SUNDAY 9 OCTOBER 1955 - MOELWYNS
Johnnie Lees finds an old diary
Y Gelyman (VD) Craig Tor
At the top of the third pitch is a small, sloping heather ledge, about four yards long and two feet wide at the widest part. There is a belay here round a large flake of rock. Cpl Steed, who was leading the third pitch, found the ledge occupied by a large goat! Although, or perhaps because, the goat was not roped he appeared to resent leaving the belay; Steed was 60' above his second man, belayed below, and had to belay before bringing Richardson up. The goat gradually gave ground, though looking somewhat displeased. Nor could he be placated with sweets and chocolate which were offered with assorted ‘friendly’ noises. Eventually the leader occupied the widest part of the ledge or stance, belayed to the flake and brought up Richardson. This left the goat very little stance at all but he would not turn his horns (a good 2' long!) from the intruders, so could not escape up the short stretch of rock above him. Since the fourth pitch necessitates a traverse of the stance, to avoid the overhang above the flake in a ‘goatwards’ direction, and the goat looked very much as though it would charge the climbers, they decided to descend onto another climb, almost appropriately called ‘Mouton’ by the firs to ascend it. This was done, and they then followed us up another route about a hundred feet away - Evasion, with direct finish (VD).