Craig y Merched
Access/ Approach Update - November 2017
The once well-established and relatively easy to follow approach path to Rhino's Buttress (and therefore to most other Lower Craig y Merched and to all Upper Craig y Merched crags) is now very difficult to follow due to rapid growth of heather and scrub following deforestation, compounded by seasonal growth of bracken.
BMC Cymru has been given permission by Coed Cadw, the landowners, to improve access along the 'path' (such as it is) by the installation of waymarking posts, combined with some limited vegetation clearance work. The marker posts will hopefully not only act as a very useful guide for visiting climbers, but will also encourage all future visitors to follow the same route to the crag. Over time it is hoped that this will help re-establish the path and generally make it easier to follow. It is hoped that this work will be completed by Spring 2018.
At the same time, BMC Cymru, in partnership with local landowners and the Snowdonia National Park, will continue to explore options regarding a permanent solution to the issue of climbers needing to climb over the stone boundary wall above Rhino's Buttress in order to access the Upper Craig y Merched crags, The long-established 'gap' in this wall was expertly and solidly repaired at the beginning of 2017 but, disappointingly, had re-collapsed in a matter of months. Perhaps not unreasonably, this new collapse - in exactly the same place as the previous collapse - is being blamed on the actions of goats and/ or climbers.
Please refer to the UKC Crag Database (link above) for further Access Advice. Updates to the BMC RAD database to follow.....
Dave Williams
BMC Local Access Rep
Central Wales and Ceredigion Coast
