UKC

Hi Folks,

I'm hitting over to Wales for the first time next week. I'm just wondering if there are any multi-pitch venues that have bolted belays, or is this a no-go?

I've got into lead rope soloing recently and would like to try it with bolted belays rather than having to build a belay after every pitch!

Twll Mawr? Although the routes are pretty hard and pretty long... don't know what grade you're climbing. And it's be a pretty exciting day doing those routes as LRS... 

Slate quarries.

The only obvious place is the Slate Quarries, Twll Mawr as mentioned.

However, many of these routes are intimidating, tricky, with rockfall possible, ledges to hit, and sharp edges to trash your ropes (or worse) while cleaning them. Most people would be better doing them with a partner.

Thanks for the recommendation. Doesn't sound like the nicest place to be doing it 😅. Yeah I don't mind pushing myself a little harder if there's bolted anchors, just makes it a whole lot easier as well. I'll just do some trad stuff so and keep it at VS/HVS. 

As mentioned, the slate is your best option for bolted anchors. If you're after something a bit easier and less committing than Twll Mawr then 362 is a good 3 pitch sport route: https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/never_never_land-634/362-84897

Sorry, someone has to say it. If you're not confident using your gear safely at a belay stance under no pressure then you probably shouldn't be back-rope soloing on that same gear. New risk assessment and or more experience/training needed.

jk

The op doesn't really say they aren't confident placing trad gear, just that it's much easier/less faffy to lead rope solo with a bolted anchor (which is true).

They did also say

which to be fair does make it sound like they don't trust their gear placements as much as you might want to if you're rope soloing...

I've seen some variant of the question about multi-pitch bolted routes in the UK come up a lot recently, maybe someone should make a ticklist of all the (few) multi-pitch sport routes that do exist by way of a FAQ response.

I think it's quite a lot of nonsense to talk about 'faffing' with belays. It's generally very easy on the Welsh rhyolite to find and arrange belays (multiple cracks, flakes, chockstones, etc). I very rarely found it an issue of any kind. Rigging the belays is actually all part of the joy of climbing, with the satisfaction of leaving the rock free of gear after an ascent. Turning outdoor crags into 'convenience' climbing walls is just missing the point completely, imho. Which is to have a great adventure, requiring a lot of initiative and judgement. And to leave the rock clean.

Oi! Stop making an argument where there isn't one.

You can think what you like about bolts, but it is simply not disputable that bolt anchors are faster than trad ones.

Not really an 'argument' as such, simply an expression of different values. Yes, bolt anchors are faster. (But not much ... when you see someone like Johnny Dawes putting on a belay - actually, I've never seen anything like that, before or since, for sheer speed.) And there are times, particularly on holiday, when one feels like leaving behind some of the values of everyday life, like speed. Agreed, too, that there are times when trad belaying can be a pain in the arse. E.g. I took at least 20 minutes to rig the classic belay on the very exposed ledge on Cemetery Gates, before I was 100% satisfied with it. About 5 less than adequate nuts combined (I'd used up the ideal sized one that I needed, as a runner.) 

PS. someone else used the word 'faff', not you!

Barely compared to the absolutely overwhelming faff of backrope soloing a multipitch route. It's 5min work vs 2min in a project that takes hours.

jk

An anchor for solo self belaying on lead needs to be absolutely bomber in a way that is not necessarily the case with conventional climbing where the belayer is part of the system. Also it will need to be rebuilt for an upward pull when leading having been built initially for a downward pull to strip a pitch* (same cams might work but not nuts). So probably an awful lot more time consuming than a conventional belay.

Bolted belays would massively reduce the faff of lead soloing disproportionately to their faff reduction in conventional climbing.

*I not sure anybody generally builds belays for an upwards pull, despite one being needed if you have to escape the system when belaying a leader!

What he said.

I think people in he eastern Alps are pretty keen on putting an upward piece in, but I've not seen it done anywhere else).