All that's standing between us and the mountain...

...is this stone wall, braced against millions of tons of rock and soil and water. The bottom half is carved straight out of bedrock while the top is a (crumbling) stone wall of traditional construction. 

The rock is porous so when it's been raining, the water seeps through and runs down and away into the drains. The cracks, of which there are many, are full of soil, which attracts plants - and weeds. This bramble is about 12-feet long and should be cut down really. But not today; today it is my blip because of its precarious position, vigorous growth and vibrant green colour. And because it's cold and wet and I can't be bothered to get the ladders out.