Climbs

A historic gritstone king line, which was solved well ahead of its time by Jonny Woodward in 1982, in non-sticky boots.

The route relies on a crucial pebble to leave the half height break and enter the seam above. In the early 2000s half the pebble shattered and fell off, making the crux harder but still possible.

John Allen:

It seemed to me that it's ascent was a moment of inspiration fired by desire. A classic natural sculpture made to be climbed, but only by the best. [1]

References

[1] Extreme Rock (1987) Rear Cover /library/collection/1/extreme-rock

The Cenotaph Corner is still an unclimbed gap, throwing out its challenge.

(Peter Harding, 1950)

The obvious 'last great problem' of North Wales at the time of the first ascent, it had already been named by John Menlove Edwards. By 1961 it was regarded as a trade route. Climbed free before 1968, FFA by persons unknown. A piton above the niche, possibly Brown's, survived until July 2024.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BdWj3qmu5M

[2] Harding, PJR (1950). Llanberis Pass. UK: Climber’s Club

[3] https://climbing-history.org/library/7288/llanberis-pass

[4] https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/ron_moseley_and_left_wall-127598

[5] https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/dinas_cromlech-4/cenotaph_corner-3195

[6] https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/cleaning-up-climbing-history/

The first 8A in the forest, climbed by Jacky Godoffe after six months of effort.

Godoffe:

Throughout this entire gestation, I was immersed in reading The Seventh Grade by Reinhold Messner, which filled me with intense excitement at the idea of introducing the eighth grade here in Fontainebleau, the temple of uncompromising grading. His exceptional journey inspired me and would give me boundless energy for years to come. In it, he speaks frankly about performance, competition, and sporting achievements, combined with an unrestrained love of climbing. [1]

References

[1] Modica, Godoffe, 'Fontainebleau: 100 ans d'escalade', Les Editions Mont Blanc, 2017

Formerly an aid route.

The first 9a in France.

The first E9 in the UK. Memorably described in Paul Williams' 1989 guidebook as follows:

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...

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 vestigal of chockstones could hope to gain lodgement. Should the leader fail to negotiate the crux, or be seized by a palsy high on the pitch, disaster must be imminent...

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.

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]

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