UKC

Last night I went climbing at Ratho, the quarry.

I was struck by the fact that on a perfect Summer's evening there were about 40 people climbing on the artificial wall inside and only 4 climbing on real rock outside. However that's another subject.

We parked in the centre car park as usual and were dismayed to find that when we came to leave at 10.15 a locked gate preventing us from leaving the centre. There was no one left in the centre to open the gate for us. We rang the security company and someone came out from Edinburgh and opened the gate about 50 minutes later. Apparently we were by no means the first to have been trapped.

So beware! If you're climbing outside in the evening then you'd better leave your car on the other side of the gate or be prepared for an unpleasant surprise.

You'd have thought they'd have put a sign up...

In reply to Removed User:

LOL this happened to my mate not so long ago, he wasn't best pleased

I turned up in the car park last night to go into Ratho and desided it was way too nice for indoor climbing, so went to Rosyth instead, we climbed till 11 oclock in t-shirts.

Where did you find the number to phone? my mate just walked home.

Sorry for laughing.
SDB

In reply to ShinyDiscoBalls:


liar! you're not sorry at all

was out at traprain last night... no-one else there all evening, couldn't believe it!

In reply to rallymania:

No one can be bothered with the long walk in.

SDB

In reply to ShinyDiscoBalls:


The security firm have put a sign with their name and number above beside the gate.

My partner lives in west Linton so walking wasn't an option. However, I had a plan B if opening the gate using a phone didn't work but I'll not go into that as it would have entailed justified but nevertheless criminal, damage.

In reply to ShinyDiscoBalls:

Rosyth

I was there, orange petzl helmet, with 4 kids. I was not the bigger Air Cadet group.

You certainly got the crackin weather.

In reply to Removed User:

Cheers noted for future use.

Btw I was climbing at Ratho tonight and a staff member came out at 2130 and told us the gate will be locked at ten sharp. So maybe they read your post.

Scott I have PMed you regarding Rosyth.

SDB

In reply to Removed User:
"I was struck by the fact that on a perfect Summer's evening there were about 40 people climbing on the artificial wall inside and only 4 climbing on real rock outside"

I had a similar running experience couple of weeks ago. Near where I live there is a stunning 4/5 mile beach which I frequent.
Fairly close by there is a "fitness club/gym".
Whilst out running this particular evening on my way to beach I ran past the "fitness club" and could see circa 3/4 people on fceking treadmills through the glass!

In reply to ShinyDiscoBalls:

Possibly, I also emailed Edinburgh Leisure and no doubt the security firm did as well.

Certainly seems like a half decent solution though if you want to make best use of the whole evening then you'll still have to park outside the car park. Three of my climbing partners can't get to the crag before 8.00pm in the evenings so we always start and finish late.

In reply to Removed User:

Hi Eric,

I suspect that it cost the EICA at Ratho a reasonable sum of money to have someone come out to open their gate for you. (From my own experience, I would guess at about £30) Given that you were not using the centre - which closes at 10pm and has fairly obvious gates on its access road - why would you assume their carpark should be available for you to arrive and depart from at your leisure? I think you are lucky that the centre has not (yet!!) presented you with the bill!

In reply to hexcentric:

Neither myself not my partner saw the gate in the way in.

I've never seen it before and I've climbed at Ratho for over twenty years and since the centre has opened have used the car park in the evenings, without problems until now.

Before the centre opened access to the quarry was generally from the canal or after the bypass was built, via a small slip road coming from the East. Since the centre has opened access from the canal is not possible, or at least difficult, and the slip road has been blocked. The only access into the quarry is now through the centre.

The security company told me that they were not paid to come out and open the gate and made the point that they had been called out a number of times this year already. In fact SDB has said earlier that the same thing happened to one of his friends.

Finally it would seem ironic to me, to say the least, that a climbing centre would actually penalise people for going climbing; although I hasten to add that there has been no suggestion of that from anyone other than yourself.

In reply to Removed User:

Hi again Eric,

As I understand it, EICA has a gate to its carpark not in any way to penalise climbers but to combat a number of break-ins over the last few years where the perpetrators used a vehicle.

I agree that more visible signs regarding the opening hours of the carpark would be useful - especially as the centre actually shuts at 7pm on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Access from the canal to the quarry is still easy - though not by vehicle. It is not necessary to go through the EICA building either as there is a set of fire escape stairs to the right hand side of the building as you come up from the canal path.

In reply to Removed User:

A postscript.

As I said up the post I did contact Edinburgh Leisure and this evening received a very nice reply from the centre manager which I've posted below. Also, I was back there climbing last night and at 10.00pm a bloke came out from the centre and told us that the car park was shutting. This time though, we'd parked on the other side of the bridge..

"Dear Mr 9Points,

Thank you for your email dated the 3rd of June.
Since Edinburgh Leisure took over operation of the EICA from the Adventure Centre some 4 years ago the site has been fitted with several gates. This is due unfortunately to several act of mindless vandalism and several break ins. As we have a TISO shop on site we have had several smash and grab type thefts in vehicles.
The site currently closes at 10pm Monday to Friday and 7pm on Saturday and Sundays. We do appreciate that in the lighter nights climbers do climb after these times and there has been a few issues of customers being trapped. As we are charged each time the security company comes to let users out, so we have been reviewing our signage to ensure customers are aware of the closing times. These signs are now at the printers and will be up shortly. This should make it much clearer for customers.
I mentioned this incident to the Climbing Arena Manager, who mentioned that in the summer months climbers will park on the access road or park at the Bridge Inn in Ratho and walk down to the quarry.
Apologies for this incident but as I am sure you can understand we must try and protect this facility and it contents from opportunist and vandals. I hope you have the opportunity enjoy the lighter nights and better weather.
Thank you for taking the time to write in about the issue.
Yours Faithfully,

Jo"