The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) has revealed it has secured a lease on a quarry in north Wales to ensure it offers access to those bringing their climbing ropes to its cliffs.

Negotiations with the landowner of the pothole quarry at Bryn yr Ardd commenced after it was revealed he planned to fence it off on safety grounds.

After discussing issues of access, the BMC bought a leasehold on the site, which will provide access for six years.

It is also planning to work with local climbing enthusiasts to form a quarry advisory group, with this involving no more than a couple of meetings a year while it ensures everything is in order at the site and any problems are dealt with.

Earlier this month, the BMC managed to secure access to another climbing site, on the Gower Coast.

This saw the non-tidal cave of Minchin Hole made available for climbers on the condition that no new routes were established to protect features of scientific interest in the cave, following discussions with the National Trust and a Swansea University geologist.

Posted by Elaine Arthur