Looking at photo topos of Craig Bwlch y Moch at Tremadog from the 1980s it is obvious that this once popular crag has slowly been overcome by vegetation. If you can get hold of a copy of Leigh McGinley’s 1983 Tremadog guidebook, the difference between now and then is quite shocking. In places, vegetation is threatening to smother the cliff completely. With a view to reversing this trend, and once more restoring this fine crag to its former glory, a series of clean up days have been arranged. Mike Raine, the new chairman of the BMC Wales/Cymru committee is the driving force behind the project, which is being organised under the auspices of the BMC backed North Wales Climbing Action Group (NWCAG).

On Saturday 13th January an assortment of rockstars, mountaineers, climbing bureaucrats, and various odd bod climbing types turned up for the second Tremadog gardening day (the first having taken place back in the autumn of last year). Armed to the teeth with secateurs, saws and rakes they set about reclaiming the crag. The following routes were given a thorough spring clean 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 also been gardened.

A further clean up day is planned for 10th February, when the following list of routes will be on the gardening agenda: Grasper, Clean Edge, Burlesque, G String, Pretzel Logic, Freudian Slip, Salamanda, Hot Rats, Geronimo and Cynchwyr.

Everyone who turns up for the cleaning days will be given a Tremadog Climbing Festival raffle ticket (one for each day that they come for). On the Festival day (24th March) there will be a draw with prizes donated by DMM, V12 Outdoor, Joe Brown's, Pete's Eats, plus some copies of the forthcoming North Wales Rock guidebook from Ground Up.

The raffle ticket allows free access to the 'The Good, The Bad and the Ugly’, a 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 Cafe on the 10th February at 10.00am and take part in the next gardening day. There will also be a free DMM T-shirt for anyone attending all three clean up days. Free accommodation will be available in Eric's bunkhouse or on Eric's campsite, paid for by the BMC.

The Tremadog clean up is just one aspect of the excellent work being carried out by NWCAG. Abseil belays have recently been replaced on Clogwyn y Grochan, and a re-equipping campaign on the Llandudno limestone is on the horizon. With the current re-bolting campaign in the Dinorwig Slate quarries, the climbing scene in North Wales is in rude health.

The next BMC Cymru meeting will be at 7.30pm on Tuesday 6th February at the Vaynol Arms in Nant Peris. Everybody is welcome; come along and have your say.

Items for discussion are as follows:

• BMC Cymru North/South split

• AMI Request

• Youth Comp Dates

• Llanberis MRT Land Rover

• Tremadog Festival

• Tremadog Abseil Stations debate

• Open Forum/matters arising from newsletter

• This Year’s meetings dates

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