Many, many moons ago (and long before NWB.com existed) a conversation with legendary Llanberis hone, Moose, directed the future NWB.com editor to an impressive wall situated below the Llanberis bends. No attempt was made to climb on that particular day - despite the enticing lines on offer - but vague plans for a return were hatched. The years passed and subsequent attempts to find said wall again failed.

One recent foray with master of obscurities, Hosey B, lead to nothing but a raised eye brow, suggesting that he doubted the editor’s mental faculties. It had got to the point where the aforementioned editor had begun to doubt the existence of the wall himself; perhaps he had imagined the whole scenario – a case of wishful thinking infecting his otherwise razor sharp mind (ahem).

Then last week, right out of the blue, and with no prompting, Big G dropped an excited text: “Found Moose’s Wall!” The sense of relief was enormous, perhaps senility had yet to spread its confusing fog, perhaps there was still hope…

Dear NWB readers,

Tis spring. The first swallows are here. The sap is rising almost uncontrollably. Energy must be vented - and what better place to do it than on the Great Wall of Pen Gilfach.

For 20 years bouldering historians have been searching for Mike ‘Moose’ Thomas's vicious hone cracks, said to lurk somewhere vaguely between the A4086 into Llanberis and the murky depths of Llyn Padarn. And now here they are unveiled.

In their heyday they must have been popular enough to justify their own lay-by and bus stop at GR 566613 (50m SW of Lake View Hotel). If only modern bouldering venues were afforded such council supplied facilities.

To reach it hop over the low wall flanking the lay-by and approach the visible rounded cliff top ten or so metres below.

What a spot. If you are an intensely lazy walker, want a palatial landing area, solitude and lush scenery (excepting the fly tipping zone further along the lay-by wall), then these cracked walls and textured faces shall mark the end of your quest.

The little buttress, which is actually quite highball, resembles some escaped section of the Heinous Hone cliff further up Llanberis Pass, but with a few more crystals thrown in. Some glacial finishing process has neatly chamfered the top. Nature has claimed back the cracks for now.

It will need a bit of attention - watch this glorious space!

Brush softly, loved ones.

Big G

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