UKC

Hello, the new North Wales bouldering guidebook says that access is restricted for bouldering at Pillbox Wall. No bouldering before 6pm on bank/School holidays. I thought this was just for routes since they're possibly unstable at the top where falling rocks have serious potential energy. It seems a little odd that bouldering on pillbox is restricted since it's very stable at the bottom, fairly inconspicuous and it doesn't seem like a place a pulled off rock can easily roll.

Is the guide book mistaken?

No

Guide is correct and the agreement is a small price to pay for access to this crag at all other times.

Well after 6 pm on bank/school holidays the rock becomes more stable and less lightly to fall down .  Also the potential energy is reduced after 6pm .

It must be something to do with the evening sun.

Makes perfect sense .

Never realised it includes the bouldering too. But not the cave presumably. I can sorta understand it but it's a bit of a weird one. In any case who wants to be on the orme during school holidays! 

The current entry on the BMC RAD for Upper Pen Trwyn reads as follows: "Due to the increased number of visitors who are likley [sic] to be exposed to falling rock, climbing during bank holiday weekends and during the period July 15th to Septemebr [sic] 8th is restricted until after 6pm in the evenings. The Mumbo-Jumbo and Parisellas Cave areas are not affected by these restrictions."

The access notes in the excellent North Wales Limestone Definitive Guide by Pete Harrison and Andy Boorman (p. 221) reads as follows: "From Mayfair Wall to The End of the Road, no climbing is allowed before 6 pm on all Bank Holiday weekends and during the School Summer Holiday period (July 15th to September 8th). This does not affect the Mumbo Jumbo or Dumbell Flyer Walls."

Both of these entries therefore imply that climbing is allowed on Upper Pen Trwyn prior to 6 pm during school holidays that are not the main summer holiday and that do not coincide with bank holidays. Can anybody in-the-know confirm that this implication is indeed correct?

Yes. The Orme Marine Drive restrictions are only on BH weekends and the school Summer Holidays.

(Other restrictions apply on lower crags due to bird bans)