UKC

Apologies if mentioned already but couldn't find on search.Excellent new slate guide took us down to 'middle earth' and the' best E1 on slate'-journey to centre of earth- put off by wet/green start followed instruction's through tunnel to 'bonza crack'....this doesn't look like a rock-fall but an attempt to shore up tunnel-is access to this route out? Scary rockfalls all around

In reply to steveboote:

Thats quite a tough read without punctuation Steve.

In reply to jonny2vests:
'that is' or 'that's'

In reply to steveboote:

I'm not picking at English or having a go, I genuinely can't make sense of it. Judging by the lack of replies, I'm not alone.

In reply to jonny2vests:

Yup. I'm with you as far as "Bonza Crack", but you've lost me.

Perhaps stop trying to be Jack Kerouac and try using sentences...

In reply to steveboote: Bonza Crack was climbed many years ago. When I mistakenly did thinking it was a first ascent you could walk to it from the main track, round the side of Twll Mawr to the tunnel. That tunnel is now approximately 150fy up a cliff, if that gives you an idea as to teh size of rockfall that effected the area.

I am not sure you whether you can still access it through the, it was pretty adventurous before hand, after a fall like that I suspect it is like tunnelling through giant rather badly stacked Jenga!

In reply to Mark Reeves: Other good rotues down there are Geographically Cellibate, up an arete which sports a few bolts in Lost Worlds. Can't say I'd recommend many other routes. Did you to do XXXposure?

In reply to steveboote:

It is a bit exciting to get through to Bonza from middle earth. From what I remember last time I was wandering past I stuck my head in (so to speak) and it seemed spooky rather than deadly. There are a lot of these "off the beaten track" tunnels that are here for now, and as safe as any other old slate tunnels (not very). Didn't seemed shored up, rather shaken up from the big landslip / cebc explosives in the 90's?.

This time of year mordor is a bit too damp to boast "the best E1" maybe the crown passes to Bela lugosi is dead. However a slightly exciting roped scramble can reach its lower off to give it a quick clean beforehand.

In reply to hoseyb and Mark: thanks you two for helpful replies (and I'll accept Jack K. flattery too)....think we might have gone wrong by trying to access Bonza crack from tunnel at bottom of ladders into Mordor (at 'top' of Middle Earth Level)....maybe that tunnel has recently been shored up...or should we have descended more to bottom of middle earth and used that tunnel,,,certainly the tunnel we were in was showing recent activity and not by climbers....as for Journey to Centre of Earth....thanks for advice and will return

In reply to steveboote:

I'll have whatever that man's been drinking/smoking...

In reply to steveboote:

Bonza tunnel is behind the bottom of the ladders down from kyber pass. at the top of the ladders down to journey is the tunnel to the twll mawr balcony (good for the top pitches of scorpion) at the base of journey is a defunct tunnel.

Mark Dicken

In reply to steveboote:

Dont it mention.

In reply to hoseyb: Thanks Mark,,,that's cleared everything up,,,bonza tunnel was shored up,,,we could't get through,,,,maybe we could if we'd removed some rocks,,,and maybe if we had 'peckie wud have gone first',,,think the slate guide is going to bring many many more threads ,,,,,thanks to everybody

In reply to steveboote:

Nae danger.

In reply to steveboote:
and just to invalidate my memory, I've just checked and its the porphory chair you can scramble to the loweroff, Journey would entail much excitement and adventure, send your mate to climb it first instead. Or wait till spring...

In reply to hoseyb:

Basically the message is each area of the quarries has its own character and some such as Lost World, upper dinorwig, glyn Rhonwy, and twll mawr. Well, all involve a certain level of commitment and adventure regardless of the route, and their quality is in the adventure.

In reply to hoseyb: Thanks....think u'll be getting more threads like this once the guide circulates..and when it arrives proper,,,,all good stuff

In reply to steveboote:

Right, got there on Friday looks like access is now by abseil and the route may be wobbly.
Reports:
http://hoseyb.blogspot.com/2011/11/bonzas-blocked.html
http://slate.wetpaint.com/page/Mordor+and+The+Lost+Worlds

As for Journey, Whilst Green and the bolts need redoing, all the initial holds are incut buckets so wet and moss probably just adds rather than hinders the experience.

hosey