In reply to bencoope:
Firstly thanks to muppetfilter for quoting me and doing my job for me. I was a bit confused to see my name at the end of a post I'd not started though. Just to reiterate:
50 people is outside of our guidelines for a single crag - but if you utilise the whole of the escarpment from Froggatt woods to Curbar Car park then the traffic would be as per normal for a weekend. 50 at Froggatt on easy-ish routes could cause a few dark looks...
The BMC don't own the crag, but they are a stakeholder in the Eastern Moors Partnership that lease it and we have a crag management plan drawn up which does discourage the use of such large groups.
That's not to say that we are against group use, it's just that the new lease holders are in the driving seat and we have to negotiate to allow such use. Basically what I'm getting at is the old adage of "don't spoil it for the rest of us" dotage which I'm sure you understand.
The whole area is very sensitive at the moment and with other recreational users we want the profile of climbers to be one of exemplary.
Hope you have a good meet - but please make sure that each and everyone of your group has a very clear understanding of crag behaviour for respect of other parties. ...
From the feedback on here - this is with good reason. The Eastern Moors is indeed a very sensitive area at the moment and I'm a bit concerned that you did not recognise this despite people's warnings.
Apologies if you did send parties all along the escarpment to curbar and baslow but 50 people at Froggatt alone could jepodise group use as access can be taken away from you by the owners - believe me - I drew up the management plan which can be seen on the Eastern Moors website.
We would kindly ask groups to stick to the BMC's crag management rules as the are more extremely sensitive issues coming up, please familiarise yourself with the STANAGE asset review.
I hope you had a good day but we would politely ask in future so as not to put future group use in jeopardy to follow the guidelines.
As a footnote - at the moment on the crags at Curbar and Froggatt there is extensive tree felling by the EMP on the estate so please all be vigilant and take care.
Many thanks
Simon Jacques
BMC Eastern Moors Access Representative.