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As the new academic year begins, university climbing clubs across the country are recruiting new members and guiding them through their first steps onto real rock through freshers meets. This can mean a short period of busier crags, and many uni clubs in the past have posted treads with details of their meets on UKC so climbers know which crags are likely to be busy and when, but with multiple threads it can be hard to keep track of all the information.
Last year we started a thread for uni clubs to post up details of which crags they were planning to visit on their freshers meets so all information could be available on one thread and easier for anyone who is interested to find. It seemed to go down well with most people so were doing it again this year – basic info along the lines of where, when and how many people is all that’s needed.
For any committee members who want ideas on managing groups at the crag, the BMC produces a free to download ‘Green Guide to the Uplands’ which gives advice on group use of crags in sections 11, 12 and 13 (pages 20-24): http://www.thebmc.co.uk/greenguides
It’s also worth encouraging individual climbers to be patient with uni groups – we were all beginners once and for many of these keen students this is the first step towards the lifetime of adventure and fun that we all value so much.
Cheers,
Rob Dyer
BMC Access & Conservation Officer
Last year we started a thread for uni clubs to post up details of which crags they were planning to visit on their freshers meets so all information could be available on one thread and easier for anyone who is interested to find. It seemed to go down well with most people so were doing it again this year – basic info along the lines of where, when and how many people is all that’s needed.
For any committee members who want ideas on managing groups at the crag, the BMC produces a free to download ‘Green Guide to the Uplands’ which gives advice on group use of crags in sections 11, 12 and 13 (pages 20-24): http://www.thebmc.co.uk/greenguides
It’s also worth encouraging individual climbers to be patient with uni groups – we were all beginners once and for many of these keen students this is the first step towards the lifetime of adventure and fun that we all value so much.
Cheers,
Rob Dyer
BMC Access & Conservation Officer
From other threads
Southampton Uni MC will be holding our Freshers' meets in the Peaks on the weekends of the 7th-9th and the 14th-16th October. We should end up at the following crags:
Sat 8th - Stanage Popular/Plantation
Sun 9th - Burbage North
Sat 15th - Stanage Popular/Plantation
Sun 16th - Burbage North
Estimated to be 40 people.
and
UBMC Stanage freshers meet will be taking place Sat 8th/Sun 9th Oct. There will be approximately 50 split between High Neb and Stanage Popular.
Southampton Uni MC will be holding our Freshers' meets in the Peaks on the weekends of the 7th-9th and the 14th-16th October. We should end up at the following crags:
Sat 8th - Stanage Popular/Plantation
Sun 9th - Burbage North
Sat 15th - Stanage Popular/Plantation
Sun 16th - Burbage North
Estimated to be 40 people.
and
UBMC Stanage freshers meet will be taking place Sat 8th/Sun 9th Oct. There will be approximately 50 split between High Neb and Stanage Popular.
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
Birmingham Uni will also be holding our freshers meet in the peaks on the 8th/9th October
Approximately 60 of us will be split between Stanage Pop/Plantation and High Neb on both the Saturday and Sunday.
As mentioned before we try to encourage seconding rather than hogging routes with top ropes and apologise for any inconvenience caused!
Birmingham Uni will also be holding our freshers meet in the peaks on the 8th/9th October
Approximately 60 of us will be split between Stanage Pop/Plantation and High Neb on both the Saturday and Sunday.
As mentioned before we try to encourage seconding rather than hogging routes with top ropes and apologise for any inconvenience caused!
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC: Loughborough will be doing the following freshers trips:
15th October Stanage High Neb
16th october Birchen
~30 people on each day.
15th October Stanage High Neb
16th october Birchen
~30 people on each day.
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
Imperial College Mountaineering Club will be running its freshers trip on the 15th & 16t October, we will be at the following:
Froggatt 15th
Stanage Plantation 16th
Group will be about 45 people
Imperial College Mountaineering Club will be running its freshers trip on the 15th & 16t October, we will be at the following:
Froggatt 15th
Stanage Plantation 16th
Group will be about 45 people
In reply to Murray Lee Brown:
As has been said for others don't you think Froggatt is a slightly odd choice (especially considering the BMC guidelines in the info Rob copied) the likelihood is it will be crowded anyway (and havent some other unis announced they will be there already?). I'm not saying don't go there, just consider your impact on other crag users and on classic routes (ie avoid them with group or beginner ascents) as the BMC advice indicates. As a tip there are good easier routes on the north end of Curbar (5 mins walk)that normally need more traffic.
As has been said for others don't you think Froggatt is a slightly odd choice (especially considering the BMC guidelines in the info Rob copied) the likelihood is it will be crowded anyway (and havent some other unis announced they will be there already?). I'm not saying don't go there, just consider your impact on other crag users and on classic routes (ie avoid them with group or beginner ascents) as the BMC advice indicates. As a tip there are good easier routes on the north end of Curbar (5 mins walk)that normally need more traffic.
In reply to Offwidth:
Can you tell me which other uni is going and where they posted saying that they were? I can't see it on this thread.
We probably will send some people to Curbar, it was part of the reason for choosing Froggatt as we can move people around if it is busy. Similarly if other people think its too crowded they can walk over to Curbar as well.
We always try not to do any top roping and if we have to then we won't be setting any up on classics, last year we managed no top ropes for the entire weekend. I am trying to be considerate, but we do need to go somewhere. Part of the point of this thread is so people know where to avoid.
Can you tell me which other uni is going and where they posted saying that they were? I can't see it on this thread.
We probably will send some people to Curbar, it was part of the reason for choosing Froggatt as we can move people around if it is busy. Similarly if other people think its too crowded they can walk over to Curbar as well.
We always try not to do any top roping and if we have to then we won't be setting any up on classics, last year we managed no top ropes for the entire weekend. I am trying to be considerate, but we do need to go somewhere. Part of the point of this thread is so people know where to avoid.
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
Leeds University Mountaineering Club
Birchen edge - 15th October
Stanage plantation/popular - 16th October
Around 25-30 on each day.
Cheers,
Ben
Leeds University Mountaineering Club
Birchen edge - 15th October
Stanage plantation/popular - 16th October
Around 25-30 on each day.
Cheers,
Ben
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC: Leeds Metropolitan Uni Club are heading to North Wales on the 29th and 30th of October, we will probably be heading to Tryfan/Tryfan Fach on the saturday and depending on the weather, maybe splitting up between there and Idwal Slabs. Sunday activities TBC.
There will probably be around 20-25 of us and we will be encouraging leading/seconding as opposed to top roping. Cheers
RC
There will probably be around 20-25 of us and we will be encouraging leading/seconding as opposed to top roping. Cheers
RC
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
Oxford Uni Mountaineering Club will be running 3 Freshers' Meets this year,
16 Oct- Portland, probably Blacknor beach
22&29 Oct- Peak District, exact location TBC but probably Harborough, Windgather or Castle Naze.
All of these will have roughly 30 people. We try not to be too much of a nuisance and will observe normal crag etiquette. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Oxford Uni Mountaineering Club will be running 3 Freshers' Meets this year,
16 Oct- Portland, probably Blacknor beach
22&29 Oct- Peak District, exact location TBC but probably Harborough, Windgather or Castle Naze.
All of these will have roughly 30 people. We try not to be too much of a nuisance and will observe normal crag etiquette. Apologies for any inconvenience.
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
God help you all - fank feck i dont live in the Peak anymore.
Glad to be of service
God help you all - fank feck i dont live in the Peak anymore.
Glad to be of service
In reply to Toreador:
I was about to say the same about Harborough, actually!
I was about to say the same about Harborough, actually!
In reply to Murray Lee Brown:
Searched for Freshers and Froggatt and can't find it so I may have been wrong about the clash. Froggatt on a nice autumn weekend is always busy though.
Some people here go on and on about top-roping but there is nothing wrong with this in my view if you're not route hogging or damaging the route. Many well meaning student groups inadvertently end up leading classic routes then trail up endless inexperienced seconds in inappropriate footwear. To me this IS a major issue, as the poor footwork and sandy shoes can erode rock very rapidly compared to neat footwork of an experienced climber on a top-rope.
I guess as an ex-student club officer I'm urging people to try and find routes no one is going to get that excited about beginners working and to try and ask them to think about their feet and keep them clean (towels are useful). I often state Sheffield at Lawrencefield as a Uni group that Ive seen several times behaving well with most of the flailers in the first bay and more experienced climbers in small lead groups next door. Lets all try and maintain the quality of some of our easier classics for the future.
As a parting positive point, nearly all the student groups I see these days seem a lot more aware of issues than those when I started in the 80's; they try and follow good ethical practice a situation nothing like so common with some of the current school groups I see...especially at Almscliffe and Ilkley. The BMC are increasingly helpful as well.
Searched for Freshers and Froggatt and can't find it so I may have been wrong about the clash. Froggatt on a nice autumn weekend is always busy though.
Some people here go on and on about top-roping but there is nothing wrong with this in my view if you're not route hogging or damaging the route. Many well meaning student groups inadvertently end up leading classic routes then trail up endless inexperienced seconds in inappropriate footwear. To me this IS a major issue, as the poor footwork and sandy shoes can erode rock very rapidly compared to neat footwork of an experienced climber on a top-rope.
I guess as an ex-student club officer I'm urging people to try and find routes no one is going to get that excited about beginners working and to try and ask them to think about their feet and keep them clean (towels are useful). I often state Sheffield at Lawrencefield as a Uni group that Ive seen several times behaving well with most of the flailers in the first bay and more experienced climbers in small lead groups next door. Lets all try and maintain the quality of some of our easier classics for the future.
As a parting positive point, nearly all the student groups I see these days seem a lot more aware of issues than those when I started in the 80's; they try and follow good ethical practice a situation nothing like so common with some of the current school groups I see...especially at Almscliffe and Ilkley. The BMC are increasingly helpful as well.
In reply to Offwidth:
Froggatt on a nice autumn weekend is always busy though.
Can you predict the weather for their trip then? is it going to be a nice autumn day and not a miserable rainy one? :p
Froggatt on a nice autumn weekend is always busy though.
Can you predict the weather for their trip then? is it going to be a nice autumn day and not a miserable rainy one? :p
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC: gopd idea Rob, not convinces it's the best bit of the forum for maximum visibility?
In reply to chrisbaggy:
No but the weather forecast sites can and there is a good chance the peak district will be dry this saturday. A high pushing in from the south and east is fighting fronts in the west. Your post leads to another point: climbing grit classics in the wet also adds to the damage, so climb lesser routes and save the classics for a dry day.
No but the weather forecast sites can and there is a good chance the peak district will be dry this saturday. A high pushing in from the south and east is fighting fronts in the west. Your post leads to another point: climbing grit classics in the wet also adds to the damage, so climb lesser routes and save the classics for a dry day.
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
The first route I seconded as a fresher was Agony Crack @ Stanage. What a great route choice! I loved it, despite it being a major contributing factor to a severe bout of tendonitis. Managed it clean and was wearing a brand new pair of Red Chili Impact zones! Those were the days...
The first route I seconded as a fresher was Agony Crack @ Stanage. What a great route choice! I loved it, despite it being a major contributing factor to a severe bout of tendonitis. Managed it clean and was wearing a brand new pair of Red Chili Impact zones! Those were the days...
In reply to Offwidth:
Good route choice helps as well - ie stuff at an appropriate grade with definite footholds. I saw a group of newbies with an instructor taking it in turns to be hoisted up a couple of the HS's next to Dreamboat Annie at Porth Clais which really did seem gratuitous - they clearly didn't have much chance of getting the moves cleanly, and were basically just scraping their trainers around on the little frictiony holds while the rope pulled them up.
Blech, sorry, massively off topic but that bothered me...
> (In reply to Murray Lee Brown)
>
> I guess as an ex-student club officer I'm urging people to try and find routes no one is going to get that excited about beginners working and to try and ask them to think about their feet and keep them clean (towels are useful). I often state Sheffield at Lawrencefield as a Uni group that Ive seen several times behaving well with most of the flailers in the first bay and more experienced climbers in small lead groups next door. Lets all try and maintain the quality of some of our easier classics for the future.
>
> I guess as an ex-student club officer I'm urging people to try and find routes no one is going to get that excited about beginners working and to try and ask them to think about their feet and keep them clean (towels are useful). I often state Sheffield at Lawrencefield as a Uni group that Ive seen several times behaving well with most of the flailers in the first bay and more experienced climbers in small lead groups next door. Lets all try and maintain the quality of some of our easier classics for the future.
Good route choice helps as well - ie stuff at an appropriate grade with definite footholds. I saw a group of newbies with an instructor taking it in turns to be hoisted up a couple of the HS's next to Dreamboat Annie at Porth Clais which really did seem gratuitous - they clearly didn't have much chance of getting the moves cleanly, and were basically just scraping their trainers around on the little frictiony holds while the rope pulled them up.
Blech, sorry, massively off topic but that bothered me...
In reply to Offwidth:
Just thought I'd take the opportunity to back up Offwidth's point and say something positive about student groups as they get a lot of flak. I was at Froggatt yesterday and the large Imperial College group caused no problem at all - no intrusive top ropes, no route hogging etc etc. Hope everyone had a good day as we did.
> (In reply to Murray Lee Brown)
>
> As a parting positive point, nearly all the student groups I see these days seem a lot more aware of issues than those when I started in the 80's; they try and follow good ethical practice . . .
>
> As a parting positive point, nearly all the student groups I see these days seem a lot more aware of issues than those when I started in the 80's; they try and follow good ethical practice . . .
Just thought I'd take the opportunity to back up Offwidth's point and say something positive about student groups as they get a lot of flak. I was at Froggatt yesterday and the large Imperial College group caused no problem at all - no intrusive top ropes, no route hogging etc etc. Hope everyone had a good day as we did.
Cambridge University Mountaineering Club will be holding a freshers meet this Sunday (23rd October) at Burbage North
There will be approximately 50 people total, split along the crag, with some groups bouldering as well. We should have enough people to be split into small leader / second teams with minimal / no top-roping.
Apologies in advance for any inconvenience caused. If you have any problems please just have a word with us.
Vincent
There will be approximately 50 people total, split along the crag, with some groups bouldering as well. We should have enough people to be split into small leader / second teams with minimal / no top-roping.
Apologies in advance for any inconvenience caused. If you have any problems please just have a word with us.
Vincent
To clarify - this Saturday OUMC will be at Stanage (almost certainly lead/second only) and Windgather, where we will likely have three or four topropes until about 2pm and then lead/second only. I'll be at the latter meet, and if we're in your way please feel free to shout at me; I'll be the stressed-looking one with the beard!
Jamie
Jamie
In reply to Jamie Wakeham: Rather you than me in the forecast wind. Get yourself to shelter unless you want to give them a test of toughness.
http://www.mwis.org.uk/pd.php?fdate=111022
Lawrencefield first bay is ideal for beginners in such conditions (buffetting southerlys).
http://www.mwis.org.uk/pd.php?fdate=111022
Lawrencefield first bay is ideal for beginners in such conditions (buffetting southerlys).
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
Birmingham will be at the Roaches tomorrow (about 30 of us). It's not a freshers meet this time but there'll still be quite a lot of unexperienced members about so sorry once again for any inconvenience.
Birmingham will be at the Roaches tomorrow (about 30 of us). It's not a freshers meet this time but there'll still be quite a lot of unexperienced members about so sorry once again for any inconvenience.
In reply to Rob Dyer, BMC:
Leeds Uni Mountaineering club are going to Tremadog this weekend, 19/20.
Around 40+ of us, though I reckon some will go off to other crags. We'll be the ones wearing lycra
Cheers
Ben
Leeds Uni Mountaineering club are going to Tremadog this weekend, 19/20.
Around 40+ of us, though I reckon some will go off to other crags. We'll be the ones wearing lycra
Cheers
Ben
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