Nestled away in the remote Carneddau Mountain range in Snowdonia, you will find Llech Ddu. Llech Ddu (Black Slab) is a vast, dark and intimidating north facing crag. The aspect means it is not warmed by the sun, keeping its moister which bolsters its intimidating feel.
On Llech Ddu you will find the classic Llech Ddu Spur (also called the Crib Lem Spur) which is a long and interesting Grade I scramble. The main face of the Llech Ddu is home to The Groove. The Groove is a hard rock route which follows 2 eye catching groove systems from the base of the crag up to the higher reaches 160 m above.
Mo Anthoine and Ian Campbell first climbed The Groove in 1961 and I can only image the difficulties they faced in attempting to forge a line through the complex grooves and questionable rock. 61 years on from the first ascent, climbing The Groove is still a big undertaking with difficult pitches throughout.
Access
There are a variety of options to approach Llech Ddu. It is possible to descend from the South Ridge Circuit between Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn, but I have yet to find the descent path. From the ridge, the terrain looks improbably steep and there are large drops so best avoided unless you know the route.
The access described here is from the village of Bethesda. There is a very limited car parking area at grid ref SH 632 664. If this parking is full there are other roads with parking available, but it is vitally important that you park responsibly so you do not frustrate the locals. Do not block roads, footpaths, or garages etc.
The map above is the route to Llech Ddu. From the parking, walk SE out of the village up the hill towards the old waterworks. Cross over a couple stiles through active farming land. After crossing these fields, follow a very vague path parallel to the Afon Llafar until reaching some abandoned settlements. As you continue into Cwm Llafar, the path becomes clearer as the valley broadens out giving a beautiful, peaceful panorama of the surrounding mountains.
Follow this path until reaching the end of the river, SH 665 639, at which point you will be able to see the imposing Llech Ddu.
A dark and foreboding change from the wide valley you will have just walked through. With a full trad rack and 2 ropes, the approach from the parking to the bottom of The Groove, including a sandwich stop, took 2 hours.
The Climb
The Groove is described as “a stunning route with many challenging pitches”. That is a very true statement. The 6 pitches involve close to 160 meters of climbing with an overall grade of E1 5b.
- Pitch 1, 25 m, 5b
- Pitch 2, 20 m, 5b
- Pitch 3, 18 m, 5a
- Pitch 4, 35 m, 5a
- Pitch 5, 20 m, 4c
- Pitch 6, 40 m, 4a
When racking up at the base of the route, Jay and I were deciding who was going to lead even and odd pitches. I led the pitch on A Dream of White Horses last time we climbed so, it was Jay’s turn to choose. The 2nd pitch is notoriously the crux due to damp rock, but the 4th is the sensational rising groove which from the ground, looked fantastic. Jay therefore chose to lead evens, meaning I was up to lead the first pitch.
The initial groove is gained by a dirty scramble before climbing the 20 m groove, which is finished by an earthy top out. Looks are certainly deceiving. The groove looks innocuous but the climbing felt committing with a hard move to overcome in the top half. At the crux move of the pitch, I spent time trying to fumble in trustworthy gear during which the calf pump began. Climbing grooves is very calf intensive so whilst trying to place gear I was cycling through each arm and leg trying to shake out and stop the build up of lactic acid in my muscles. The gear in, I did an awkward sequence of moves that I describe as the typical trad “Squeeze and Wiggle”, and I was through the difficulties. Or so I thought….
The top of the pitch is hauntingly loose and vegetated. Balancing delicately on my climbing shoes which felt like ice skates on the sloped earthy top, I gently moved up, using twigs as stabilisers, to more level ground. Grateful to be on a stable platform I built an anchor and belayed Jay up the pitch.
The second pitch climbs directly above the belay until reaching a large bulge which forces you right onto the bubbled wall before climbing back left to the sloping belay ledge. It was Jay’s lead and as many comments on UKC said, it was wet.
This seemed extraordinary as we were climbing the route in the middle of the UK heatwave. It must be permanently wet due to the vegetation at the top of the groove. Digging deep, Jay began to battle with the difficult pitch. The start involves back and heel bridging to slowly inch up until turning around to overcome the ominous bulge. After placing a bomber blue offset nut, Jay reached for what looked like a good hold but proved not to be. He fell out of the slick, slimy groove and back onto the nut which thankfully held. After a few steadying breaths he proceeded to climb past the previous high point and through the bulge by the righthand bubbled wall. Surmounting this through a serious of tenuous moves Jay was at the belay.
As I seconded the pitch, I found the slimy feeling of the rock very disconcerting. Using the squeeze and wiggle technique I was below the bulge. Moving from the back and heel bridging to face climb the bubbled wall felt committing and required a lot of thought to figure out how to make the transition. Having made it across, I climbed up the bubbled wall which was surprisingly featured but sparse on gear. Finally, calves screaming at me from the bridging, I was at the top of the second pitch.
The third pitch is a thin, delicate downclimb from the belay before traversing into the next groove which is climbed for 10 meters to an uncomfortable semi-hanging belay on a spike. Never difficult but a very thoughtful sequence leaving the belay and getting established on the wall. Breathing deeply and remaining entirely focused I gingerly moved down onto the wall left of the sloped ledge. I had my left hand on a good crimp and legs bridged on 2 good (enough) edges. The next move felt very committing as I had to match the crimp to free the left so I could reach further across.
Squeezing into the wall, pressing my toes into the small edges, I lifted my left index and middle finger to place my right index finger. Gently, I shifted my weight from the left hand to the right. Left hand free, I reached out to the left, groping for a better hold which was thankfully there. Gripping this I transferred my weight to the left foot and tipped over freeing the right. On better holds I moved around the corner into the next groove which I climbed to the large, slightly detached, flake. Slinging the flake, deep breath out, I was now safe and belayed Jay to the semi hanging stance.
Looking up at the 4th pitch, all I could think was “what a pitch!”. Jay was ready and left the belay to started questing up the wall. The crack is on the right-hand side throughout the pitch with strenuous and technical but never desperate moves all the way. Jay got into a comfortable rhythm climbing confidently, clearly enjoying the position.
After some time, he was at the next belay ledge, and I was finally released from the uncomfortable semi hanging position. Grateful to be moving again I climbed the groove. What a pitch! It just keeps going. Move after move, jam after jam. Amazing!
At the belay ledge, the fatigue had started to set in, caffeine levels had dropped but it was my lead. The 5th pitch is a 20 m 4c which steps from the belay ledge and out into the exposure. Unfortunately, the gear is almost non-existent. I placed an early micro wire to ‘protect’ the belay and then climbed up the wall. The movement was never difficult and felt steady, but the protection consisted of 2 questionable spikes which I wrapped slings around. This is NOT a pitch to fall on. Being so engaged in the movement, I failed to relish in the wonderfully exposed position. After a brief, essentially solo, I was at the next large comfortable ledge.
Jay was soon with me and ready to lead the loose final pitch. The pitch walks to a wall left of the belay which is climbed until reaching a long grassy scramble. Credit to Jay for keeping cool as the beginning is unprotected until uncomfortably high on a loose wall. I felt tense watching him climb but before long he had disappeared from sight and then it was my turn to follow.
Caution is needed on the beginning face of the climb as a lot of the rock is loose and unpleasant. After surmounting this difficulty, I scrambled up to reach Jay who looking miserable shouted “the midges have come out”.
A few choice swearwords later we were unroped and running up the final grassy ramp to the footpath at the top of Llech Ddu. We swiftly coiled the ropes and ran away, escaping the flying devils.
The Groove. A mammoth undertaking for the whole party. The climbing is strenuous and calf destroying in nature. The difficulties abate in the later pitches, but it is never easy from start to finish. In my opinion, the second pitch felt more like an E2 than an E1.
I do not think this route is a 3 star ultra-classic because of its condition, especially the second pitch. However, if you have a lust for adventure, I cannot recommend this route highly enough. It is a struggle; you will get dirty and bruised but there are few places where you can have a 160 m trad adventure in the UK.
I would recommend having a grade in hand and a good head for problem solving before you rope up for this one.
Happy adventuring!
