Tremadog Revival

On a very wet, windy, grey day 13 rockstars, mountaineers, climbing bureaucrats, and assorted oddbod climbing types turned up for the second Tremadog gardening day. Armed to the teeth with secateurs, saws and rakes they set about reclaiming your crag and your heritage. The following routes were attacked, cleaned and now await your attention; Knell for a Jackdaw, Atomic Finger Flake, Heartbreak Hotel/Rienetta, Marathon Man, Void, Starship Trooper and even Grim Wall had a trim. The approach to Clapton´s Crack has been gardened and there is potential for a new (rediscovered?) pitch to its right. Rio and Axeminster need another session. But our highlight was being served Tea and Cakes from Plas y Brenin by the gorgeous BBC TV nature presenter (Nature´s Calender) Dr. Janet Sumner. planetFear comment: is it a coincidence that Tremadog no longer sees much traffic and is suffering from severe suffocation by the undergrowth, and the fact that in the last guidebook to the crag the star system was controversially dropped? Proponents of the idea suggested that people would be more likely to climb non-honey-pot routes as well as the old classics that everybody has heard of. What seems to have happened is that people who bother going to the crag are only climbing the popular routes and the rest are disappearing under the brambles. Let´s hope that these clean-up days rectify the situation and put Tremadog back on the climbing map! Perhaps if Mr MacLeod, Pearson or McClure were to head over there and make an onsight ascent of Strawberries it would make the headlines for valid reasons! A very over grown Tremadog! Everyone who contributed to the day was given a Tremadog Climbing Festival raffle ticket. On Festival day, 24th March, there will be a draw with prizes donated by DMM, V.12, Joe Brown´s, Pete Eat´s and some copies of the forthcoming North Wales Rock from Ground Up publications. Your raffle ticket allows you access to a free lecture by Stu McAleese on his serious adventure in Patagonia this winter and as much Free Beer as you can drink. All you have to do to get your raffle ticket is turn up at Eric´s Caff on February 10th at 10.00am and take part in our next gardening day. You too can put something back into climbing and win fabulous prizes. “This has been much more fun than going to the wall” said one ´extreme gardender´ from Manchester (and John should know; he owns the wall!). “I loved it so much this in my second gardening day” said Kamala Sen from Deganwy, good effort lass! Don´t miss: BMC Cymru/Wales Open meeting to discuss abseiling at Bwlch Y Moch: 7.30 pm 6th The Vaynol, Nant Peris. (email mikerraine@hotmail.com to reserve your free food) Next Bwlch y Moch Gardening day 10.00am, 10th February at Eric´s armed with tools, ab ropes, gardening gloves, helmet and guidebook to tackle: Grasper, Clean edge, Burlesque, G String, Pretzel Logic, Freudian Slip, Salamanda, Hot Rats, Geronimo, Cynchwyr or one of many others and claim your all important raffle ticket. Tremadog Climbing Festival 24/25th March Everyone attending the gardening days and arriving at the festival Saturday with a pair of secateurs will receive a raffle ticket. The prize draw will be at 5.30 pm, Eric´s Caff 24th March. Prizes are being donated by DMM, Pete´s Eat´s, Joe Brown´s, V12 and Ground Up (North Wales Rock, several copies to be had). So if a climber attends all three days they will have three chances to win in the raffle! There will also be a free DMM ´T´ shirt for anyone attending all three days. Free accommodation in Eric´s bunkhouse or on Eric´s campsite, paid for the BMC Festival entertainment: The raffle ticket will also provide free entry to Eric´s Caff at 8.00pm to see; ´The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, Adventures in Patagonia´ by Britain´s top mountaineer Stu McAleese. Free Beer from the local Purple Moose Brewery, paid for by the BMC. Bonfire

QuellePlanetFear