UKH

I'll be in Blaenau Ffestiniog the latter half of next week with the family, for a mainly walking holiday, and in the unlikely event it stops raining for 5 minutes, I'm hoping to get some climbing in with my daughter who so far has only done a few easy top-roped things. The little crag Maenofferen (https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/maenofferen-21659/) looks a good bet for either some single-pitch trad, or top rope stuff. Two criteria would be (1) easy to set up anchors at the top and (2) easy safe descent from the top, which I can't quite tell from the pictures. Can anyone who knows it enlighten me, or suggest single pitch alternatives, ideally with VDiffs, in the vicinity?

I havent been to Maenofferen so can't comment on that one way or the other.

A few classic single pitch trad options nearby;

Craig Y Tonnau 

Craig Pant Ifan (Tremadog)

Carreg y Foel Gron

Cheers! Tonnau wasn't one I was aware of, looks a good beginners' spot.

Yes is the simple answer to both your original questions.

Craig y Tonnau has a lot going for it but routes on it are surprisingly steep for the grade and so may intimidate a beginner. Carreg y Foel Gron lower tier would be a good alternative. It's long been used by OECs for introductory climbing. There's also Cerrig y Ieirch, which dries quickly and lends itself to top roping. 

Everything mentioned above is fully described in the newly published Moelwynion and Cwm Lledr guidebook. 

HTH

Dave 

Tonnau is a beautiful spot and unique rock.

Very close to Blaenau is Bodychain. It doesn’t quite fill your criteria as you can’t reach the top but it is well worth a visit.

It is just a few minutes from Sgwar Oakley, beween BF and Tan y Grisiau. It’s a small sport crag, very friendly bolting and with slate plaques at the base of each route with the name and grade. There’s a decent grade range. It’s quite unusual rock again, steep and juggy but wear a helmet. We’ve had several great days climbing there. 

There’s a new CC Moelwynion guide that has all sorts of interesting places.

Hope you enjoy your stay, rain or shine.

Maybe left field but... If you have helmets and head torches, there is an ermmm...  "walking" activity at Maen-Offeren in case of rain. Just saying...

Cheers for the tips. Yes, I'll probably try to pick up the new guidebook in Betws on the way through.

Some kind of easy access caving? Relatively safe without need for ropes? Sounds intriguing. Any more details?

(We did do the slate mine tour when we were there a few years ago.)

I'd describe it more as urban exploring than caving, I would say don't take ropes (at least nothing more than a bit of scramblers confidence cord for emergency) because you don't want to get tempted to use it and get into trouble on a first trip, with your daughter. There is a walk in down an incline that is wide, like 3 rail tracks wide and a lot to explore. Don't get clever and try to go down one incline and back up another, retrace steps carefully (unless you have a plan/survey etc and experienced). The place is draughty so you don't need to worry about air, just wear a helmet, have emergency torch, walk carefully don't trip up or fall down something. Tell someone where you went and a callout time. Enjoy...

If your daughter is adventurous.. and the above caught your attention then in the same area there is the Croesor to Rhosydd through trip ("CRTT"), that's a classic and worth a trip to Wales just for that alone. She will need to be able to abseil (1*25m and 1*20m) and prussic up a rope (8m) or in unplanned emergency prussic back up the abseils. If she can do that go on that instead. I would take a kid on that trip if (only if) they are sensible and can be self sufficient for short periods, I plan to take my son soon.

It is brilliant. Fixed ropes in place so you need carry a rope for emergency but likelihood of needing it is close to zero. Pull up and inspect all fixed rope for damage before you abseil on it. You will need harnesses and a lanyard on the harness (cows tail) with krab on the end, better 2 lanyards. Spare battery for headtorch as it is expected 4 to 6 hours, emergency torch, packed lunch, work or gardening gloves, helmet, wellies are perfect far better than walking boots as the tunnel out may be wet, big sense of adventure. It is a whole day activity. Park at Tanygrisiau SH 683 454 very close to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Google it, loads of step by step instructions for that. Many are old and there is no longer a zipwire, you walk a tight steel cable for feet and tight steel cable for hands instead (clip cows tail, wear work gloves). The Canadian canoe (you need for one section) is still in there and contains a couple of spare buoyancy aids, but they'll probably be wet   This could be a trip to remember!!!

​​​​​​Enjoy

youtube.com/watch?v=RPNYs0G9gv0&

Edit a better link  youtube.com/watch?v=_IFTHEFXwQE&

Cheers! I may well check out the "urban exploration" one... The longer one sounds amazing, but I've never been caving, and my daughter has neither abseiled or prussiked, so I think that's best be saved for another year and with someone who knows what they're doing... 

The croesor rhosydd traverse is awesome but there's some serious objective hazards in there. In particular the chamber after the first abseil is really unstable and I know that several parties (including my own) have heard or seen rockfall in there. Taking a child through would be a courageous decision (in the yes minister sense of the term) and not something I'd recommend on a public forum to someone I didn't know.