Moel Fferna.

[Space Doubt Caver]

To whoever fitted the hangar in the rock by the Moel Fferna shaft, thank you,

It 💯% makes the approach when rigging a lot safer.

Last time I was there (over a decade ago) it wasn't there, so I appreciate that to whoever it's was that fitted it, 10/10 anything that makes a rigging approach at a shaft edge safer is 100% welcome.

Thank you
SDC

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Driven past so many times meaning to go there and there's always been some reason why I had to abandon it as running out of time or some reason it didn't happen Interesting to hear, thought there was only post back from edge and tree, so bolt sounds helpful.

Question.. in your opinion ("just for fun" if your estimate is wrong and I followed it.. on my head be it, no liability to you) what's the minimal length of rope needed for the air shaft drop in?

Edit, really wanted to photograph the rust oysters

 

[Space Doubt Caver]

Driven past so many times meaning to go there and there's always been some reason why I had to abandon it as running out of time or some reason it didn't happen Interesting to hear, thought there was only post back from edge and tree, so bolt sounds helpful.

Question.. in your opinion ("just for fun" if your estimate is wrong and I followed it.. on my head be it, no liability to you) what's the minimal length of rope needed for the air shaft drop in?

Edit, really wanted to photograph the rust oysters

I took a 30M rope, and had about 10ft/15ft-20ft spare, at the bottom but this is 100% a guesstimate, when rigged with the hangar, before rigging the rope on the bar & tree.

Its hard to guess how much was left spare because it was bundled together at the bottom of the ladder.
My guess is the rock with the hangar is about 4M-5M away from where the bar is positioned, plus a good sized Y-hang, plus a 15M/20M pitch, which is slippy and covered in moss

 

[RobinGriffiths]

I presume there's an un-diggable drainage adit somewhere?

 

[Space Doubt Caver]

I presume there's an un-diggable drainage adit somewhere?

plenty of adits that need digging but are unstable, will take someone with experience but very possible

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Is that a good idea, if it's just a single drop of 20 ish metres? it's still an easy in/out, but hopefully enough to deter the majority of baseball cap and spray can brigade?

(If I've misunderstood the access, not having been yet, please correct me)

Also, is it usually acceptable to drive up and park somewhere near where the OS map marks plasnewydd, or could that cause a nuisance/friction. (I always want to avoid ****** people off with inappropriate parking etc)

 

[Space Doubt Caver]

Is that a good idea, if it's just a single drop of 20 ish metres? it's still an easy in/out, but hopefully enough to deter the majority of baseball cap and spray can brigade?

(If I've misunderstood the access, not having been yet, please correct me)

Also, is it usually acceptable to drive up and park somewhere near where the OS map marks plasnewydd, or could that cause a nuisance/friction. (I always want to avoid ****** people off with inappropriate parking etc)

you can drive right up to a point, but you need to leave access to the gates, a little further down before you get to the gate there is a opening on the left where you can park, without obstructing the farmer, i have seen videos where people park up to the gate, but being mindful goes a long way.
I wouldn't recommend digging the adits as mentioned above they are unstable, the way in through the shaft does keep out the majority of social media explorers, for the likes of us, yes it's easy, because we have lots of personal experience, but for those who cannot do SRT, it does keep them out, the entrance is very slippery all the rocks in the shaft have moss and algae making it slippy, even when dry and i cannot express this enough, nobody will be able to climb in and out without experience and the right gear, IMO it's too slippery and a substantial drop, trying to climb down would have bad consequences.

 

[RobinGriffiths]

True. I assume it's escaped the ravages of yellow spay paint man who seems to be at large in the area.

 

[Space Doubt Caver]

True. I assume it's escaped the ravages of yellow spay paint man who seems to be at large in the area.

I didn't notice any yellow spray-paint in there, but I like to think those who enjoy graffitiing and vandalising historical places, don't have the brain capacity or technical abilities to get into there, 100%

 

[Stones]

Question.. in your opinion ("just for fun" if your estimate is wrong and I followed it.. on my head be it, no liability to you) what's the minimal length of rope needed for the air shaft drop in?

A 10m electron ladder from the tree will get you down onto the steel ladder. Alternatively a 22m rope and a couple of sling and hand full 'biners, rigging a traverse from the rock to the tree then rig off the tree into the air shaft

 

[moorebooks]

Driven past so many times meaning to go there and there's always been some reason why I had to abandon it as running out of time or some reason it didn't happen Interesting to hear, thought there was only post back from edge and tree, so bolt sounds helpful.

Question.. in your opinion ("just for fun" if your estimate is wrong and I followed it.. on my head be it, no liability to you) what's the minimal length of rope needed for the air shaft drop in?

Edit, really wanted to photograph the rust oysters

why don't you watch Ian Coopers U Tube video he presented at Hidden Earth it will show you the access etc

 

[Cantclimbtom]

why don't you watch Ian Coopers U Tube video he presented at Hidden Earth it will show you the access etc

Thanks Mike!
Yes I've seen and enjoyed that film. So well made, as well as the quality of research and script etc it's so well lit. And that's the problem with the entrance sequence 🤣. When he reaches the ladder on descent I couldn't tell if that brightness meant the ladders were very close to the tree opening or he had a whole bunch of powerful video lights out of shot. It did feel more like natural light though but I just couldn't be sure

 

[moorebooks]

Thanks Mike!
Yes I've seen and enjoyed that film. So well made, as well as the quality of research and script etc it's so well lit. And that's the problem with the entrance sequence 🤣. When he reaches the ladder on descent I couldn't tell if that brightness meant the ladders were very close to the tree opening or he had a whole bunch of powerful video lights out of shot. It did feel more like natural light though but I just couldn't be sure

There is natural light down there and I don't think there is much if any video lighting in use. The ladders have been installed since I was last down there

 

[IACooper]

Hanger was added to the rock well over 20 years ago now - a petrol drill was involved in making the hole for it. There's then a bit of well embedded rail in the ground on the other side of the rock to allow a 'Y' hang.

If rigging from the rock to a deviation from the tree, then it's worth taking either a bag or a rope protector as there's an annoying stone in the mud just by the lip which the rope frustratingly just likes to dance back and forth over.

...there's a knack to getting a sling around the tree, and a knack to getting yourself in a position to get the rope in/out of the krab. I understand if you do lots of change-overs just below the tree and then come back up before rerigging and go back down again, you start to get the hang of doing it fairly smoothly.

As others have mentioned, there's a good 20ft vertical drop from the tree to the top of the steel signal ladder. That's been there a good few decades now as well - makes coming back out again a lot easier than having to prussik around the edge of the level roof as you used to!

When launching up from the top of the ladder on the prussik part, just look up - the rope glances across a rock part way up/down. Pushing yourself away from the wall with one foot is enough to give it a free drop, but if you just blindly hang from the rope without being observant then it'll rub.

If you drive towards the end of the public road then there's room to park a couple of vehicles on the grass verge to the side without blocking the lane - if you're there in snowy weather then you can see that occasionally a farmer does use the lane. Personally I like to do the careful 14 point turn to turn around before pulling off the hard stuff onto the grass, that way gravity is on your side when it comes to leaving the mud to go home. All the field gates after the first are securely fastened shut to stop (or at least really try to stop) people taking motor vehicles beyond the end of the public road.

I have it on very good authority that in the aforementioned film there were no artificial lights used until coming off the rope at the bottom of the shaft - that scene was lit by the sky above.

Although there's quite a lot of 'period' graffiti from when the mine was working, there is a fair selection of more modern scrawlings on the wall as well <shrug>

 

[Cantclimbtom]

VERY helpful. Thank you!