Bradley Edge Jon Fullwood, BMC Access Representative B
radley Edge is a small grit crag on CROW land with a very short approach along an unofficial but well-established access path. On the face of it the access here is safe and simple. Historically it has been unproblematic, with infrequent visitors finding ample parking and an unchallenged walk in. However, a combination of recent bouldering developments, climbing wall closures, and a general increase in outdoor bouldering, have led to an upsurge in interest in this little venue.
Parking all of a sudden was swamped on most weekends and a lack of alternative places led to some bad parking and incidents of lorries being unable to pass. COVID put an end to lift sharing which didn’t help with vehicle numbers, and very soon we were starting to have complaints from locals, including the owner of the land crossed to gain the crag. Things have since gone from bad to worse as the landowner has decided to build a campsite on the land in question. Work is ongoing to find a way forward, with local contacts engaging the landowner and making regular visits to assess progress of the land development. We still have the CROW designation on the crag itself, fingers crossed we don’t have to rely on parachuting in to make a visit in future.
Welsh Winter Climbing A
Barbara Jones, BMC Volunteer
s a winter climber, do you ever consider whether anything is growing under the snow and ice up which you are front pointing? You might be surprised to know that many of these cold, wet cliffs are home to some of the rarest plant species in the UK. These plants are known as arctic-alpines, more commonly found in high mountains or the arctic, but in our milder hills they manage to hang on in cracks and ledges on north facing cliffs. A good cover of snow or ice will protect them from winter climbing activities, but axe placements in lean or unfrozen conditions can easily tear them from the rock. Conservationists have long been aware of this, but in recent years have become increasingly alarmed by the rise in numbers of winter climbers, out in all conditions, with all the possible damage this could cause. This led to collaboration with the BMC and others on a scheme to allow plants and climbers to co-exist. The idea is that climbers check conditions before travelling so they won’t be tempted to travel and climb routes that aren't in condition. This started with the Cwm Idwal Winter Climbing Information Project in 2013 with a temperature sensing station being installed at the back of the Cwm. This generates live data and records the air temperature, the temperature of the turf at 5cm, and the ground at 15 and 30 cm. This information is then radioed to an internet feed at Ogwen Cottage, then to the BMC website, and its final destination: your computer or smart phone. Sensors are now in place in Clogwyn Du, below Glyder Fawr and on Great End and Helvellyn in the Lake District., all cliffs housing rare and fragile plant communities.
Nobody wants formal access restrictions, not to mention possible prosecution, so please maintain a low profile at these sites and only climb in good winter conditions to minimise your impact on the plants.
LIVE WINTER CONDITIONS:
www.thebmc.co.uk/idwal
Ban BBQ Blazes Rob Greenwood, BMC Peak Area Chair SUMMIT#105 | SPRING 2022 | 31
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