| Dinas Cromlech | |
|---|---|
| Dinas y Gromlech | |
 "Open Book" shape of Dinas Cromlech | |
  Location of Dinas Cromlech | |
| Location | Llanberis Pass,Snowdonia,Wales |
| Nearest city | Llanberis |
| Range | Snowdon Massif |
| Coordinates | 53°05′32″N4°02′51″W / 53.0921°N 4.0476°W /53.0921; -4.0476 |
| Climbing type | Traditional climbing |
| Height | up to 40 metres (130 ft)[1] |
| Pitches | Mostly single-pitch |
| Ratings | rock grades of Diff to E9; most are VS to E2[1] |
| Rock type | Rhyolite[1] |
| Quantity of rock | +80 routes[1] |
| Cliff aspect | South |
| Elevation | 500 metres (1,600 ft) a.s.l.[1] |
| Classic climbs |
|
Dinas Cromlech orDinas y Gromlech is a distinctiverhyolite rock outcrop at theLlanberis Pass, inSnowdonia, northwestWales, which has a distinctive "open book" shape that is clearly visible from the road (A4086), and is very popular location forrock climbers and contains some of Britain's most famous and notable rockclimbing routes, several of which are important in thehistory of rock climbing.[2]
The obvioustraditional climbing route up the deep ninety-degree angled corner resisted attempts for many years until it was climbed byJoe Brown in 1952, and calledCenotaph Corner (1952,E1 5c, with Doug Belshaw), and is regarded as one of Britain's most famous rock climbing routes.[2]
The outcrop is an important rock climbing venue in Britain, and the corner includes some of the famoustraditional climbing routes in British rock climbing history, includingCemetery Gates (E1 5b) byDon Whillans in 1951,Left Wall (E2 5c) by Ron Moseley in 1956,Right Wall (E5 6c) byPete Livesey in 1974, andLord of the Flies (E6 6a) byRon Fawcett in 1979.[2] It also includes some of the most intimidating traditional climbs in Britain, such as Steve Mayer's 1992 climb,Nightmayer (E8 6c), from which climbers risk very large falls.[3]
In fiction, the travel writerEric Newby gives a comic description of his first climb - and almost his only training in mountaineering - at the outcrop, the 'Spiral Stairs’. This is often referred to as Ivy Sepulchre but careful reading of Newby’s vague text will clearly show that this was indeed Spiral Stairs.He was led we are told by two expert waitresses from the inn where he is staying, in his bookA Short Walk in the Hindu Kush.[4]
