UKH

I'm taking a beginner out in Wales for their first multipitch soon. I am keen to avoid the honeypot madness at the minute though so I am reluctant to go to usual Ogwen spots as the parking is not really possible at the moment (or it wasn't last month). I was thinking of Cwm Silyn but it has had a big rockfall so I'm avoiding it.

Does anyone have any suggestions of a good place, somewhere that won't be rammed and where parking won't be crazy? What about Carnedd Y Filliast? It is Ogwen but not the busyiest part of Ogwen, does anyone know what the parking and general situation is round there?

Cheers

Clogwyn yr Oen (Moelwyns)

This should suit. Good 4 pitch routes at VDiff/Severe.

Parking can fill up with walkers but if you arrive early enough shouldn't be an issue.

You also have:  Craig Yr Wrysgan and  Craig y Clipiau (Moelwyns) nearby.

You could go and do Willo the Wisp, it's kind of "in the middle of nowhere" relatively speaking

What JonesE said.

Carnedd y Filliast is too much of a walk uphill for me!  

parking was fine in Ogwen last week.

Another vote for the Moelwynion. Ideal venue.

Thanks everyone! Some good ideas there.

Definitely! It can get a bit busy (though never a honeypot) and PyB use it a lot. but for a first mountain multipitch it's unbeatable. The walk up to Clogwyn yr Oen takes only about 20 minutes and it's gently uphill on tarmac.

Slick (VD)is possibly the best V Diff on the crag. Chic (VD) is next at the grade, but has a hard move or two at the start of pitch 2. Some of the routes hereabouts can involve quite tricky traverses which could unnerve a novice, e.g the more feted Slack (S 4a)

Definitely non-honeypot, despite Classic Rock status.

Especially if you wanted to put off your friend for good.

i disagree, the situation is beautiful and the climbing enjoyable. the line is unmistakable! the approach is a bit of effort no doubt, but sometimes youve got to pay to play

How about Craig yr Ysfa? The walk in should deter most teams

Amphitheatre Buttress (VD)

Theres usually a procession on Amphitheatre Buttress in my few experiences of being up that way.

That's how to find non-honeypots.

That’s depressing. Amphitheatre Buttress was one of those routes I used to opt for years ago when I wanted something to my(our)self that we could do in big boots and rucksacks and feel like we were in the (scaled down) Alps.

by the way, we did Left Edge on Carnedd y filiast in this style (big boots, rucksacks etc.) about a year ago in good weather and had the place to ourselves. Lovely little route and very photogenic should that be at all important.

'Definitely non-honeypot, despite Classic Rock status.'

There may be a reason for that...

I understand that there has been something of a crag cleanup effort in recent years so it might be worth revisiting.  Definitely a route to reserve for a drought.

It’s one possible way

I agree there are options.  Other people unwilling to go up hill are available

Carnedd y Filiast has a small layby that can fit maybe 4 cars.  It usually isn't full in my experience but would be worth going early.

I always find Cadair Idris quieter than the main part of Snowdonia.  There are usually people on the Cyfwry Arete, but even that usually isn't exactly crowded.  Cyfwry Arete and Table Direct would be the obvious choices there.

If you can stretch to severe and don't mind walking then the S ridge of Rhinog Fach is excellent.

If you really, really don't mind walking then Christmas Retreat in the Arans gets you the "arguably most remote route in Wales" tick at vdiff.  It's got some good pitches but is a bit of a contrived line, so probably only worth it if you really want to escape the crowds.

Thanks everyone. This is probably unanswerable because it depends on the person, but what is Left Edge like in the wet? There are showers forecast for sat. I've climbed a fair bit of wet rock at around VDiff but is there any particular characteristic of the rock on Filiast that makes it evil if wet? Some rock is barely affected by some really is.

I have never climbed it wet but the rock on left edge is pretty rough and grippy if you avoid the mossy bits.

If you go further up the valley to things like hawkwind then you get onto much smoother layers that would be pretty dodgy when damp.

My main advice for the route is that if you see somewhere to belay, take it.

I’ve also only ever climbed it when it’s dry but the rock is super grippy and really rough so I would imagine that it wouldn’t be affected too badly in wet conditions.

The walk-in is a real ball ache but worth it. It’s a great route in a fantastic position and you’re unlikely to have company on it! 

Thanks. The walk-in doesn't seem too bad, looks like it will be similar to that of that Parson's nose. Having done barely any uphill since the lockown though it might be a shock!

It's shorter than the Parsons Nose approach.  Steep though.

The path is not only steep but was quite overgrown too when we did it in July so probably best to wear long trousers to save you worrying about ticks! 

It rained just as I set foot on the start when I did it, soaking the whole crag. Like already mentioned its super grippy rough rock so felt secure the whole way.

The approach also has some boulder hopping and is much shorter than the Parson's nose.

Of note, the Moelwyns are also climbable when wet even though the rock isn't as rough.

Left Edge is grippy and dries quickly but the whole face needs care with loose rock at the top. It's bumbly heaven but not an ideal place to take beginners. All in all, the Molwyns are a much better venue.

Personally I'd scramble or walk on a wet day anyhow; dealing with a beginner on a big multi-pitch onsight in the wet is a serious responsibility I'd certainly never take... what would you do if you couldn't climb anymore (eg pulled a muscle).

OK fair one (the dislike isn't from me). My beginner is pretty tough, having done serious caving and underground aid climbing down to -1000 m so they won't be frightened by rain etc. they just haven't done multipitch. Having said that the forecast has got quite a bit worse and it might not be much fun,might be better off doing idwal slabs into senior's ridge which might not be such a honeypot with the weather. The Moelwens look good as well.

If he's a caver and the weather's crap there's always lockwoods chimney