Welsh Winter Climbs

Wales might not be the first place one might think of when they think of winter climbing. Good conditions are unreliable, and long cold spells are becoming increasingly infrequent, making mountainous areas further north or even abroad a more attractive location for winter climbers. However when the right conditions prevail there are some real gems to be found in Snowdonia and its outlying regions. The book was first published in 1989 and although new additions have been released, most of the climbs described date back to the 1980s when conditions were more reliable. Having said that, this doesn’t make the book obsolete, and most, if not all the routes can still be climbed today, weather permitting of course.

The book uses the Scottish winter grades to grade the climbs, which range from grade 1 – VI. This narrow range of grades may be indicative of the books age or the lack of exploration that has gone on in Snowdonia, as Scottish climbing grades now reach XIII). The photographs are limited, however the book contains a detailed appendix of topos and maps. The route descriptions are clear, concise and well written, if not a little brief on occasion.

All in all it is a very good book, however in reality it’s probably only really useful to those who live in or near to North Wales, as the unreliable weather that the area receives means climbs are usually only in condition for a very short time, and are probably only achievable if you are an opportunist rather than a planner.