Lost Castle of My Desires | 8a+ Sport route


🚫 This is currently unclimbable. Typically this is because the climb existed in some state but then changed significantly (e.g. by losing holds) and is now considered a different climb.

A slate off-width in Gideon Quarry, Llanberis. It's not clear to what extent the route was bolted, if at all. It fell down a few months after Stevie Haston's first ascent, in 1987.

1992 Slate guide:

THE LAND THAT GOD FORGOT The right hand side of the quarry, when one emerges from the first tunnel, was once the location of a steep prow, cleft by an overhanging crack. This was the location of the Lost Castle of my Desires, an intriguing test piece in off-width climbing, sadly(?) the many tons of debris strewn across the floor of the quarry are a testament to its demise. [1]

Haston:

Without doubt the most shag nasty, brutal mind fucking crack around. [2]

Described in an interview as:

a 2 to 9 inch, 40 degree overhanging crack in the Llanberis slate quarries. It was 80 foot long and weighed in about F8a+. It never got a second ascent as it fell down. Shame as the route and name were brilliant. [3]

References

[1] Slate, Iwan Arfon Jones, Andy Newton, Leigh McGinley, 1992.

[2] Llanberis Slate, Ground Up, 2011.

[3] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/12/stevie_haston_crushes_greenspit-50641

Contributors
TdG
26 contributions since 11th November 2025.

Pics + Vids

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Ascents

1 recorded ascents.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Stevie Haston Lead | worked May 1987
First ascent.