Strawberries | E7/7c Trad climb at Tremadog

United Kingdom / Wales / Gwynedd / Porthmadog
UKClimbing.com
Also known as Peaches. See also Dream Topping.

A defining route of the Ron Fawcett era, and one of the most prized onsights in the UK. The route tackles a tasty crackline, followed by a fruity runout up the Vector headwall.

Fawcett initially tried the route in 1978; despite remaining unclimbed, Chris Griffiths' photo of the route was the cream of the crop, earning the cover of the 1978 Tremadog and the Moelwyns Climbers Club guidebook. [2][3]

The project lay unchallenged for 18 months until John Redhead was spotted making attempts. Fawcett got wind of this and returned, finding the route to be just as hard-going as before. On day one, he climbed ground-up, but ran out of juice. On day two, feeling the pressure to get the project done, he abseiled down to pre-place and pre-clip the gear he'd established the day before. Seeing red, a desperate fight ensued:

Here I flagged my left foot behind my right and moved my left hand up again to a better hold. Time to fight in another runner. I was, as always on Strawberries, on the verge of falling off, completely consumed by the climbing but needing to remember where I was, conscious that I couldn't get too high without finding another piece of protection. Small wires in those days weren't as positive as they are now and I had to bear in mind that some of the gear might fail. From the left-hand crack I reached powerfully up to a shallow pocket, pumped out of my mind and now desperate to finish. I couldn't bear the thought of failing again so close to the top. I hauled myself up, and made one last thin move to reach good holds before a small groove just below the top. Here I hung off a jug, levering out almost horizontally against my braced feet, while I pulled myself together sufficiently to finish the route. [4]

Fawcett graded the route E5 7a. Today the route is graded E7, with climbing around the 7b+/7c mark. He named it Strawberries, as an accompaniment to the neighbouring route on the headwall, Cream (E4). As a project, it had been known as Peaches. Other fruity dessert-themed names proved irresistible (Dream Topping (E7), Bananas (E5)).

Stefan Glowacz made the historic first onsight of the route in 1987, running it out with no gear above the crack. Glowacz' extraordinary onsight effort would not be matched until Jorg Verhoeven succeeded in 2011. Steve McClure was the first British climber to onsight the route in 2014. Nearly five decades on, Strawberries remains as fresh as ever.

References

[1] Jack Geldard on the history of the route https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/strawberries_-_a_british_on_sight-1117

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/dbpage.php?id=411731

[3] https://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/dbpage.php?id=411732

[4]Ed Douglas, Ron Fawcett: Rock Athlete, Vertebrate Publishing, 2010

Contributors
25 contributions since 14th January 2021.
TdG
21 contributions since 29th August 2025.
1 contribution since 27th January 2026.

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Ascents

18 successful ascents recorded.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

Date is a guess but likely some time in the 1980s.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/kim_carrigan_and_andy_pollitt-9629
First ascent.

Ron lead the route in yo-yo style and gave it E5.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863216537231&set=a.115862679870618
Third ascent.

I first tried it in the Spring of '82 on a dismal, damp and grey day. I was less than motivated to try anything that hard on that particular day, but I was climbing with Jerry Moffatt and he is an enthusiastic and persuasive fellow. The attempt ended predictably, low on the pitch, at the technical crux.

My next try was during the International Exchange Meet with the American crew in September '82. I was with the late Alex Lowe that day, climbing pretty well and keen to try it. I think I fell from the crux twice, then got through it and made it really high on the pitch to a place where I could get a shake. At that point I was so gassed that I was not recovering at all, and after a few minutes it was clear that I was not going to make it that try.

There was a big peanut gallery above the Meshach wall, interested in witnessing some sort of spectacle. I remember being far enough above the gear that I was a bit gripped about breaking the RPs, so I asked Alex to keep taking in the rope till he eventually pulled me off, so that the slack was minimized.

The gear held just fine. I rested and did it the next go. Alex enjoyed telling people of how he once got to pull someone off a route at the end of a run-out. These were the days of placing gear as you went and yoyo-ing back to the belay after you fell. Redpointing was not widely practised in '82 and I do not recall whether I pulled the rope or not.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/strawberries_-_a_british_on_sight-1117
Ben Moon Lead | yo-yo 1984

I fell of the crux onsight putting the gear in in 1985 lowered off and did it after 3 attempts, yo yo style. I then returned a week later leading the route and putting all the gear in in one push. This was the first time all the gear had been put in on lead and the route done in this fashion.

Ian Carr:

Held Dougie’s ropes on this. The famous creaky green single 9mm. On the flash he went for it from gear about 1/2 way up. Only to slip off the final move, ending up at or below me. Not sure about the date. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/craig_bwlch_y_moch_tremadog-221/strawberries-2502
Dave Cuthbertson Lead | worked 1986

The first onsight of the route and a remarkable effort for it's time.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/strawberries_-_a_british_on_sight-1117

Only the second onsight ascent after Stefan Glowacz's excellent effort in 1987.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/05/strawberries_gets_onsighted-62371
James Pearson Lead | ground up 2012

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/hansjorg-auer-onsights-strawberries-at-tremadog.html

References

[1] https://twitter.com/stemac5a/status/478260353399545857

[2] https://www.thebmc.co.uk/sweet-taste-of-strawberries-for-steve-mcclure

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuVItYSLwKo
First female ascent.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/10/strawberries_e7_6b_for_emma_twyford-69213
Harriet Ridley Lead | worked 2022
Rachel Pearce Lead | worked 24th May 2022

After placing some good wires I arrived at the last crack looking at the last few moves above. By this point I was redlining, and my last wire was a long way below. Pat's cheers of encouragement were gradually getting more and more high-pitched and flustered, so I figured I should try to get something else in.

I desperately tried to fiddle in a small cam, but it looked so bad that I didn't even clip it. I stuck the next few moves by the skin of my teeth and I (and Pat) was very relieved to top it out! […]

It's always hard to comment on the grades when onsighting because you don't often find the best sequence. I've heard it touted as around 7b+ but I felt like I was trying harder than I have on 8c+ redpoints! [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2023/08/jim_pope_headpoints_olwen_e9_6c_and_onsights_strawberries_e7_6b-73415

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CvsKsmuqG75/

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdMCqMtkxGw

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c85vuZASrN4

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3454948037904680