Climbs

Originally given 8C, now considered 8B+.

Perhaps the most celebrated and revered route in the UK, Johnny Dawes' ascent in 1986 gave the country its first E9. Although only around 7b/+ to top rope, the route is exceptionally bold, running it out way above bodyweight-only RPs in suspect placements. A fall from the precarious crux at around 40m would likely end on the ground.

A narrow resting foothold before the crux sequence allows the leader a moment's respite and an opportunity to contemplate their fate. Neil Gresham remarked that without this 'ledge' the route might only be E8.

Memorably described in Paul Williams' 1988 guidebook as follows:

Standard: E9; Exceptionally Severe (Excessively so). Rubbers.

It has been said that up the face to the right of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a pitch of such appalling difficulty as to be almost beyond the realms of human comprehension has been ascended without mechanical machinations or other insidious practices normally associated with a route of this calibre. The crux is as fearsome a piece of climbing as has yet been seen in Snowdonia; harder than the Horned Crag, or perhaps even the Gambit Climb of Crib y Ddysgl (though this may be to overstate).

A preliminary inspection on the rope is certainly advisable. Where the crux (of an obduracy to satisfy even the most advanced of ambitions) to be even so little as two feet longer, it is a matter much to be doubted whether even so much as a single man possessed of the necessary capacities of temperament, physique and moral character could be found in these islands capable of fulfilling the requirements of such an exacting ascent. Skill and confidence — and both in abundance — are required, though a greater premium may be placed upon fingers possessed of some of the characteristics of tempered steel.

The climbing is on holds unremittingly exiguous in nature — their paucity proving such a drain upon mental faculties as to daunt the heart of a would-be leader, even though he may be the stoutest of fellows.

Protection is at best illusory; the whole sweep of rock affords not so much as a single nubbin on which the thinnest line may be secured, nor a single crack in which the most vestigial of chockstones could hope to gain lodgment. Should the leader fail to negotiate the crux, or be seized by a palsy high on the pitch, disaster must be imminent — nay, inevitable, the ground below which would receive his fall being by no means accommodating to such a contingency. The second's faculties should comprehend any eventuality, no matter how dire, which may befall, though medical qualification is supernumary, spiritual rather than temporal care being of more direct assistance in the aftermath of an abrupt descent. Scatological preoccupations are most likely amongst the preliminaries to an ascent, though it is questionable whether abstinence from carnal pleasure the preceding week would prove advantageous to a man of such moral fibre as would dare to contemplate so audacious an undertaking.

The party should most conveniently number two, the compet- ence of the leader should, as has previously been noted, be of an exceptionally high order, whilst that of the second should not lag far behind.

Rope: A full 150 feet of Alpine line will be found necessary for each member of the party, though more would add to the comfort, both mental and spiritual.

...

The successful leader, even though he be of a modest disposition, may relax, and justifiably award himself a 'pat on the back'. [1]

After the first ascent there was some controversy, with a flake parting company with the route and John Redhead painting a picture in the scar left behind. This was subsequently removed and became a further source of prime beef between the pair. In 1980, John had made some extraordinary efforts to climb the line, resulting in The Tormented Ejaculation and he took umbrage with Dawes top-roping the line of Indian Face before leading it.

Johnny Dawes:

The real shame is that John [Redhead] can't accept that other people are special too. John thinks he's special. Well a lot of other people are special too John. [2]

At some point a mystery chipped nut placement appeared which would have made the route substantially safer. This was filled in with epoxy resin by Johnny Dawes in 1990. [3]

The route was repeated in 1994 by Neil Gresham and Nick Dixon. In 1996 following Leo Houlding's onsight ascent of Master's Wall, up which the route starts, there was speculation about the possibility of an onsight of Indian Face. However, once Leo discovered Yosemite, Welsh death routes no longer seemed so appealing [4] and James McHaffie's epic on Master's Wall in 2000 quenched the onsight dream, seemingly for good.

The route was then neglected for some time, its aura growing. Dave MacLeod backed off it in 2007, before returning better-prepared in 2010 to make a flawless headpoint. A relative flood of repeats in a similar style followed in the dry summer 2013, with McHaffie dispatching the route in a day. Morus Sanderson unintentionally channeled some of the spirit of earlier adventures on the wall with a harrowing repeat on wet holds in 2023. Rachel Pearce made the first female ascent in 2026.

References

[1] Paul Williams. Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. United Kingdom: Climbers' Club, 1989.

[2] E9 6c

[3] Mountain Issue 134 (1990), page 14 /library/11317/mountain-134

[4] https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/jam-crack-the-niall-grimes-climbing-podcast/id1065991509?i=1000637614429

From the start of Ben's Roof climb direct into Keen Roof, do not go to the kneebar.

While working the problem Charles Albert found a more direct alternative sequence. His sequence is reliant on using a pocket with your toe, so it is generally considered as a separate problem Le Pied à Coulisse (Direct).

Originally 8B+, a contender for the first of the grade in the Forest. After a hold broke it became 8B.

Named after the book The unbearable lightness of being by Milan Kundera [1].

References

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unbearable_Lightness_of_Being