UKC

Serious access issues have arisen at Edwardsville, a popular mid-grade sandstone sports venue in the South Wales valleys.
However the quarry is privately owned and the landowners have written to the BMC stating in clear terms that they do not allow access for climbing.

They state in their letter to the BMC that they have never given permission for the site to be developed for climbing, and in particular they have been annoyed and concerned at the level of damage, which they state is being caused by climbers. Specifically that climbers have damaged the entrance gate, have chopped down trees, have driven up the private access track (causing damage in doing so) and lit fires, including barbecues, which have gone out of control and caused significant fires.

While it's highly likley that much of this is unlikley to be the actions of climbers, other local climbers have stated that climbers have been driving up to the quarry, and having barbecues at the site, contrary to the access notes in the South Wales Mountaineering Club Wiki.

The owners have threatened to take legal action against the BMC if climbing continues and the fixed equipment is not removed, however the BMC have written to the owners to request an urgent meeting to try to resolve the issue. The BMC has also made it clear that it is not responsible for and does not have the authority to remove any of the fixed equipment at this venue.

Climbers are requested to avoid this site while attempts are made to resolve the situation. Further updates will be provided on the BMC Regional Access Database.

Elfyn Jones
BMC Access & Conservation Officer (Wales)

In reply to Elfyn - A+C Officer For Wales:
Typical just found the place sunday and now can`t go there, we walked up but there were 4 climbers cars parked up at quarry, but damage ?? setting fire to things is a summer pastime for kids in this area, Penallta been on fire allready

It's a real shame this has happened as this is a top climbing venue.

It's strange how this has come to a head now as the routes have been there for a while. I would like to think permission would have been granted by the owners before whoever went and bolted these routes, but in this case it doesn't look like it! (Hopefully there is a paper trail somewhere that somebody has forgotten about).

Yes, while some climbers have driven up the path (which is wrong I admit - the walk up there is a good warm up) youths of these areas use places like these to hang out at in the evenings and sadly do go lighting fires which do get out of control sometimes (Penallta is one BIG issue here). But whether the owners see it that way is another matter!

Anyway, good luck with the negotiations and hope the owners come round.

In reply to bon:
I doubt if the owner really believes that theft of his 10ft steel girder gate was down to climbers or the piles of trash that have started to accumulate there. Like you say "fire raising "is a local valley past time and hardly likely to be caused by climbers.Driving up the track was bound to invite grief,pity the owner didn't have the common sense to put a padlock on the gate before it got nicked by the local"pikeys" for scrap.

In reply to roy thomas: Also a pity that people felt the need to drive up the track instead of walking. You don't see many people bombing it down Forestry Commission fireroads to get to a picnic spot do you?