UKC

Now, please correct me if I'm wrong at any stage of this but here goes...

Nant Peris Parc, is an area which has been developed by the power station in Llanberis. About 60 seconds from the parking bay at the Llanberis end of the park is the start of a smallish buttress, about 40/50ft overall. Since it was too windy to do much on the Cromlech boulders I had an explore look at this section. The crag doesn't seem to be in any of the guidebooks I have, but Thought I'd have a boulder/solo anyway. There's some tasty aretes, cracks and faces down there, when to my horror I came across two shiney petzl bolt hangers side by side, as if a lower off belay, about 5ft from the ground - further examination showed large flakes and scarrs where four more bolt holes had been drilled, or attempted.

First question - why are the bolts here?
second question - who placed them?
Third question - If this crag isn't good/big enough to be recorded, does it make it acceptable to drill away at it?
Forth question - does anyone know anything about this crag -routes recorded ect? There was some chalk in situ, so clearly has been bouldered, and old pegs in situ, but just curious 'cause I couldn't find much about it.

But please, please tell me why this (mountain crag?) has been bolted and damaged, and what purpose do these bolts provide?

Photos have been taken, and will be sent to mags when developed.

Ross

In reply to Ross: Could you please give a more detailed location of this buttress. A grid reference would be good. Where is it in relation to Vivian or Rainbow?

In reply to Mike Whittaker:
Drive up the pass from LLanberis towards Nant Peris. Just before the start of the village is a large lay-by on the right. Park Here.

Walk into the Nant Peris Parc and it's the first buttress of rock on your right after about a minute's walk.

The buttress is formed by a steep 40ft arete on the left, with a finger crack and two ancient pegs. To the right is a corner with a large steep broken crack. Just right of this is a 10ft hanging arete with a hard problem I think 6a, just right is another arete, which is about 5c. It's right of this small arete where bolts and damage are - only six feet from the ground!

Hope that helps - I'll try and get a grid ref later

In reply to Ross: Sounds like somebody has been practising putting in bolts.
No big deal.

In reply to Maestri:
it would be a big deal if it had been done on grit!

In reply to ross: Yes it could be bolt placement practise, and I suppose if we accept that bolts are okay in some places then better to practice on something trivial than make a mess of a plum slate line. However, I think the area in question, if I've placed it correctly is too sensitive. Judgeing by the recent development of the cmw glas area, it would seem likely that the area you mention would also be of interest. I think placing anything in area such as this in a national park etc is totally out of order. There are plenty of many quarries for this sort of thing. Submit your photos!

In reply to Mike Whittaker: Yes it could be bolt placement practise.

Yes and hanging belay practice, for multi P routes, also sound easy to get at.

Stu

Hmmm,

The crags are to be found on page 264 of the present guide. See section/paragraph beginning with 'About 500 yards up the pass ....

Very interesting indeed. I'll have a look tomorrow, when did you find the bolts exactly?

Unfortunately a number of Outdoor Centres/Groups have been using the area for 'practice'. However, this form of practice is not to be condoned.

Anyone out there knows who did this? Please send in the identity of the culprit(s). Thanks for any further info.

In reply to iwan: saw them on thursday, I don't live in the area, just popped up for the week from devon

In reply to Ross:

I know the place, I saw these bolts nearly 4 years ago, I heard PYB mentioned and scathed at the time.

From what I remember it's a great little crag with some nifty and scary aretes and faces quite high up on the crag. there's also a great little offwidth around the corner!

g

In reply to Gruff:

Oops, I just thought, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT!!! Bugger, it's just a rumour!

g