Clogwyn Du'r Arddu facts for kids
Imagine a huge, dark rock face on the side of Snowdon, Wales's highest mountain. This is Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, often called "The Cloggy" by climbers. Many people think it's one of the best climbing cliffs in Britain. It faces north and is quite remote, sitting about 700 meters (2,300 feet) above sea level. Its name means "Dark, Black Cliff" in Welsh. The nearby Clogwyn station on the Snowdon Mountain Railway is named after it.
Many amazing climbers have explored Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. They have created many challenging routes on its rock. Some of these famous climbers include John Streetly, Jack Longland, Ron James, Colin Kirkus, Joe Brown, Don Whillans, Fred Pigott, and Johnny Dawes.
First Climb Recorded
The first recorded climb on Clogwyn Du'r Arddu happened a long time ago, in 1798. Two botanists, Peter Bailey Williams and William Bingley, climbed the Eastern Terrace. They were looking for special alpine plants.
William Bingley wrote about their adventure. He said they decided to brave the danger because of the view below. The part right above them was the most dangerous. Mr. Williams went first because his shoes had nails for better grip. He succeeded after some difficulty. Then, he took off his belt and held it firmly. Mr. Bingley grabbed the other end and pulled himself up. After that, they climbed pretty well. In about an hour and a quarter, they reached the top of the "dreadful precipice." They also found all the plants they hoped to find.
A Special Climbing Spot
Clogwyn Du'r Arddu is known as the top place in the United Kingdom for difficult traditional mountaineering. It has steep sections, is very large, and has excellent rock quality. It's similar to cliffs like Carn Dearg on Ben Nevis in Scotland. However, Clogwyn Du'r Arddu has been home to the most difficult climbs for a very long time. This record goes from the 1930s all the way into the 2000s.
This cliff has always attracted the best climbers from different time periods. Climbers like the Abrahams, Kirkus, Harding, Brown, Whillans, Crew, Edwards, Ward-Drummond, Redhead, and Dawes have all climbed here. No other cliff in Britain has such a long history of serious and challenging climbs.
