Photos by jonno-cymru

The Crafnant Valley is out of character with most of north Wales.More like the English Lake District than north Wales under its green,arboreal mantle. Within this beautiful cwm with the dark waters of its eponymous lake at its quiet heart,lie climbs of all standards of difficulty on buttresses which only occasionally attract visitors.

Amid the thickly wooded slopes of the Gwydr Forest above Betws y Coed are several small outcrops with many excellent single pitch climbs on them. Despite being close to the delights of ByC and often being a good alternative to the weather beaten mountain crags a few miles to the north,The Cyrau remains something of a quiet haunt for those who enjoy pottering about in seclusion.

LLechog on the south flanks of Yr Wyddfa..(Snowdon) is an impressive mountain crag which nevertheless rarely attracts visits. Probably because of an intimidating atmosphere and its bleak setting above a featureless,empty high cwm. The featured climb was supposedly a two star route which unfortunately tricked its ascentionists off line onto hard,dangerous terrain. Be careful out there !

Colin Kirkus'epic,pre war first ascent of the 600' Great Slab of Clogwyn du Arddu,(The Black Cliff) is the stuff of legend. Sixty years later this classic VS (5.7) route finds itself listed as Cloggy's easiest climb...such is life ! Whatever it's technical characteristics,'The Great Slab' is still a great route and Cloggy's most popular climb. Looking down from the penultimate stance,Dave Williams and Martin Davies-two of Wales' finest- follow the easy but poorly protected slab across to the outrageously exposed arete.

The pre-war iconoclastic Welsh climber Colin Kirkus established many of North Wales' most popular climbs.Three of those classic climbs are eponymously named.....undoubtably by his admirers and not through self aggrandisement.However,it is his wonderful route on the great slab of Craig yr Ogof which stands out as a true three star classic. Here Richard Sawyer follows up the penultimate pitch.

Craig y Forwen..(World's End) is a popular limestone escarpment beautifully situated just a few miles from what is suggested as the true site of King Arthur's Camelot. One of those who suggest this is climber Scott Lloyd -seen here- in his two Arthurian works..'The keys to Avalon' and 'Pendragon'.Whatever the truth CyF is still a perfect place to climb !

Craig y Isallt is one of the Tremadog areas backwaters.Despite its beautiful location...looking out to sea and its relatively mild,sheltered position,modern climbers shun its verdant charms. Those who do look for routes hidden amongst the bramble,briar and ivy may find hidden delights such as the excellent 'Ivy Buttress'...Severe (5.4)

One of the UK's pre-eminant Edwardian climbers,the Welshman,Owen Glynne Jones,ironically became best known for his rock climbing activites in Cumbria..England. However,one of his earliest routes was his 1899 solo of the elegant Cyfrwy Arete on Mid Wales' Cader Idris..(Idris' Chair). The route is still popular today,more especially using the slightly harder -V Diff (5.3) Table direct start.

Craig du Wall,Hard Severe (5.6) is one of the Tremadog areas most popular climbs.Ironically for a Welsh classic,this fine route was named and created by one of Scotland's finest...the late..great John Cunningham. Craig Du..(The Black Crag) being Cunningham's Scottish climbing club....Veni Vidi Vici as they say !

The 400' high Diffwys cliff on Moel Hebog was the old stomping ground of Paul Work,contempory of the great Menlove Edwards and Colin Kirkus.Paul Work never achieved their fame or high regard within the Welsh climbing scene and remains something of a minor,almost forgotten figure.'Ram' put up by John Appleby/Geoff Peters in 2001 tresspasses upon Paul Work's sacred 'lost' crag.

Craig Lloer lies within the heart of the Snowdonia National Park but remains a neglected mountain crag. Despite its impressive setting within the great cwm,few climbers bother to set foot on this impressive 200' cliff. This was borne out when Geoff and I encountered all sorts of problems on this modest (5.6)climb and later,had to bail out !

The Carnedd Filiast slabs offer some of the longest routes in Wales....up to 1000' in length. However,beneath the main body of the slabs are several smaller outcrops of which The Tower is one. Here young Anna Livesey gets to grips with the corner at the start of The Towers' eponymous 150' (5.2) route.

Craig Rhiw Goch is one of North Wales' most picturesque crags,located,as it is,next to the fast flowing white waters of the Afon Conwy and set amidst perfect woodland. Alas...the highways department has seen fit to run an unneccesary multi million pound road scheme just above the crag and through the lovely Lledr Valley ! At least Scottish veteran David Craig climbed there in pre-road tranquillity

The east face of Tryfan remains a favourite haunt of those of a mountaineering bent.It's 800' long,easyish routes a delight on a calm sunny day. Grooved Arete,V Diff (5.3) is probably THE most popular route on a popular cliff..nay mountain. On this occasion the route was completed with Alan Dazeil of the Canadian Alpine Club.

'The Curate's climb' on Braich ty Du was completed one freezing cold day in winter.Using the techniques of summer to subdue a route held within an icy maw. Scott Lloyd and I had reached to top as the sun was disappearing beneath the black mountains on the other side of the valley. The pale rock burnished golden by the setting sun.

For a modest V Diff (US 5.3),'Parchment Passage' put up in the 1930's by the legendary Menlove Edwards must rank as one of North Wales' hardest 'easy' climbs ! Outrageously exposed and polished...'PP' as Rick Robson suggested on the day is a 'V Diff for VS climbers !'

David Craig is one the UK's best mountain writers.Author of the cult climbing books 'Native Stones' published in the early 90's and more recently 'Landmarks'. Here David is shown on the first ascent with John Appleby of a variation second pitch of 'The Nurgler' a VS-4b (US 5.7) climb on the under-rated Craig Dinas,Snowdonia.

Climbing this obscure Tremadog VS,provided a novel experience for the two ascentionists. Pulling up on to a narrow ledge I came eyeball to eyeball with a black adder ! After slithering off into 'Wanda's' green fringes the snake returned to eyeball the veteran Drasdo. The incident gets alluded to in Harold's excellent autobiography 'The Ordinary Route'.Ernest Press,UK.