Page 17 - 1993 AMA Summer

Nantie Y Garn and the Nantie Ridge
A midweek trip on two warm August days to this remote comer of Snowdonia bought some ideas as to its suitability as a marvellous introduction to mountaineering.
All I had to do was to promise my wife a root of heather from the Nantle Ridge and it was off to Rhyd Dhu to start this classic expedition over the hills.
Looking across the eastern arete of Y Gam, the purple heather below the hill mingled with the steep grey boulder strewn slopes. I set off along the path onto the ridge breaking off right at mid height onto the scree, the boulders rocking and cracking together as I leapt from one to the other. Finally I arrived in a lather of perspiration at the front o f the eastern arete.
Graded at mild severe, it is easy enough to climb, but it has just enough about it to give younger climbers a tast of really thrilling mountaineering. The first pitch was a chimney full of loose debris, a bit of a struggle to get into and at first 1 was having doubts about the validity o f a solo route, but once I had lodged my unfit frame into its recesses I thought that I might as well keep going.
The next fifty or so feet led to a broad sloping ledge which was almost square and called the Study, a rather good place for afternoon tea depending on how much the chimney and walk in had mauled you. At the back of this was a short comer, up which the route trended rightwards on peculiar holds. The edge then eased off to mere scrambling but I kept on anchoring the rope as there was a disconcerting drop to the right into the deep cleft of a gulley. I found myself to be particularly rusty on this kind of mountaineering route and the different skills in ropework needed. This is due to too much time spent on short sharp Peak District routes.
The next piece of work was a short crack with plenty of jugs about twenty five feet long, and above that the arete continued more easily to the final chimney. It was a bit awkward abseiling
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down the arete to retrieve the slings and chocks as it was any­ body's guess which side you would swing to if you blew it “en Rappel”!
The arete steepened again to vertical, then a sharp chimney again with lots of jugs brings you onto the top. The view is amazing, Snowdon, Crib Y Ddysgl and Crib Goch,the Moelwyns and Anglesey, plus villages and farms nestled in the fertile valleys in between, all surrounded by the vast panorama of the Welsh sea coast.
It was sunny mid evening, so I set off over Mynedd Drws Y Coed then dropped down into the Cwm below. Pairs of large black birds flew past and reminded me of the privilege of marital status and of how solving a mountain route is made all the richer by having someone to recount it to afterwards, something I could not do when single.
1 am not in any way advocating soloing difficult routes, and certainly nothing over the severe grade should be undertaken and even then the climber should be roped up, but this again is only my opinion for what it is worth ! I would not want to impose limits on anyones enjoyment of climbing.
After a night camped in the Cwm, I set off along the Nantle ridge over Trum Y Ddysgl and down into the Cwm of Galt Yr Ogof with its sweeping slabs. On the gentle descent 1 picked a heather root for my wife and slowly threaded through the lanes onto the long valley road back to Rhyd Ddu. Nearing the end of the valley road the eastern arete of Nantle y Garn reared up proudly above its surroundings beckoning aspirant young climbers to come and enjoy its rocky splendour.
14 August 1992 Mike Cookson
Army Mountaineer 17