Eben Muse Boulders Volcanic Rock on Preseli Hills
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- Eben Muse tackled volcanic rock on Carn Ffoi in the Preseli Hills, climbing an overhanging block on Carningli Common after eyeing the jagged edge from his accommodation all week.
- The rock's geology is volcanic, described in the account as 'rough as old bark,' with sharp edges that the climber found demanding on the hands and arms.
- Muse bouldered without his phone, relying on a hand-drawn route booklet he found indecipherable, and instead rooted through bracken to find his own line up the boulder.
- The site overlooks Trefdraeth bay and the Irish Sea, and from the summit the view extended west to the tor of Carn Enoch and the village of Dinas Cross.
- On his descent, Muse encountered a pale male adder, freshly moulted, basking on a stone — a brief standoff before each went their own way.
- The landscape showed signs of recent fire damage, with gorse on the common still singed from the previous year's burns, giving way to scrub and close-cropped grass.
Why it matters: Carn Ffoi's broken tors on Carningli Common are little-visited bouldering ground in the Preseli Hills, and the account documents a first ascent-style solo climb on volcanic rock without route guidance. The piece also notes ongoing ecological context — fire-scorched gorse, a recently moulted adder — giving a snapshot of the common's current condition for outdoor and wildlife readers.
