Nick Dixon finally joined Facebook last month and has just blown my mind by posting some pictures of a new route I climbed some 30 years ago but never wrote up (the pictures are recent). I never went back and never ever thought I'd see a picture of it (though I knew Nick had done it a couple of times). Its blown my mind a little because the day I did it has stayed with me very powerfully all these years, but at the same time also seems a little unreal, like it was a dream. That makes it very strange to suddenly see a picture of it. A beautiful summer day. Andy Pollit gave me a lift up the Pass early in the morning. I walked up to Cyrn Las, did Main Wall and carried on over the top and down to Cloggy. That's where things got interesting when I accidentally onsight soloed the Redhead Direct on White Slab, carrying a pretty full rucksack.* From there I carried on over the top again and down to the lake under Llechog, where I read, sunbathed and swam for a couple of hours. I thought I'd wander up to look at the crag but found this on the way and just had to try it. Beautiful little rib of immaculate rock, perfectly clean. It went, direct up the rib, after a little up and downing. I walked out via Cloggy and down to the village. The beers tasted good that night, about 40 of us sat outside the Padarn in a wonderful summer evening. I don't think I told anyone what I'd been up to that day, not that night at least. It - the whole day - was probably the most powerful experience I've had climbing.
So, the route is Erewhon, Nick says E5 6b, underneath Llechog and hasn't been recorded before.
* walking boots, spare clothing, food and water, guidebook (D'oh!) and novel, The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart.
