Badge Wall

The crag now reappears again after a large grassy ramp and some poor rock. This area through the Nemesis Wall is probably the most impressive bit of rock on the crag.

1. Digitron E2 5c *** Superb climbing with the crux towards the top. Start 5m left of a steep and rounded gray arete. Straightforward climbing on the lower wall, PR, gains a small tree slightly to the right. Continue straight up past a second PR to a short slab and faint crack in a bulge, PR. Pull over this and pass to the right of the next overlap to reach a break on the rib. Magnificent climbing slightly leftwards gains a flake, PR, and a tricky move to gain easier ground leading to the top.

2. Heaven or Hell E5 6b *** Another classic pitch well worth seeking out. If combined with Digitron gives a brilliant E5 6a. Start just right of the impressive rounded gray rib. Climb the vague pocketed ramp and make a series of blind moves leftwards, BR, to reach a good hold at the base of a tiny groove. Stand up and pull out onto the arete, which is climbed on its right-hand side to a break (junction with Digitron). Step right and surmount the bulge rightwards, BR, move back left onto the slab and a junction with Digitron at its crux.

3. Omegod (6c+) * gain the prominent flake from below and exit it rightwards and over a small overlap onto the wall above. The superb blunt rib above leads to the belay.

4. Alpha Track Etch E6 6c ** A very touch pitch with some good climbing throughout. Start below the right-hand side of the low-level overlaps. Pull through these onto a slab, PR, then traverse left on undercuts before making a series of hard moves, BR, to gain a short thin crack. Power up the undercut flake on the right, PR, to reach a break and continue direct from this, 2PRs. Step left to breach the bulge, BR, TR, to finish via a more straightforward crackline.

5. Delta Force (6c+) *** the right arete of the face gives a brilliant face climb with sustained but reasonable climbing to an intricate and fingery finale on the superb final bulge.

6. Badge E1 5c, 4c A poor route. Start 4m right of Alpha Track Etc. 1. 20m Pass an overhang, PR, to reach a groove and follow this, PR, to reach a scoop and belay. 2. 12m Finish via the scoop, exiting left below a bulge via a wall.

7. Keeping Secrets E5 6c * Begin at a slightly higher level. Good climbing but tough at the crux. From a small tree, stand up and enter a shallow scoop, PR, to reach better holds. Climb the flake on the left pas a thin break, PR, to reach a V-shaped groove. Swing out left to exit via a lichen-flecked wall.

8. Walls Have Ears (7b+) * Start 5m right again. Climb a faint flake and bulge to a good ledge. The finish through the hanging scoop gives a hard sequence with a reachy clip.

9. Scary Fairy E3 5c, 5b Start below an obvious flake further right. 1. 12m Gain the flake by strenuous moves and follow it steeply to a cave belay. 2. 17m Move left to a junction with Keeping Secrets at the V-shaped groove and finish up it.

10. Ten (7c) *** A brilliant pitch up the fine wall and impressive large bulge right of Scary Fairy. Straightforward, relatively, to the bulge where the interest begins in a sequence of powerful and demanding moves.

Bird Restrictions: the area of cliff between Digitron and Chilean Moon is restricted between February 15th and July 15th. These will be reviewed and lifted once the exact nest site and success or otherwise of the site is know.

These have now been lifted as of 7th June 2010.

Craig Arthur
Craig Arthur Access
Chacal Area
Digitron Area
Nemesis Area
Dawn Buttress
Llanymynech
Clwyd Index