above. James put his bouldering power to good use, pulling through the crux bulge above, before continuing up the brilliant groove above. The pitch had some great climbing and moves up it, requiring more thought than just brawn. We quickly topped out up the loose slopes above and made haste back to our water bottles and to ice creams. 

Having just reached the first belay of Bezel, Upper Tier.

      I have definitely decided that climbing on the sea cliffs is an area of my climbing that I need to develop. Getting to know the crags better, as well as becoming more comfortable with the rock and the variations between crags. The whole 'Gogarth Experience' is something that I have never come across at another crag; the isolation and self sufficient feeling that you have to continue upwards, the over grown lichen that covers the rock, and to top it off, being above the sea. Gogarth, I'll be back.