Hongian Climbing and Hill Walking Festival took part in Blaenau Ffestiniog over the last weekend in May. Celebrating the local climbing, walking, history and culture. This was the first festival of its type in the area.
Cymerodd Gŵyl Dringo a Cherdded Hongian ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog dros y penwythnos diwethaf ym mis Mai. Dathlu'r dringo, cerdded, hanes a diwylliant lleol. Hon oedd yr ŵyl gyntaf o'i bath yn yr ardal.
Edurch isod am y Cymraeg.
Hongian Festival took place in Blaenau Ffestiniog over the weekend of the 28th of May. Encompassed by the Moelwyn mountain ranges and the historic industrial landscape of the slate industry, climbers and walkers from all over the UK descended on the town to celebrate and explore the historic climbing and walking that this quieter spot of Snowdonia has to offer.
The Geology of this area provides some of the grippiest rock in North Wales and although the cliffs above the town are covered in classic routes such as Kirkus’s route on Clogwyn yr Oen, you will still struggle to find a polished hold. With many of the pioneering climbers in this area coming from working in the quarries and growing up in tough conditions don’t expect soft grading. Unfortunately, unlike the Dinorwig quarries over looking Llanberis, the slate near Bleanau Ffestiniog is at a much shallower angle which doesn’t lend itself to climbing, but while you gaze out over this landscape its hard to escape the effect that the industrial landscape, the towns and villages, giant slate tips and the inclines skirting down the mountains has had on the local environment and culture.
Over the weekend many climbers simply came to explore and enjoy the local climbing, in such a close area there is so much to choose from, multi-pitching up Clogwyn yr Oen, sport climbing at Craig Bodychain, to short traditional routes on the Migneint. All these crags have a couple of thing in common, short walk ins… and there’re quiet (except when a festival is on).
Although the area has a deep tradition climbing history, many of the climbers joined to explore some of the finest bouldering in the UK and this area is quickly becoming a popular destination for this discipline. Over the weekend workshops where ran to explore some of the gems of the local bouldering scene, with Zed leading the way.
One thing we can’t forget is the local hill walking, many people set out across the Moelwyn mountains. The rugged cliffs of the northern ranges like the Glyders is replaced here with a wilder feel, in these areas much of the land is open heathland and moorland, and seeing another person is rare, you can easily loose your self in these areas and good navigation skills are required. Like much of the area though you can still stumble across a piece of local history like the Rhosydd Barracks, now abandoned but once housed the quarrymen working in the higher quarries. The Migneint to the East of the village is also part of one of the largest Special Areas of Conservation in Wales, and the Rhinogs to the South West provides equal opportunities to lose yourself in the wild landscape.
The evening events where hosted in the Edwardian police station in the centre of town CellB, what was once the lock up for local criminals is now a unique style hostel which also shares its business with a cinema and a bar. On the first evening Sanctity of Space was hosted in the cinema a look back in time at the explorer and photographer Brad Washburn. The second night hosted a discussion amongst friends, people that have carved the climbing scene in the area over the past 40+ years, Terry Taylor, Elfyn Jones, Mel Griffiths and Mari Rees, we heard how the development has shaped each of their lives and passions, and how individually this local area has influenced their climbing.
The Urdd Gobaith Cymru is a national youth voluntary organisation who promote cultural, creative and active opportunities through the medium of Welsh spent the day at Craig Y Wrysgan just above Tanygrisiau village. Many of the group had never been climbing before, which was great to see so many youths enjoying what is on their door step, and maybe we have just inspired the next generation of climbers.
Further to all the climbing, the Carbon impact of the festival was measured through Greener Edge, all the participants, volunteers and staff were asked about the way they travelled to the event, and following this 150% of the Carbon will be offset.
The festivals aim was to celebrate the local climbing and hill walking, but also to celebrate the culture and community of a unique part of Wales, to share the local stories and to inspire the future.
The BMC would like to thank all the volunteers that bought this festival together and look forward to the next one.
Cynhaliwyd Gŵyl Hongian ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog dros benwythnos yr 28ain o Fai. Wedi’i amgylchynu gan gadwyni mynyddoedd y Moelwyn a thirwedd ddiwydiannol hanesyddol y diwydiant llechi, daeth dringwyr a cherddwyr o bob rhan o’r DU i’r dref i ddathlu ac archwilio’r dringo a cherdded hanesyddol sydd gan y llecyn tawelach hwn o Eryri i’w gynnig.
Mae Daeareg yr ardal hon yn darparu peth o’r creigiau mwyaf gafaelgar yng Ngogledd Cymru ac er bod y clogwyni uwchben y dref wedi’u gorchuddio â llwybrau clasurol fel llwybr Kirkus ar Glogwyn yr Oen, byddwch yn dal i gael trafferth dod o hyd i ddaliad caboledig. Gyda llawer o ddringwyr arloesol yr ardal hon yn dod o weithio yn y chwareli ac yn tyfu i fyny mewn amodau anodd peidiwch â disgwyl graddio meddal. Yn anffodus, yn wahanol i chwareli Dinorwig sy’n edrych dros Lanberis, mae’r llechi ger Blaenau Ffestiniog ar ongl llawer basach nad yw’n addas ar gyfer dringo, ond tra byddwch yn syllu allan dros y dirwedd hon mae’n anodd dianc rhag effaith y dirwedd ddiwydiannol, y trefi a phentrefi, tomennu llechi anferth a’r llethrau ar hyd y mynyddoedd wedi’i chael ar yr amgylchedd a diwylliant lleol.
Dros y penwythnos daeth llawer o ddringwyr i archwilio a mwynhau’r dringo lleol, mewn ardal mor agos mae cymaint i ddewis ohono, aml-ddringo i fyny Clogwyn yr Oen, dringo chwaraeon yng Nghraig Bodychain, i lwybrau traddodiadol byr ar y Migneint. Mae gan yr holl glogwyni hyn un neu ddau o bethau yn gyffredin, teithiau cerdded i mewn byr… ac mae tawelwch (ac eithrio pan fydd gŵyl ymlaen).
Er bod gan yr ardal hanes dwfn o ddringo, ymunodd llawer o'r dringwyr i archwilio rhai o'r clogfeini gorau yn y DU ac mae'r ardal hon yn prysur ddod yn gyrchfan boblogaidd ar gyfer y ddisgyblaeth hon. Dros y penwythnos cynhaliwyd gweithdai i archwilio rhai o berlau’r olygfa bowldro leol, gyda Zed yn arwain y ffordd.
Un peth na allwn ei anghofio yw’r cerdded bryniau lleol, gyda llawer o bobl yn cychwyn ar draws mynyddoedd y Moelwyn. Mae naws wylltach yn cymryd lle clogwyni garw’r mynyddoedd gogleddol fel y Glyderau, yn yr ardaloedd hyn mae llawer o’r tir yn weundir agored a gweundir, ac mae gweld person arall yn brin, gallwch chi ymollwng yn hawdd yn yr ardaloedd hyn a llywio da sgiliau sydd eu hangen. Er hynny, fel llawer o'r ardal, gallwch ddal i faglu ar draws darn o hanes lleol fel Barics Rhosydd, sydd bellach yn segur ond yn gartref i'r chwarelwyr a weithiai yn y chwareli uwch ar un adeg. Mae’r Migneint i’r Dwyrain o’r pentref hefyd yn rhan o un o’r Ardaloedd Cadwraeth Arbennig fwyaf yng Nghymru, ac mae’r Rhinogiaid i’r De Orllewin yn rhoi cyfle cyfartal i chi golli eich hun yn y dirwedd wyllt.
Roedd y digwyddiadau gyda'r nos yn cael eu cynnal yng ngorsaf heddlu Edwardaidd yng nghanol tref CellB, yr hyn a oedd unwaith yn glo i droseddwyr lleol bellach yn hostel arddull unigryw sydd hefyd yn rhannu ei fusnes gyda sinema a bar. Ar y noson gyntaf cynhaliwyd Sanctity of Space yn y sinema gan edrych yn ôl mewn amser ar y fforiwr a'r ffotograffydd Brad Washburn. Bu’r ail noson yn cynnal trafodaeth ymysg ffrindiau, pobl sydd wedi cerfio’r olygfa ddringo yn yr ardal dros y 40+ mlynedd diwethaf, Terry Taylor, Elfyn Jones, Mel Griffiths a Mari Rees, clywsom sut mae’r datblygiad wedi siapio pob un o’u bywydau a nwydau, a sut yn unigol mae'r ardal leol hon wedi dylanwadu ar eu dringo.
Mae Urdd Gobaith Cymru yn fudiad gwirfoddol ieuenctid cenedlaethol sy’n hyrwyddo cyfleoedd diwylliannol, creadigol a gweithgar trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Treuliodd y diwrnod yng Nghraig Y Wrysgan ychydig uwchben pentref Tanygrisiau. Nid oedd llawer o’r criw erioed wedi bod yn dringo o’r blaen, a oedd yn wych gweld cymaint o ieuenctid yn mwynhau’r hyn sydd ar stepen eu drws, efallai ein bod newydd ysbrydoli’r genhedlaeth nesaf o ddringwyr.
Yn dilyn yr holl ddringo, mesurwyd effaith Carbon yr ŵyl drwy Greener Edge, gofynnwyd i'r holl gyfranogwyr, gwirfoddolwyr a staff am y ffordd yr oeddent yn teithio i'r digwyddiad, ac yn dilyn hyn bydd 150% o'r Carbon yn cael ei wrthbwyso.
Nod y gwyliau oedd dathlu’r dringo lleol a cherdded bryniau, ond hefyd i ddathlu diwylliant a chymuned rhan unigryw o Gymru, i rannu’r straeon lleol ac i ysbrydoli’r dyfodol.
Hoffai’r BMC ddiolch i’r holl wirfoddolwyr a brynodd yr ŵyl hon gyda’i gilydd ac edrychwn ymlaen at yr un nesaf.
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