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Johnny Dawes slate masterpiece repeated after 28 years

James McHaffie and Pete Robins have repeated Coeur de Lion E8 7a in Twll Mawr, Llanberis, Wales. This is only second ascent of the route that was put up by Johnny Dawes in 1987.

Planetmountain

April 2015

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James McHaffie and Pete Robins making the first repeat of Coeur de Lion E8 7a in Twll Mawr, Llanberis, Wales. The route was first ascended by Johnny Dawes in 1987

28 years. That’s how long it has taken for a climb to be repeated on the famous Quarryman Wall in the deep Twll Mawr quarry above Llanberis in Wales. The route in question is Coeur de Lion, an immensely tricky outing first climbed back in 1987 by Johnny Dawes who, two years later, went on to establish the The Quarryman immediately to the right.

While The Quarryman was destined to achieve legendary status, Coeur de Lion did not receive the attention it deserved and was pretty much forgotten about. Dawes graded the 3-pitch outing E8 7a and, as the name suggests, its insecure, technically difficult moves are coupled with some very bold climbing indeed requiring fingers - and nerves - of steel.

James McHaffie and Pete Robins checked out the line in 2003 but decided the time was not ripe and since then the two have amassed a long list of significant repeats and first ascents. In 2012 McHaffie made the first ascent of The Meltdown, an old Dawes’ project which at 8c+/9a is hailed as Britain’s hardest slab climb, and only a few days ago he made the 3rd ascent of the 8c+ Megalopa at Lower Pen Trwyn.

Making the most of this form the two now after abseiled in and cleaned the route to then pull off the first repeat. Commenting on dmmclimbing about the route after his repeat, McHaffie stated "At the time in 1987 it has to be a contender for one of the hardest routes of its style in the world."

3/12/2011 - Johnny Dawes - the rock climbing interview
Interview with Johnny Dawes, one of the most talented and influential British climbers of all times.

Llanberis Slate
At its peak during the second half of the 19th century, the slate mining industry dominated the economy in North Wales, employing almost 17000 men at quarries dotted around the country including the immense sites at Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bethesda and Llanberis. Entire hillsides were transformed irreversibly as Welsh slate was exported worldwide, but with the advent of cheap roofing tiles the industry showed the first signs of decline at the turn of the century, and then collapsed after the Second World War.

The Dinorwic quarry above Llanberis was the second largest mine in North Wales and when it closed definitively in 1969 it left behind a wasteland of vast proportions. The entire area was abandoned for years and it wasn't until the early 1980's that climbers ventured into the complex system of mines to explore this vertical Eden, discovering fantastic crags such as Vivian Quarry, the Seamstress slab, Bus Stop Quarry and of course Rainbow Slab.

Rock climbing in Wales - a choice selection
- Dinas Cromlech - some of the best extreme rock climbs in the entire UK.
- Cloggy - Clogwyn Du'r Arddu- the shrine of British rcok climbing.
- Vivian Quarry - the most popular slate crag in Wales
- Rainbow Slab - arguably the jewel in the crown of Llanberis slate.
- Gogarth - one of the best sea cliffs in Britain. Fullstop.
- Lower Pen Trwyn - simply the best sport crag in North Wales.
- Huntsman's Leap- one of the most popular sea cliffs in Pembroke, South Wales.