The Moon

John Middleton

Awstruck, I gasped for breath and searched the surrounding cliffs for relief. Nothing! Nothing but impending overhangs and, 110′ below, the roaring, foaming sea sucking at the base of the cliffs. My heart pumped harder, sweat ran freely from the palms of my hands, my right leg shook uncontrollable. What a place! How could I possible launch myself out there and survive on this the second sensational pitch of “The Moon”.

Whilst not hard by modern standards “The Moon” has managed to retain its reputation as one of Britains classic rock adventures. It was the controversial Ward-Drummond, some 23 years ago, who produced this audacious route which finds its way through the overhangs of Gogarths Yellow Wall. It starts as a full ropes length abseil down the cliff to the left of Castel Helen landing on a sloping ledge some 60 feet above the sea. The diagonal rock beddings combined with the profusion of overhangs above create a dizzying, glassless 3D effect. Three pitches daringly challenge this seemingly impregnable scenario.

I had to make the move now, my seconds face held a “you are afraid” smirk. I was, I lurched upwards and rightwards aiming for two small finger pockets, my feet scraped along the edge of nothingness searching for any friction. The holds were too small, I had to move again, this time into a series of desperate diagonally upward lunges, past two pegs and onto a short term out of balance stance, again on the edge of the void – “spacewalking” Ward-Drummond called it. Nothing but sea between my legs, nothing but bulging rock all around, I know now why there were no birds here, its even too steep for them! Adrenaline coursed round my veins as more undignified lurches took me around an arete and up onto the traverse line of Creeping Leema. With difficulty I reversed this to a stance where, after placing numerous belays, I settled down, dangled my feet over the edge, put a smirk on my face, fed Peter some slack, and then waited to see his expression.

The final pitch proved to be equally as breathtaking, breaching the overhangs directly above the stance. Its slightly easier grade enables time for composure, allows a better technique, and gives a fuller appreciation of this truly amazing route.

Gogarth is situated on the north western side of Holyhead island. Its great cliffs rise from the sea for over 400′. The routes, some 500 of them, are of all grades from V.S. upwards. Most have to be reached by either exciting abseils or even more exciting sea level traverses and it is these which turn a rock climb into an extraordinary rock adventure. On early acquaintance the not inconsiderable “Gogarth Grip Factor” should be taken into consideration as this may up the grade by at least one! But… “Whatever your experience long after you are back in the warmth and safety of your home part of Gogarth will remain with you in the years to come far away from the west you will feel its compelling call which will speak to your inner soul. Then one day you will return”^[1] . . . I do, every year!

The Moon. E3.  50′ 4c. 110′  5c. 95′  5b.

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