El Mancho, Clogwyn Du

Helena on the second pitch of El Mancho (5)

Here are a few pictures of Clogwyn Du on Monday.

Our objective was to climb El Mancho (VI, 7) - hailed as being "an absolutely top notch route, amongst the best of its grade in Wales" in Pete Harrison's superb online guide - click here to see the Clogwyn Du Topo in full.
.

Helena a little further up the ramp (and its still awkward)!

The route was certainly all it was cracked up to be, featuring just about every style of mixed jiggery-pokery you could possibly think of. Furthermore, the top pitch is outstanding - steep, pumpy, and completely out there!

Why can't winter crags be closer to the road?

Another blessing is that the whole thing was well protected! No ice screws required, a Warthog and DMM Bulldog were used to belay beneath Pillar Chimney but weren't necessary for leader protection (thank goodness...), and the rest consisted of good old fashioned Rockcentrics and Wallnuts.

The top pitch of El Mancho (7) - no picture can do justice to how good this pitch is...