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A Dream Of White Horses.
The following day had the best forecast of the entire week on Anglesey and so we woke up early (to beat the crowds) in hopes of climbing the ultra classic A Dream Of White Horses (3-pitches, HVS 5a).
This one requires a ~half hour approach followed by what seemed to us as an extremely exposed and steep hike down to the abseil point (in fact, the rope came out). We fixed our static and rapped into the dark, cold depths of Wen Zawn stopping on a ledge system that’s roughly atop a very wet looking pitch 1 of Dream. Actually, we rapped to the base of a route called Wen and so that’s what we climbed for the opening pitch joining Dream for its upper two pitches. Those were indeed spectacular: a rising traverse along a nice flake followed by the classic – improbable looking – and perfectly horizontal traverse exit pitch. Such a unique position and great climbing! The only crowds we saw were a trio of old school climbers rapping into the Zawn as we were finishing our climb.
Photos
Morning approach to A Dream Of White Horses. This is actually near the parking lot and is not the correct way to go (May 2024).
Early on the (correct) approach hike (May 2024).
Views of old quarries from the hike (May 2024).
Looking for the descent gully to the abseil point (May 2024).
South Stack Lighthouse visible in the distance (May 2024).
Rapping into the Wen Zawn. This was the sketchiest approach to an abseil point of the trip (May 2024).
Churning sea below the landing ledge (May 2024).
Shirley rapping down (May 2024).
Bottom of Wen Zawn as seen from the ledge system atop pitch 1 of A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
Starting up the Wen route since we conveniently landed at the base of that pitch (May 2024).
Crux of the Wen pitch (May 2024).
Looking back at Shirley from the lead (May 2024).
Some wildlife sightings from the route (May 2024).
We belayed where Wen intersects A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
Shirley starting the Wen pitch (May 2024).
Higher on the Wen pitch (May 2024).
Almost there (May 2024).
Shirley arriving at the hanging belay (May 2024).
Joining A Dream Of White Horses on our pitch 2 (May 2024).
A Dream Of White Horses – this is early on pitch 2: an aesthetic rising flake traverse (May 2024).
More of pitch 2 (May 2024).
Looking back at Shirley from the lead (May 2024).
And one more shot of me leading the same, fairly long pitch (May 2024).
Shirley starting pitch 2 of A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
Cams in concrete; a hanging belay set up (May 2024).
Low on the second pitch of A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
Shirley on pitch 2 and the mouth of the Wen Zawn (May 2024).
A slightly different angle with the Wen Zawn visible (May 2024).
More of Shirley on pitch 2 (May 2024).
Pitch 2 (May 2024).
Pitch 2 (May 2024).
A closer look at a happy climber (May 2024).
Nearing the belay (May 2024).
And arriving at the belay (May 2024).
Starting P3 (May 2024).
A view of the bottom of the Zawn (May 2024).
More pitch 3 of A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
Looking back at Shirley belaying me on the traverse pitch (May 2024).
Wonderfully exposed (May 2024).
Nearing the exit point (May 2024).
Shirley starting the traversing exit pitch on A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
View down into Wen Zawn (May 2024).
Shirley early on pitch 3 (May 2024).
A closer look (May 2024).
A wider angle view (May 2024).
Good climbing on pitch 3 (May 2024).
Pitch 3 (May 2024).
Shirley at the crux of the pitch (May 2024).
Shirley at the crux of the pitch (May 2024).
Past the crux (May 2024).
Another party rapping into Wen Zawn (as we’re finishing the route; May 2024).
Shirley at the exit point of P3 (May 2024).
Arriving at the belay (May 2024).
The other party on the same starting ledge that was used by us (May 2024).
Moving the belay away from the edge (May 2024).
North Stack Lighthouse (Is there a lighthouse there? May 2023).
A Dream Of White Horses (May 2024).
A view from the gully above the route (May 2024).
Hiking back (May 2024).
The busy port of Holyhead from the hike back (May 2024).
Almost back to the car (May 2024).
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