UKC

Went for a wander yesterday and what a place, surely the best crag denied to us (well the best bit anyway). Only climbed there once nearly 30 years ago and felt really ghostly walking beneath it yesterday. My memory recalls the crag swarming with climbers and can't help but feel that if we were given the chance we would be more respectful of the neighbours but what chance. Surely if the BMC set up a just giving page we'd get the funds to buy the middle section a la Bwlch Y Moch....................................

In reply to Allanfairfechan: the Forbidden Wall at Wintour's Leap is at least as good!

In reply to Allanfairfechan:
I have to hold my hands up and confess that as a much younger person I would have contributed to some of the problems that led to the closure of this crag.
Because this was often a fair weather crag it was not unusual for it to be very busy when the mountains where wet.
As a youth I didn't really care if the owner of the crag was inconvenienced by my poor parking or my changing into my ron hills in front of his house. I did find it strange that some people would drop litter and be shouting all over the place. I can also remember walking past broken signs that had been torn from trees - these signs asked climbers to keep to the paths.
As an adult I look back on my and other's actions with horror and can only imagine the distress we caused the owner of the crag. The ignorance of youth is no excuse.
Maybe it's best that this place remains as a reminder as to what can happen when 'we' abuse a place.
When I visit Tremadog I often wonder at those who insist on parking in the few places below the crag.
There's a cafe a short stroll down the road where people can park for the princely sum of 50p. You can use the toilet and even buy some food or drink - you might even get to share some time with a (my words not his) true legend of the sport.
Or you can park for nothing below the crag and then moan when the cafe shuts and there's nowhere to get a drink or go to the toilet or to camp or to park or get some free advise about the best routes to go at.
As climbers as with life itself we often reap what we sow.

Pmc

In reply to Allanfairfechan:

Nice post Allanfairfechan and yes, a delightful crag.
As baron says, 'we' collectively stuffed up what with the litter, torn down signs, parking and "f*************cks" when we fell off in this tranquil little valley. It was further compounded when dreadfully sadly, the farmer's son was killed in a farming accident down in the fields below around the time of the crag's highest popularity. Could not blame the nice gentleman one bit for wanting peace and quiet ...
'Ghostly' is rather apt actually as when I wrote the Eighties guidebook, Chris Lyon took some distant crag shots from across the valley. In one (only) print there's a lady in a white dress - clear as daylight - stood on the road beneath the crag. She was not there ...
Huwie Watkins' spirit is though I'm sure ... hanging around unfortunately.
God Bless Huw.
AP.

In reply to Gary Gibson:

True - must be the best looking bit of banned rock in Britain?

Also Coldwell Rocks look good.

I wonder if either of these were explored below the radar in the past.

In reply to Allanfairfechan:

Not forgetting the large Outdoor Centre groups who also helped to trash this crag and cause irritation to the landowner.

In reply to Allanfairfechan:

I was a regular visitor during the early 80's and the behaviour of people was extraordinary, almost in open defiance of any other person to have a say in how they should conduct themselves. Changing into Ron Hills was mild - urinating face on to the farm house windows, for example, seemed a direct challenge to the farmer, in the expectation that he would do nothing about it.

The accident was a burden to much for him to bear and why should he continue to tolerate others?

There was a period when one was expected to ask for permission. I always did and used to have a pleasant short conversation with him, and he seemed entirety reasonable and pleasant.

Sadly, I detect an awful lot of the same sort of behaviour today; not so much of the stick-it-to-the-man, anti-Thatcher/authority variety, but loads of the 'entitlement' variety.

In reply to Allanfairfechan:

I understood (from the BMC, a few years ago now) that the owner would agree to access so long as he was paid, but this was/is not BMC policy so it's stalemate.

In reply to baron:

The spaces below the crag are designed to be parked in, and if done so correctly cause absolutely no issues to anyone. Very different to blocking someone's driveway ala Craig y Forwen. I actually find it slightly cheeky that you're asked to pay (it's £1.50 not 50p) at a crag that you effectively own a bit of as a BMC member. Lot of time for the café however.

In reply to pasbury:


I climb with someone who did climb on the Coldwell rocks long ago - mind you, he is a pensioner - I'm told it was quite good.

In reply to ianstevens:

The car park belongs to the café, as do the loos. £1.50 for a day's parking is not much when you consider how much you have to pay in most town centres.

I suppose it all comes down to doing the right thing.

In reply to Allanfairfechan:

Hi Mark, it's not as good as Pex mind you
Perhaps if ever access is granted there is a lifetimes worth of cleaning to do so all the practice at Pex will stand you in good stead
I feel somewhat awkward abbing in as the landowner has expressly stated he does not want climbing to take place

In reply to pasbury: did a couple of new routes on it: a brilliant E4 and a superb E3. Was also thrown off twice!

In reply to nniff:


As Ian said - parking in the spots beneath the crag causes no harm to anyone. In what way does this come down to "doing the right thing"?

In reply to ad111:
After parking at Eric's cafe it wasn't unusual to see people walking along the verge, guidebook in hand, in order to identify where their chosen climb starts. Before launching off into the undergrowth to become hopelessly lost. One of climbing's many traditions
Parking directly below the crag obviously saves at least two minutes walk and the parking fee at Eric's but removes the above spectacle. Unless people park beneath the crag and then walk along the verge to spot their climb - bit then you'd park at the cafe wouldn't you?
The original post refered to a lovely crag which climber's trashed. Mostly because we didn't appreciate what we had or how easy it could be taken away.
The parking below the crag is obviously not the same but why would you when you can park at the cafe and use a clean toilet and have a nice cup of tea and possibly a chat with one of climbing's nice guys?
Use it or lose it.

In reply to Allanfairfechan:

The ownership situation is a little complicated but the farmer doesn't own the whole crag. Once the trees are in leaf you can approach from above (you need to check on approach and car parking place), ab in (slings and crabs in place last time I went) and as long as you keep a low profile (as the original culprits should have done) no problem.