Bangor Uni students bag 1,320 items of litter at Penmaen Head, North Wales
The stats are in from the Bangor University Mountaineering Society's (BUMS, excellent acronym) crag clean up at Penmaen Head, a limestone sport climbing venue in North Wales, near Colwyn Bay.
This meet was in conjunction with Trash Free Trails and forms part of their Citizen Science Programme which will contribute to its State of Our Trails Report in 2024. For this, each volunteer also analysed what they collected to provide more information on how single-use pollution impacts the local environment and wildlife. For more information on the Trash Free Trails Citizen Science programme, click here, and the BMC hopes to collaborate with them on future clean ups too.
Clean up stats
A total of 1,320 items in 8 bin bags including:
23 poo bags, full of poo
54 plastic water bottles (top brands Coca Cola, Pepsi and Lucozade)
66 alcoholic drink cans
92 crisp packets
133 plastic carrier bags
190 confectionary wrappers
Access & Conservation Officer (Wales) Tom Carrick says, “This was a fantastic day with 17 students removing a huge amount of litter and analysing it for Trash Free Trails. If anyone else is visiting soon, 10 minutes with a bin bag to remove anymore waste would be greatly appreciated. We’re hoping to run a similar day with Cardiff University Mountaineering Club very soon. Do get in touch if you’d like to take part in or organise a local crag clean up with your club.”
Related Content
Indoor Climbing News
WCS is back for 2025 with a jam-packed roster of creative coaching workshops, inspiring speakers and thought-provoking focus talks.
Article
'Tis the season for indoor sessions! But if you feel like you're becoming part of the furniture at your local, why not try a bit of wall tourism? Grab your mates and get ready to check out some of the UK's coolest climbing walls...
Rock Climbing Articles
In 2024, the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) in Cymru (Wales) has been actively collaborating with local groups to explore the historical place names of the popular climbing area of Dinorwig Quarries, or Chwarel Dinorwig as they are locally known.
Conservation Events
Many BMC members will enjoy using Eryri (Snowdonia National Park) for hill walking and climbing. In association with the National Trust, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the mountains of Eryri. Works may involve path maintenance, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn scattering, led by the local National Trust Rangers. There will be 4 projects in Eryri in 2025. The second project is being held on Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th June 2025.
Conservation Events
Many BMC members will enjoy using Eryri (Snowdonia National Park) for hill walking and climbing. In association with the National Trust, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the mountains of Eryri. Works may involve path maintenance, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn scattering, led by the local National Trust Rangers. There will be 4 projects in Eryri in 2025. The first project is being held on Monday 28th to Wednesday 30th April 2025.
Conservation Events
Many BMC members will enjoy using Eryri (Snowdonia National Park) for hill walking and climbing. In association with the National Trust, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the mountains of Eryri. Works may involve path maintenance, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn scattering, led by the local National Trust Rangers. There will be 4 projects in Eryri in 2025. The third project is being held on Wednesday 20th to Friday 22nd August 2025.
Conservation Events
Many BMC members will enjoy using Eryri (Snowdonia National Park) for hill walking and climbing. In association with the National Trust, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the mountains of Eryri. Works may involve path maintenance, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn scattering, led by the local National Trust Rangers. There will be 4 projects in Eryri in 2025. The final project is being held on Monday 15th to Wednesday 17th September 2024.
Climate Articles
How do you balance budget with a climate conscience when booking a winter trip? Making changes to the way we travel is one of the most effective ways of reducing emissions and giving the snow and ice a fighting chance.
Conservation Events
Many BMC members will enjoy using the Lake District for hill walking and climbing. In association with Fix the Fells, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the Cumbrian mountains. Works may involve path maintenance and building, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn-scattering, led by the local Fix the Fells Rangers. There will be 3 projects in the Lakes in 2025. The third project is being held on Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th August 2025.
Mend Our Mountains events
Many BMC members will enjoy using the Lake District for hill walking and climbing. In association with Fix the Fells, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the Cumbrian mountains. Works may involve path maintenance and building, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn-scattering, led by the local Fix the Fells Rangers. There will be 3 projects in the Lakes in 2025. The first project is being held on Monday 14th to Wednesday 16th April.
Conservation Events
Many BMC members will enjoy using the Lake District for hill walking and climbing. In association with Fix the Fells, the BMC are arranging conservation projects in the Cumbrian mountains. Works may involve path maintenance and building, drainage projects, stepping stones, vegetation clearance or cairn-scattering, led by the local Fix the Fells Rangers. There will be 3 projects in the Lakes in 2025. The second project is being held on Monday 9th to Wednesday 11th June.
Rock Climbing Articles
Ready to have a go on the sharp end? We've put together a list of eight great choices for your first ever trad lead in the Lake District.
Rock Destinations
Leonidio is a limestone sport climbing paradise in the Peloponnese region of mainland Greece. With a mixture of steep tufa climbs and intricately pocketed slabs, there's something for everyone and a grade range to match, but the sheer amount of rock in the region can leave you feeling flustered. Where to begin? Read on...
The Climate Project Events
In association with Moors for the Future Partnership, BMC volunteers will be planting sphagnum moss in the Goyt Valley area of the Peak District, close to Buxton. Sphagnum moss is a key building block of peat and healthy blanket bog keeps the underlying peat banks safe. Sphagnum traps carbon dioxide and due to its water retention properties it also helps reduce flooding and improves water quality. Therefore protection and restoration of blanket bog is an important part of the fight against climate change.
The Climate Project Events
In association with Moors for the Future Partnership, BMC volunteers will be planting sphagnum moss in the Goyt Valley area of the Peak District, close to Buxton. Sphagnum moss is a key building block of peat and healthy blanket bog keeps the underlying peat banks safe. Sphagnum traps carbon dioxide and due to its water retention properties it also helps reduce flooding and improves water quality. Therefore protection and restoration of blanket bog is an important part of the fight against climate change.
The Climate Project Events
BMC Volunteers will be joining National Trust Rangers planting trees in the North York Moors National Park. This is part of a plan to increase tree cover of the National Park up to 25%. Benefits of tree planting include: carbon capture, improved soils, reducing erosion, water logging and flood risk downstream, increased bioversity of birds, mammals, insects and plants, shelter for livestock, and beneficial effect on the landscape. Planting trees will benefit nature, reduce flood risk, and help fight climate change.
Indoor Climbing
Ahead of the 2025 Boulder, Lead and Speed season, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) have made changes to how they define age categories.
Article
When it comes to gift-giving, we know the best things in life aren't always 'things'! Team BMC have been hard at work putting together a list of really great Christmas gift ideas that are a bit ‘outside the box’...
Indoor Climbing News
The BMC, Mountaineering Ireland and Mountaineering Scotland are pleased to present the Youth Climbing Series Grand Final 2024. Please note, this is an invitational event only.
Access News
Consultation on Wales’ proposed new National Park – member’s views needed.
Indoor Climbing News
Today, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can announce that the Youth Climbing Series (YCS) 2024 Grand Final will take place in Leeds at the Big Depot and Depot Leeds Armley, on 23-24 November 2024.
Mend Our Mountains Articles
Do you have Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) days to fill or is your company looking for new and exciting CSR days for your staff? The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) has the answers.
Hill Walking News
Over 800 drinks containers were removed from Wales’ highest peak last weekend causing environmental campaigners to demand the urgent introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for bottles and cans.
Access Articles
This unassuming, bright, green or red moss with lush, almost tentacle-like fronds is hiding five well-kept secrets.
Access News
On Tuesday 8 October, the Supreme Court will consider whether the right to wild camp on Dartmoor continues to be a cherished freedom. The case, brought by Alexander Darwall, owner of 4,000-acre estate in southern Dartmoor, challenges the notion that wild camping (or backpack camping) should be considered an open-air recreation in its own right.
Performance News
The IFSC Paraclimbing World Cup 2024 series concluded with a spectacular finale in Arco, Italy, marking the end of a competitive series that also included events in Salt Lake City, USA, and Innsbruck, Austria.
Mend Our Mountains Articles
Did you know that the 140,000 miles of footpaths and bridleways we have access to in England and Wales are under serious threat? The footpaths you love the walk on are disappearing fast before our eyes due to erosion from increased footfall and more extreme weather conditions. Here are 14 reasons why we can't ignore footpath erosion.
Access News
The Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) Big Clean Up event marks an unprecedented effort to begin to rid the mountain of decades-old litter, including a misplaced Santa hat! Over two days, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st September, dedicated volunteers and specialists undertook a challenging mission to clean one of Wales’ most iconic natural landmarks.
Performance News
British climbing sensation Toby Roberts added another medal to his collection last weekend after securing a bronze medal at the IFSC Climbing Boulder World Cup in Prague last weekend.
Access News
The BMC welcomes and supports the Cumbria Wildlife Trust who are set to rewild the bleak plateau of Skiddaw. This work aligns fully with BMC values - protecting the mountains for future climbers, hill-walkers and mountaineers and promoting environmental sustainability.
Rock Destinations
Dreaming of big numbers this year? We reveal six sizzling holiday rock destinations that will send your grade through the roof. Whether your sight is on 6b or you're aching for 8a, here are Steve McClure's top picks.
Access News
On Sat 21 September, 40 BMC volunteers will climb Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) to rid the mountain of as much litter as possible in The Big Clean Up event, including the 'waterfall' of trash which has been stuck for decades in the steep and hazardous Trinity Gullies.
Rock Climbing
A peregrine survey by boat with high-quality photography organised by local BMC Access Reps Iain Peters and James Mann has helped to identify peregrine nesting sites so that a blanket ban on climbing at the Cornish climbing site of Carn Cowla can be lifted. A temporary ban had been put in place by the National Trust covering the cliffs between Tubby Head and Bawden Cliff, including major route locations up to and beyond the America Buttress. The ban has now been lifted so all sections are open, with only crag- and area-specific restrictions in place when necessary.
Indoor Climbing News
Zoe Peetermans and Sam Butterworth claimed the 2024 British Boulder Champions titles on Sunday 25th August at Last Sun Dance in Leeds.
News
The BMC is pleased to announce our membership of Sports for Nature (S4N) - the first mountaineering organisation to do so. S4N enables and encourages sporting bodies to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration, an initiative that aligns completely with the BMC’s values, including our ongoing access and conservation work, aims for net-zero emissions by 2040 and new Climate & Sustainability Action Plan.
Mend Our Mountains Articles
If you're a BMC member or if you have made a donation to the BMC Access & Conservation Trust (ACT), you are directly supporting our Mend Our Mountains campaign which is funding Fix the Fells again this year. Your contributions enable rangers like Caroline Mercer to consistently repair and manage the Lake District paths that we love to walk on. We caught up with Caroline on a path above Derwent Water, near Keswick, to find out about a typical day in her life - it's pretty hard work!
Performance News
The IFSC Paraclimbing European Championships in Villars, Switzerland, this weekend saw 13 GB Climbing athletes clip into the Lead wall, delivering strong performances and personal bests across the board.