The nantlle vally has some impressive old slate workings and a number of often overlooked muti pitch trad crags,Most people will be familiar with the winter routes in the area but there is a surprising amount of unclimbed rock here.Anyone interested in new routing with the motivation to explore and develop new areas will find an entire valley full of unexplored slate holes and esoteric rock buttereses just awaiting some TLC and a trad rack… or a 24v drill.
Lower Nantlle- Dorethea
Approach: Drive through the village of penygros heading for talysarn. follow the road thru talysarn(with a left and a right-please drive slowly!) till you end up at the quarry entrance.Beware divers in landrovers ragging up the path.
The first hole on the left is the car dumping pool,who knows how it got this name!.The very steep wall at the back stands out as a project for some strong young devil.
Away down to the right is a pool mostly used by herons and ducks that yields some great summer deep water soloing action (inflatable dingy required!) but can u name another slate DWS venue? (dalis hole excluded) (Vivian Quarry is excluded too) (as are the low walls around the power station lake) (Mansor quarry is also excluded) No, I can’t…
The main pool of dorethea is the site of Trevs Slab and the first new route to be posted in this section.
Hidden up on the left as you enter the quarries from this side is Unknown hole and Gallt y Fedw These areas have massive potential for new routes To access these take a left through a gate 40m down the main road into the quarries,walk up the hill till you can access an obvious level running off to the right,walk along this level and you will come to Unknown hole, after the spike at the head of unknown hole descend down the scree a level and you will end up at Gallt y Fedw.
If you choose to check out these areas please respect any half equipped or cleaned ready for bolting lines.
There is plenty of slate in the dorethea area of nantlle,just watch out for the ninja frogmen.
——New Routes ——-
Dorethea Main Pool:
Trevs Tribute – E2 5b
From the main divers carpark walk 50m east to the top of an obvious slabby area.
Absail from the access/belay bolt at the top of the slab to a hanging belay above the waterline. Bust some moves out right and up to gain the right arete of the slab,follow the bolts to the top. FA:Si beal,Andy Scott (05.02.08)
Car Dumping Pool:
The west side of this pool is made up of five rock buttresses (provisionally named The Dogging Spot) before The Steep Wall on the North side is reached.
The Dogger – HVS 5a
From the approach track the first buttress is accessible by abseil from trees on a mound above the track. The route is obvious from the view point of the second butress (which is easily identifiable by steps covered in grafiti). Abseil to a ledge just above the water. Climb the strenuous finger flake and crack above, stepping right to finish. Small friends useful. FA: Jamie Macdonald and Justin Lawley (02.05.10)
I Wish My Wife Was This Dirty – VS 4a
The fourth buttress is situated opposite a man made wall. It is approached by a scree slope on its North side. Start at the obvious crack below a large metal spike. Climb the crack and arete if required. FA: Jamie Macdonald and Justin Lawley (02.05.10)