National Theatre Wales have painted an extract from a poem by Welsh poet Gillian Clarke for a show that the theatre is putting on called 'The Gathering/Yr Helfa'. The poem has been painted onto a rockface in Cwm Llan which the Watkin Path on Snowdon passes through.

Local instructor, Mark Reeves broke the news on his Snowdonia Mountain Guides Facebook Page: 

"So was up in Cwm Llan today and the Welsh National Theatre have decided to paint a 100ft high mural onto a cliff face. My guess is if I painted the same thing on the side of their theatre in Cardiff I'd be arrested for vandalism. These guys probably got a massive grant to do it. I suspect the paint will not come off easily!"

The Welsh National Theatre commented on Mark's post saying:

"The paint that we used was a natural clay based paint that isn't harmful, which will be washed off once the show finished on Sunday. We have worked closely with the National Trust to source materials and permissions. The text is an extract from poetry by National Poet for Wales Gillian Clarke, who has written the show."

Cwm Llan is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and the action of the Welsh National Theatre has upset many outdoor users who feel that it shows a lack of respect for the natural environment and sets a bad example to young people. 

The Welsh National Theatre have stated that they are happy to answer any questions anyone has and to message them through their Facebook Page.