★★★ Renaissance 22

The route runs up the middle of the North-West face, breaking through the red overhangs in the centre. The initial 150m takes the the ramp to the left of that used by North by North-West, under the conspicuous triangular roof (but using the right-hand edge of the ramp). The broad pillar ahead is climbed up its left-hand side (jamming cracks), and crossed to the right on top. Thereafter, the excellent middle section of the wall is climbed in a line trending slightly to the right, through the only roof in this part. (North by North-West is crossed to the right of the A1 traverse, pitch 11. This leads straight up to the huge red overhangs, which are negotiated via the break seen from the valley, running diagonally through from right to left. Grey rock is reached, which leads with difficulty on to a steep wall to the left of the rock fall scar.

Start: under the enormous triangular roof, behind a tree where the Recess route goes up leftwards. Climb and scramble 15m diagonally to the right to ledges on the right-hand ramp.

1. [16] 35m

   Climb the right-hand side of the ramp to a tree.

2. [17] 40m

   Above the tree, swing to the right (17/18) onto a nose, then continue up the right-hand side of the ramp.

3. [18] 40m

   Climb up to a recess to the right of of a small blocky roof, then layback strenuously through the gap. Continue up the ramp.

4. [17] 30m

   Continue up clean rock to a big ledge. Traverse 15m right to the left-hand side of a broad pillar.

5. [20] 35m

   Climb the jamming cracks strenuously to the top of the pillar From the right-hand side of the pillar, climb to a ledge (11), then traverse 15m to the right to a stance below a jagged jamming crack. The route now heads for the crack system leading slightly to the right towards the triangular roof (the only roof on this part of the wall).

6. [21] 40m

   Ignore the jagged crack, climb the vertical wall on the left. Move to the right on flakes after 4m, then climb up a good thin crack for 10m (peg runner left in), until a thin traverse to the right leads to a break up on good holds trending diagonally to the right. Stance 10m up the break.

7. [18] 30m

   Continue up the break, which turns into a semi-chimney, and belay on the ledge to the right (left is the A1 traverse of N by N-W).

8. [22] 35m

   Take off up blocky rock rock from the right-hand side of the ledge, then climb the crack leading to the right-hand side of the red roof (bong left in place). Climb the flared crack in the block in the roof (3 nuts), up to a rail under the final roof, where a hanging stance can be made on the right to avoid rope drag.

9. [18] 15m

   Climb the small ledge on the right and up on tiny holds to a roof. Move left (tricky) and climb a crack to a ledge. Belay on the right.

10. [18] 35m

    Traverse to the right, past a block, the ascend the wall round the corner on square holds, with occasional runners, ending in a difficult mantelshelf move onto a ledge.

11. [18] 35m

    Above is a large coffin-overhang below all the other overhangs. Climb straight up to the left-hand edge of the overhang, up the crack leading past on the left, until a step to the right leads onto the top of the overhang. Climb up to a rail under smaller roofs, then traverse to the left for 10m (delicate) to a stance amongst blocks.

12. [19] 40m

    Traverse 15m to the left along rails, until flakes lead to a recess and up to a roof (good runner). Hand traverse to the left to a narrow ledge below a grey face. Directly below, through the red overhangs is the Bong pitch of N by N-W.

13. [21] 30m

    Climb the compact grey face from the left-hand edge of the grey face, with occasional good runners. Stance slightly to the right of the previous stance.

14. [18] 15m

    Follow a handrail round a corner to the right to a hidden crack leading to a roof. Traverse to the right along another rail to the skyline. Move 20m to the right to a steep grey face to the left of the old rockfall scar.

15. [17] 40m

    Climb diagonally to the right to reach rails leading back to the left across the grey face, then climb steep blocky rock to a chimney.

16. [12] 20m

    Climb the chimney and traverse to the left under a roof to a ledge. The final ledge is one rope length higher. Two finishes are possible.

17. [18] 45m

    a) 45m: Traverse 15m to the left to a stance and the corner of the wall. Round the corner, pass a huge flake, the continue diagonally to the left, climbing steeply to a traverse across an exposed grey face. Make difficult moves off a rounded ledge and up diagonally to the left on steep rock to the final ledge (reached directly below an enormous rectangular roof on the right-hand side of the tower above.

Traverse to the right for two rope lengths into the grassy bay above the North-West face. b) 45m (16): traverse to the right under the roof on pitch 16 and ascend a pleasant grey face to the walk off ledge. Finish to the right in the grassy bay.

"The climb should only be attempted by a leader capable of mastering the most difficult of present day (1977) Grade-22 routes." "It is advisable for any party attempting this route to be familiar with the technique of prusiking.

Trad climbing venue. No bolting allowed.