Croesor - Rhosydd request for info

[David Rose]

I'm hoping to do the Croseor - Rhosydd through trip, possibly this weekend.

I heard that there was trouble earlier in the year with the fixed gear - does anyone know if that has been sorted?

Is there a good description of the trip and a kit requirements list anywhere? None of our proposed party has done it before, although we are all experienced cavers.

 

[Cantclimbtom]

The descriptions floating "The Internet" are AFAIK accurate except that the fabled zipline (and some comments about make sure you have pulleys etc etc) are historical and the first bit of tomfoolery is walking a pair of tensioned steel wire ropes (hand/feet)

The first big chamber (between first and second abs) is definitely an area to minimise your time and be gentle and quiet

I believe user SamMill kindly placed some bolts on the only (expected) "up" in case of rope vandalism to make it possible to escape, don't think there's been any more problems, did hear of someone doing the CRTT about 8 weeks ago and they had no probs

Route finding in Croesor is "follow your nose" there is only one route choice moment and I believe it's customary to leave first timers in the dark on that   After the chamber of horrors it requires some navigation to get from there to 9 Adit, in daylight the instructions are obvious, my first time was in small hours of morning and made one section harder to navigate if unfamiliar.

Adit 9 used to be very nearly wellie depth in places probably most descriptions have that, but now that is much shallower. Personally I recommend parking at Tanygrisau SH 455 683 and not the Croesor car park (but it's up to you) navigation from the "exit" to the "entrance" that way round might need careful navigation especially if misty and better at start than end IMHO and then you have easy walk back to car at end. Don't try to walk-in wearing trainers while carrying your wellies, or you'll get soaked feet before you even started - probably as a caver you wouldn't do that anyway

Note:  Tanygrisiau lakeside cafe SH 449 682

ENJOY!!  it's a brilliant playground

 

[alanw]

I was in a party that did it on the 16th October.

We had no problems with the fixed gear.

At the first pool, there is a wire traverse, which we all used, as well as the Tyrolean.

Requirements: usual SRT gear. There is a big abseil down at the start, you'll need your cowstails for traverses and a couple of bridges, and after the canoe you'll need to do a short rope climb up. Shorter people might find the traverses a bit of a stretch. A steel crab or two to extend cowstails might be useful. Gloves are essential for the wires.

We didn't have much of a route finding problem. Towards the end when you come into the big chamber with skylights, go up to the right and then down, rather than down to the left, then up.

It is best done starting from the Croesor end. When you come out of the long tunnel at Rhosydd, turn left, past the old buildings on your right and just at the end of them keep an eye out on the left for the very indistinct footpath leading back. There was a signpost a few yards along it. I had my phone and OpenStreetMap with me. It's probably better to keep up and to the left back to the Croesor entrance and then back down the easy track that you came up on. Our party started descending and picked up a very narrow, rough track by a fence.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16&lat=52.99533&lon=-3.99453&layers=ESRIWorld&right=osm

Some links:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210611000607/https://ukcaving.com/wiki/index.php/Croesor_Rhosydd_Through_Trip

https://yorkcavingclub.org.uk/blog/140-croesor-rhosydd (from 2018)
https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=21418.0 (2016)
http://www.thedpc.co.uk/reports/2013/17-caving/24-14-croesor-north-wales (2013)
https://web.archive.org/web/20120207084439/http://www.ukbouldering.com/croesorpics.htm (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20120822043109/http://www.adventureworldwide.net/stories/the-chamber-of-horrors (2012)
http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Croesor_195/Croesor_3308.pdf (2006)
https://www.aditnow.co.uk/Mines/Croesor-Slate-Mine_6/

 

[Cavematt]

Hi David, a team from our club did it last weekend... no issues. The York Caving Club description referenced above is still more or less accurate. In-situ ropes and boat all in good condition, and since 2018, the lake has had the tyrolean fixed, and a few metal plates have been bolted to the wall to help with some of the later lake traverses. All sound. Thanks to those who keep maintaining all this stuff 

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Agree the path from Rhosydd to Croesor adit is indistinct at start, make sure to locate the start in comparison to the old sheds and don't just take the clear and inviting path to the east which leads you up to the twlls. Once on the path there's an occasional post and up to a style that can be a deep swamp on the far side after any rain (keep that to yourself and watch what happens to whoever goes first). If you are walking across the little dam you know you've done well

 

[alanw]

Personally I recommend parking at Tanygrisau SH 455 683 and not the Croesor car park
Note:  Tanygrisiau lakeside cafe SH 449 682

ENJOY!!  it's a brilliant playground

I think those grid references have the Northing before the Easting.

Car park: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=19&lat=52.98994&lon=-3.96349&layers=ESRIWorld&right=osm
Cafe:      https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=19&lat=52.98556&lon=-3.96535&layers=ESRIWorld&right=osm

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Oh no, I had to zoom about the screen to find them numbers and wrote  separately on a pad of paper, then answered the phone, then posted here, you're right! They're insane and flipped around

Too late now to edit my original post,  Tanygrisau SH 683 455  and  SH 682 449

 

[David Rose]

Thank you all for this very helpful beta.

 

[wormster]

Sod parking at Tanygrishau it's a straightforward walk up the side of the valley, walking up Cwm Croesor, if you have boot space a wheelbarrow makes getting all your tat up and down from the fan house at Croesor end!

 

[Cantclimbtom]

The Oriel cafe (if you park at Croesor) is open from 12 and sells coffee and a slice of very nice cake.

The Lakeside cafe (if you park Tan y Grisiau) is open 9am and serves a proper fry up breakfast.

Opinions will differ between cake versus fry up.

 

[wormster]

Good to know that there is a cafe in Croseor nowadays

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Good to know that there is a cafe in Croseor nowadays

Sort of...
it's a very part time art gallery that also sells coffee and a slice of cake
https://www.orielcafficroesoratcnicht.co.uk/
but it's only open Friday /Saturday /Sunday 12 - 6pm
I've been in a few times after walking Cnicht circuit and so forth, but it's not good solid adventure-food

 

[speedycaver]

Make sure you take a pulley that will fit over a 12mm cable for the first zipline! 
Take an inflatable dinghy too as I've heard rumors that the canoe has sunk in the Chambers of Horrors 
Rest of the equipment is all good.

 

[alanw]

Make sure you take a pulley that will fit over a 12mm cable for the first zipline!

There's a three wire traverse line (hands, feet and cows-tail) there too, so a pulley isn't essential.

I've heard rumors that the canoe has sunk

The canoe was fine on the 16th October.

 

[Paul Marvin]

Never been in Croesor yet, although did have a drive round yesterday, tell me guys where do you park at that end down at the main road ? its a long walk to the slate track if so  :-\ we will get over there next time we go to North Wales . We found the trips in Maenofferen exceptionally good that bottom level just keeps giving, and the staircase is amazing 

 

[mrodoc]

When I visited a few years back we stayed in a climbing hut at Tanygrisiau and the walk up was past Cwmorthin. Didn't seem too long a stroll.

 

[alanw]

Croesor ... where do you park at that end down at the main road ?

There is a car park in Croesor village: turn left at the crossroads and it's on the right just before the bridge. There was even a porta-loo there in October. SH 6315 4469 https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=52.98208&lon=-4.03977&layers=193&right=osm

Back at the crossroads, turn left, walk for 600m and take the right fork uphill by the houses. It's then about 2.5km and 300m of steady ascent to the entrance.

 

[Paul Marvin]

Croesor ... where do you park at that end down at the main road ?

There is a car park in Croesor village: turn left at the crossroads and it's on the right just before the bridge. There was even a porta-loo there in October. SH 6315 4469 https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=18&lat=52.98208&lon=-4.03977&layers=193&right=osm

Back at the crossroads, turn left, walk for 600m and take the right fork uphill by the houses. It's then about 2.5km and 300m of steady ascent to the entrance.

It sound as though its just as easy to go from the Blaenau end past Conlog and Rhosydd ?

 

[cavemanmike]

You can drive to the entrance if your diving

 

[Paul Marvin]

You can drive to the entrance if your diving

In a 4 x 4 yes I know buddy