UKC

right.. someewhat of an odd "rock climbing destinations" type of query...

The Oxford Climbing wall (Rock Solid) is closing for 2 months... this, of course, has caused a great stir amongst the local climbing clubs who are trying to figure out how to keep our hand in without access to our precious local commodity (other than climbing out more which is a bit fdifficult for me, personally, given the fact that i two wee babes and the pressure of going away is difficult.. i need a local solution).

So the question is, does anyone know about alternatives which are in and around the oxford area (unnatural slab areas, walls around railway bridges.. stuff like that).

Info that we know: Swindon have a climbing wall - the link - and there are 2 man-made boulders around (one in Standlake and one in Blackbird Leys - of course with the BL option, one needs to give it a proper power wash as there's a significant amount of unrine on it...that and one must bring a broom due to broken glass around the base - other than that,it's great!)...

So, if folk could confirm the existence of alternative venues around oxford - and discredit the urban myths - we'd be most appreciative.. HELP!!

toddmonster

In reply to toddp: Way back in the mid 70s I spent a year at Oxford & at that time there was no climbing wall available. We made do with buildings mostly, with the occasional trip to an old brick railway bridge/viaduct which was a few miles out of town. Can't remember the name, & maybe its long gone.

Anyone else remember this bridge ?

In reply to toddp:

Re-enliven the old Oxbridge rivalry and produce your own version of this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Climbers-Cambridge-Whipplesnaith/dp/090667283...

In reply to Doug:

Horspath. Perfectly situated for a bit of post-climbing heroin shooting.

In reply to NickD: That's the place ! can't remember seeing anyone else there on our rare visits & I guess heroin wasn't as common then.

Doesn't seem to be on the crag database although the bridge at Fen Ditton close to the 'other place' is

In reply to NickD:

great stuff! actually work not too far from there and always looking for new places to score some dope - and heck, if we could fit in some climbing at the same time, all the better...

thanks to all others for responses.. keep em coming and, yes, maybe we could bring a challenge to the second best city in the UK's account of Night climbing (we got the rowing going on.. maybe it's time to remind them about the off piste Oxford climbs... says the American ex-pat in Oxford...).

be good

In reply to Doug:

yes climbed there a bit when was at the poly in mid/late 80's, only occasionally as the uni wall was open then

In reply to toddp:

So has the Brookes wall definitely been confirmed as closing then? What are the expected dates?

I guess there is Birmingham (redpoint + creation), or the Climbing academy in Bristol. I'll be driving to both towns pretty regularly so always looking for people to share costs.

In reply to toddp:

Yeah, closed from early August (2nd?) to end of September. I've only been in Oxford for a month or two, but would be keen if anyone wants to explore some alternative options.

You could join the University's mountaineering club and use their bouldering wall at Iffley Road gym.

In reply to Philip:

Is it still covered in that frictionless green paint that so improved it when I was there?

In reply to toddp: Havn't been there in over a year but from previous experience 'The climb'in Amersham (prob 45 mins drive? no traffic) is a dedicated,smallish but extremely versatile and well utilised training facility.

In reply to iccy:

think a bunch of us are considering the occasional run out to Swindon toon to explore The Ridge - tho reputation has it that the wall is ok but staff are a bit ott when it comes to how you're belaying, whether you're knot is good enough, if your harness is safe enough, whether you should be chewing gum whilst climbing, that talking should be kept to a minimum... that they think it's a bad idea to be go to the loo whilst belaying or partaking of the H procured whilst at the Horspath bridge venue... will see.. hopefully the reputation of being hyper-vigilant is a bit exaggerated...

Brookes redevelopment of main bouldering area and lead tower looking to complete towards the end of September - with additional bouldering being added in an underused squash ct area in the new year.. sounds all good, just a bummer that there's not another really good option around oxford (potential business opportunity? Hmmmmm....)

In reply to toddp:


For climbers in serge shorts with high-pitched aristocratic voices, there's an outdoor wall at the Dragon School. Nip up to Chadlington Rd and take a look.

In reply to toddp: Why is Rock Solid closing for so long?

In reply to Dave Garnett:

No - the frictionless green paint has worn off, to reveal the frictionless bricks beneath.

In reply to toddp:

There's also the piss stinking boulder down by blackbird leys. If you google it there's a list of problems online somewhere

In reply to jmews:
There's also a boulder out at Standlake village just south of Witney

In reply to toddp:

There is (used to be) a decent wall at Brunel just down the road. And Donnington Bridge is always worth a look.

In reply to maxpie: I like Amersham, used to go quie a bit when I lived down that way, and you can go for a swim afterwards

In reply to toddp: I have noticed a few chalk marks on the alley that leads down the back of Waitrose, which leads me to believe someone / some people are climbing their fairly frequently. I'm not sure what the grades concerned are, but it looks hard to me.

Alternatively, in town, I know of three possible sites near where I work.

1. The wall / slab at the base of the Castle Mound / Macclesfied House. I've not climbed on it yet, but keep intending to. The wall starts out at a nice easy slabby angle and steepens up as you go around the corner.

2. The slabby butress at the base of the castle turret - around the back of the castle. About 5m high - quite a lot of sq. footage of climbing. Has the benifit of window-bars to top rope from if you so wish. The castle owners probably won't like this though... Possibly an early morning climbing location!

3. Bulwarks lane - a variety of problems, including what looks like a phenomenal finger crack... worth walking down there just for a look, I think.

Cheers,

Tim H.

In reply to toddp:


There's that chalk quarry somewhereabouts

In reply to toddp: Used to go to Swindon fairly regularly over Bristol UCR as there really was a knot and belaying Gestapo at Bristol. Swindon always seemed relaxed and informal. But it could get very hot and when the step aerobics class was on the instructors voice could grate a bit after a while....

In reply to Tim Haines: Probably should have made that initial statement a little bit less... esoteric. That'd be the Waitrose in Headington.

In reply to toddp: I went climbing at Horspath yesterday evening.... It needed a bit of gardening, but we cleaned up two routes and the climbing underneath was good, with plenty of trees to top rope from. It's quite a nice little venue.

You can see a picture of it, in a considerably less vegetated state than it is now, here:

http://disused-rlys.fotopic.net/p6991817.html

If anyone's up for a bit of gardening / climbing, email me on timhaines@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Cheers, Tim.

In reply to toddp: Sorry, wrong email timhaines@hotmail.com