UKC

Well it's been about two years since I was last at Ratho (Dec' 05), my question is, have they sorted out the heating yet or is it still as cold as a polar bears.... toes? I would dearly like to know so I can prepare appropriately for my planned visit next month.

Cheers
Jonathan

In reply to kellyj: They haven't "sorted out" the heating as there was never any to begin with! Plan on it being co-o-o-old.

In reply to Martin W:

Agree - nothing could heat that place effectivly

Take a flask of something hot and a duvet jacket

In reply to kellyj:

The bouldering room tends to be okay, but the main arena is still unheated and can be chilly. Climb hard and take a duvet for between climbs!

In reply to kellyj:

Yeah, a downie and a hat are prerequisites for climbing at Ratho at this time of year. I was climbing there last week in a mid-weight base-layer and a sweater and I was still cold!

In reply to kathrync:

The other top tip is to avoid things with huge holds until you are a bit warmer - lots of skin in contact with hold equals more of the heat being sucked out of them - brrrrr

In reply to kellyj: Having just been for the first time on Sunday, the cool temperature is an advantage over other walls which are warmer and where you end up sweating off stuff. Take a jumper and climb lots, you'll be fine!

In reply to es:

Lol, I was warming up on juggy stuff with gloves on for exactly that reason...and it makes the odd sloper a little more interesting!

In reply to kellyj:
What's wrong with climbers today can't they just walk in and assess the conditions when they get there!

In reply to kathrync:

Aw cmon, it hasn't really been that cold in there yet! Wait till it hits the minus's, reckon the boulder room might get really busy

In reply to kathrync:

Try pushing it a wee bit harder

In reply to Twinkletoes:

Hey, I led the hardest I've ever led in there that night!

I just get cold easily Need to eat some pies...

In reply to kathrync:

youtube.com/watch?v=QpnnvccdEEE&
Never mind the pies! Here's an alternative and very green

In reply to Twinkletoes:

Lol

Do they do an adult night??

In reply to kathrync:

They will now. I thought he was hilarious as Denis penis ripping the pish out of American actors

that was brilliant and looks like Niblic climb at Harrsions Rocks to me

In reply to everyone: Thanks for the info, plan for cold it is then, flask of hot soup and a big coat it is... prey for rain/cloud cover to keep the ambient above the zero degrees....

Cheers
Jonathan

In reply to kellyj: I just joined Ratho a few weeks ago. You only notice the cold if you are standing about for a while. Just keep moving about and its fine.

In reply to Edinburgh Dave: went there for first time recently when away with work (on niggles advice - top tip mate)

First night we went it was ok. Second night it was colder than pingus a*se. living out of suit carriers in a hotel hadnt left much room for dedicated "going climbing" clobber either. we froze.

BTW - is there a method of squeezing a harness into a suit carrier withour mullering your work shirts? had to put rock boots in laptop bag - didnt want the smell infecting my work clothes. it was a pleasant treat for the security guy who pulled me going through the metal detector.

In reply to marty marty: Put the laptop in your suitcase (unless you really plan to use it on the plane) and take a small rucksack as carry-on baggage. (The carry-on rules are supposed to be eased soon anyway and I think you'll be allowed to take a laptop/briefcase as well as a bag of personal belongings, like you used to be able to.)

In reply to Edinburgh Dave:
As someone noted higher up the thread, you certainly notice the cold on your hands & fingers if you're using big holds!

In reply to Martin W: id rather not have the baggage man-handlers get hold of my laptop. thanks all the same. =)

was chatting to someone recently with experience - apparently the time span allowed for getting the stuff off the plane is only reachable by basically abandoning all hope for the goods in your care.