[Monolith]

Although it seems as though some will lynch you for it, it's excellent to see a renewed vigour for Pill Box Wall. Having spent a lot of time on it last year, I'm grateful for the recent developments to go at especially now the strength department is being cranked up. Good work to you North Walean boyos.

[Pantontino]

I can't imagine anybody not rating these new problems, particularly Ain't No Party and Last Orders, both of which are at very accessible grades.

I used to think that Pill Box Wall had a conditions problem, i.e. that typically, it was either too windy and cold, or if it was still, that it was too greasy and damp. Having spent a lot of time here over this winter season I've come to realise that it is actually in nick (and comfortable to climb, temperature wise) more often than Parisella's. The Original problem does suffer from dampness, and occasionally Chocolate Wall is afflicted by a wet streak, but more often than not you can do just about everything. Even when it looks damp, it's worth a go; on Friday afternoon there was proper 'sticky-damp' conditions (i.e. looks rubbish, but climbs well). It also stays dry in all but the most driving rain.

My only whinge of late is that somebody keeps emptying the contents of their chalk bag out on the foot ledge at the base of the wall, presumably in an attempt to dry off dampness. This is a real eyesore, so please don't do it. If you want dry a damp foothold, just rub it with a towel, it works fine.

[Monolith]

Last winter, it was completely baltic up there but didn't really detract from the climbing once you had warmed up. I love it there, and looking out to sea between problems is a total joy. No idea why people criticise it, the crimps up there are incredible and of course take no prisoners.

[Pantontino]

Not sure if you were suggesting that you warm up insitu or not, but I always go for mini session at Split Infinity or the Cave first. I guess you could warm up at PBW, but I reckon it would be hard to get going.

[Monolith]

Dear god no. Your suggested warmup circuit's the one. There is that slight chimney feature roughly in the middle of the PBW area which can get the blood pumping through the arms a bit, but nothing of note to get warm on (not for me at least). Whilst on the subject Simon, do you happen to know what that derelict little hut/lookout thing is at Pill Box? It's intrigued me for some time.

[Somebody's Fool]

It's a Pill Box.

[BenF]

Must have been bloody big pills.

[Somebody's Fool]

Or lots of them.

[Pantontino]

Security lookout used by the military, or large storage unit for pharmaceutical supplies, or perhaps both? - who can say with any certainty?

[SA Chris]

I may be walking into this by stating the bleeding obvious,  but could it be an actual military Pill Box, hence the name of the wall?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pill_box#Pillbox

Or is this what Somebody's Fool was referring to?

[Pantontino]

Sorry Chris, but irony doesn't travel well across this medium. It's just a military lookout. Boring, but true.

[Monolith]

"Pillboxes are often camouflaged in order to conceal their location and to maximize the element of surprise." (from wikipedia)

Being the colour and texture it is, set against the backdrop of the wall itself, this would surely have been an excellent point from which to shoot. What could be more perfect than pulling on immaculate crimpers in between gunfire?

[Pantontino]

Must have been pretty tedious hanging out in that turret for days on end. Maybe one of the soldiers was cranking out boulder problems to assuage the boredom.

[SA Chris]

Sorry Chris, but irony doesn't travel well across this medium. It's just a military lookout. Boring, but true.

I suspected I was walking into crossfire.

There's quite a few WW bits around the coast up here; proper pillboxes on Balmedie Beach, big blocks of concrete on some of the paths down to the seacliffs. Would have thought anyone keen enough to try and invade this far North would have been a bit too keen.

[Somebody's Fool]

I heard it was built by the North Wales climbing community in the '90s to defend against strong, bald Englishmen snaffling the prize project.   However, a lack of funds from the collection tin in Joe Browns meant that upkeep became impossible and the guard's post was made redundant.  The rest as they say is history...

[BenF]

I heard it was built by the North Wales climbing community in the '90s to defend against strong, bald Englishmen snaffling the prize project.   However, a lack of funds from the collection tin in Joe Browns meant that upkeep became impossible and the guard's post was made redundant.  The rest as they say is history...

Pill the other one, it's got bells on...





I'm so sorry.  I'm such a pillock.

[Pantontino]

I heard it was built by the North Wales climbing community in the '90s to defend against strong, bald Englishmen snaffling the prize project. However, a lack of funds from the collection tin that CJD took with him to the Fat Cat meant that upkeep became impossible and the guard's post was made redundant.  The rest as they say is history...

CJD was probably propping up the bar in aforementioned tavern in Llandudno town when Gaskins made his move, but as you can see from this photograph I always turned up for my sentry shift on time.



Must reinstall the collection box in the V12 shop, and rally the home guard, that sitter to Ain't no party direct just isn't safe anymore. Be warned enemy raiders, if I'm on duty, I will be repelling all offcomers with extreme prejudice (or more realistically, in a Dad's Army stylee with a garden fork and a broken air rifle).

[Stubbs]

Re: the footledge at the bottom of the wall. When I checked the wall out a few months ago I wasn't sure whether this was in or not, as along some parts of the wall it looks a bit like, well the floor....

now i know why the grades felt a bit harsh 

[Doylo]

nice one si and jon on new addition.long live the pil box.i love it.cjd do the sitter to pil box party. willl be ace.