Dinas Cromlech

The sustained upper pitch of Noahs Warning VS ***, although a little loose rock probably warrents one of the stars being taken away to be honest.

Its always good to get out climbing when the weather is nice in Wales. As if I hadn’t seen enough rock in the last few weeks I headed up to the Cromlech, a crag which seems to have a long walk in compared to other Llanberis Pass crags, however it is short lived compared to the Half Dome Epic last week!

I went climbing with a local guy called Will, who like myself is part of the local rescue team, although it was the first time we had climbed together, so we headed up to do a couple of classic VS’s. The first Dives/Better Things, apparently pronunce divas better things, not dives. A great route, which Will got the crux pitch of.

Dives/Better Things VS ***

After that we did Noah Warning, which was a bit more of a battle for both of us as I got the crux 5a, which is a sustain face/crack climb. It was only the second time that I have climbed on this wing of the Cromlech, as most of the time I head to the main event that is the open book face around cenotaph corner.

I was a social day as well, one guy recognised me from here, if you reading hi, it is always nice to meet people who seem to be enjoying my blog. I try to make it as interesting as possible, and the readership does seem to peak and trough. I also saw Owen from Ibex out guiding, and Fran from the Vagabound Club heading up to climb Left Wall as we were heading down. I hope she gets the ascent. (Just checked her Facebook and she succeeded on Left Wall, go Fran!)

Will leading of up the top pitch of Dives Better Things

We headed down mainly because it felt like another route whilst possible would have been pushing it, and having ticked two *** VS’s it seemed better to head down and get ready for the pub, than flog a dead horse. Both Will and I had a great day, and we chatted about how being in the Mountain Rescue can effect your own climbing, and how sometimes your keen and other times you are not. Anyway just as we got back down I saw this carved into the cromlech boulders, about 30 ft from the road.

Now I appreciate that this person may have been specially involved with the Mountains of Wales, however if they were I am sure they will have not so much turned in their grave but choked on their ashes, having seen the damage done. If it wasn’t someone who was into the mountain, it seems a ridiculous thing to do. I am sure someone is grieving over this person, but for me as a climber it doesn’t seem very right. Although I guess we have to appreciate that not everyone holds rock in such high regards.

Although I would say that the Cromlech Boulder isn’t a graveyard, and I personally don’t want it to change into one.

 Vandalism or Remembrance?

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