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A Dream of White Horses

5.8, Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 4 pitches,  Avg: 3.8 from 24 votes
FA: Ed Drummond & Dave Pearce
International > Europe > United Kingdom > Wales > Anglesey > Gogarth
Warning Access Issue: Seasonal closure for bird nesting. DetailsDrop down

Description

UK rating is HVS 4c. If you know how to read British ratings that will tell you all you need to know about the seriousness of this route.

Beautifully named and a true North Welsh classic - and not even in the mountains of Snowdonia. Made famous by a spectacular picture in one of the Royal Robbins Rockcraft books. If you're in Wales, do this route. Although if the waves are big the climb may be wet.  The route is most likely typically wet in a few locations so expect damp rock.

Be sure to rap off the pronounced tooth of rock.  You can establish your rap line to a block before it and is recommended so as to reduce your exposure to reaching this tooth.  If you stay on an established and worn path to the tooth you are in the correct rap location.

It takes a traversing line leftwards across the huge and exposed Wen Slab for a few pitches on good holds with the odd tricky bit here and there, then makes a spectacular traverse across the arch (or Zawn) and up onto the grass.

When I did way back when I used all nuts, but I'm sure cams will work too - the rock is good.

Cams from Aliens to #3 BD work well.  Small to medium hexes are useful for belays.

Location

Rap down the sea level, climb a steep groove to the horizontal line.

Protection

trad rack

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking across to Wen Slab from the finish of the climb (photo by Phil Ashton)
[Hide Photo] Looking across to Wen Slab from the finish of the climb (photo by Phil Ashton)
Leo Dickinson's classic shot of the first ascent.
[Hide Photo] Leo Dickinson's classic shot of the first ascent.
nearing the pitch 2 hanging belay and showing the juggy nature of the pitch.  Good fun.
[Hide Photo] nearing the pitch 2 hanging belay and showing the juggy nature of the pitch. Good fun.
David Kozak on final pitch.  Image by Andy Gresh
[Hide Photo] David Kozak on final pitch. Image by Andy Gresh
David Kozak on pitch two traverse, photo by Andy Gresh
[Hide Photo] David Kozak on pitch two traverse, photo by Andy Gresh
Slab climbing on pitch one or two, depending on how you do the route.<br>
<br>
This climb is everything you could dream of - just 'brilliant'.
[Hide Photo] Slab climbing on pitch one or two, depending on how you do the route. This climb is everything you could dream of - just 'brilliant'.
dreamy
[Hide Photo] dreamy
Starting the last pitch traverse, yes the camera is tilted a little.
[Hide Photo] Starting the last pitch traverse, yes the camera is tilted a little.
Looking down from DOWH
[Hide Photo] Looking down from DOWH
Marc Chrysanthou, early 80's
[Hide Photo] Marc Chrysanthou, early 80's
A Dream of White Horses
[Hide Photo] A Dream of White Horses
The climb finishes by traversing leftwards across the back wall, overhanging the sea (photo by Phil Ashton).
[Hide Photo] The climb finishes by traversing leftwards across the back wall, overhanging the sea (photo by Phil Ashton).

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Chris Owen
Big Bear Lake
  5.8
[Hide Comment] IMHO there's no way this route is harder than 5.8 or HVS 4C, but it's been a looooong time since I've climbed it. Sep 19, 2008
john strand
southern colo
 
[Hide Comment] Technically 5.8/9 but really cool situation, especially if the Horses are in. F/A Ed Drummond. Jan 7, 2009
Brad Warne
Calgary, Alberta
  5.8 PG13
[Hide Comment] Before doing the route I thought it was getting more credit than it deserved. After doing it I think it cant get enough. The climbing isnt spectacular, but is interesting enough. You do this route for the atmosphere! Also, I would say this route isnt much harder than 5.7, but the positions are intimidating and incredable Oct 10, 2010
Rob Davies UK
Cheshire, UK
  5.8
[Hide Comment] The usual warning is to carry prussik loops in case of a fall on the last pitch, as the rock below is undercut and the rock above overhanging. Oct 19, 2011
Nick Russell
Bristol, UK
[Hide Comment] I haven't done this route, but I know its status and I think I can comment on the description here. It's a must-do, super-classic, adventurous sea cliff route, picking an intricate and very committing line through some very intimidating ground... and all people see on here is "traverse route"? I've written more about 4-bolt sport routes than that! Please can somebody who has done it write something more evocative? This page just doesn't do it justice Oct 31, 2013
Brad Warne
Calgary, Alberta
  5.8 PG13
[Hide Comment] Nick, what exactly are you looking for? Its been a couple years now but Im sure I could scrape together a description. Pitch length, # of pitches, gear and route description? IMHO, the climbing is good but not that good, you do this route for the enviroment that you are in and the naure of it, not for the technical climbing. Nov 4, 2013
Nick Russell
Bristol, UK
[Hide Comment] Brad, I haven't done the route so I can't say exactly what I'm looking for (if I could say exactly, I'd just write it!)... number of pitches and total length are already on there, but that's just objective details. I guess for a route with a reputation like this, I expect a description to inspire. A bit of evocative prose about the situation, some of the history perhaps? From what I've heard the climbing itself (as you say) isn't spectacular, but it does break through some very unlikely terrain. Maybe when I get round to climbing it I'll suggest something. Nov 5, 2013
[Hide Comment] When I did this I thought the climb was about the slab traverse. The last pitch was a shock and terrifying to look at because I just couldn't believe the climb went through that overhanging finish. Amazing jugs make it casual though. Nov 10, 2013
Chris Owen
Big Bear Lake
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Ok Nick I've changed the description - I didn't realize it was so sparse. Jun 27, 2014
kiff
 
[Hide Comment] Got to climb this recently, mistakenly rapped a little low but this offered us the opportunity to climb pitch two of quartz icicle. This was an incredible way to climb this wall in two, vastly different pitches. I highly recommend more people make this mistake. Jul 3, 2015
David Kozak
The Earth, Our Mother
  5.8
[Hide Comment] I've dreamt of doing this route for 45 years after seeing it in Ken WIlson's book "Hard Rock." Dream realized recently. It was as fantastic as I'd thought it might be. Great position, atmosphere, air of seriousness. All around classic route. Oct 14, 2021
David Kozak
The Earth, Our Mother
  5.8
[Hide Comment] Regarding the rating: As with most routes, ratings are relative. If Dream is dry, and seas and wind calm, this route has several 5.8 spots. But don't let the ratings fool you. It is more a serious undertaking than the rating suggests. Oct 31, 2021