UKC

Hi Fam,
I am Asking for tip here
This weekend I want to try a new sport climbing place and I think that place clould be Cheddar...
Do you think is a good place for Winter time?? anybody knows a nice place to park my van just close to the rock??
thank you
hope meet you arround!

In reply to Orkita:

If you want to climb routes on the South Side of the gorge be aware you need to hold BMC membership (for the third party insurance cover it gives you - part of the access agreement in case you dislodge rock onto people/property).
There is lots of great climbing in the Gorge across the grades, get Martin Crocker's 2009 Cheddar Gorge Climbs for topos (if you don't have it already). Some areas are prone to seepage after wet weather and it can be very cold in winter. But there are quite a few different aspects, so usually possible to find a dry crag out of the wind. Plenty of parking all along the gorge (the marked bays near the village cost, but there are other options).

In reply to Orkita:

Double check access as certain parts of the gorge are only winter time, some are only summer and others are all year round. Don't want to get caught out climbing in the in an area when it's the wrong season....

In reply to climbEdclimb:

As I understand it all established routes are open between October 1st and March 15th.

In reply to climbEdclimb:

It's the right season.

To the OP - good venue once you get away from the roadside crags which tend to be polished. Also they can be dark and dank whereas the higher crags dry faster and catch more sun.

In reply to Orkita:

Cheddar is notoriously cold in the winter. If there is any wind around it tends to channel through the gorge and is amplified making life very unpleasant! Top tips are: stay above the road, out of the wind and in the sun and it should be ok. Remanant and Lion rock probably the best places in cheddar at this time of year. Park anywhere by the road.
If I was you I'd to Brean Down instead (harder grades tho)
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=75
It's only extra few miles towards the coast. If the sun is out you'll be climbing in t-shirt

In reply to Orkita:

We were there today on The Remnant. The rock was freezing cold and looked even worse than usual. But the mythical sticky damp and friction from the cold were fantastic. So we had a great day.

It's totally bizarre climbing - real Marmite stuff. None of the normal spot a hold and pull on it malarky. Rather a lot of blind moves trying to find a side pull or burly pinch you can pull on from the 100s of awful side pulls/pinches within vision, step high on some awful, tiny polished foot hold from the 100s around you, pray your foot stays on (a weighted foot always slips at Cheddar), and make an incredibly powerful move only to have to repeat the whole process again and again for 30 feet. It's like some crazy, ultra flash pump game of chess, constantly analysing and getting frustrated yet is strangely enjoyable and sirenesque. Climbing at Ansteys and Torbryan seem like a walk in the park in comparison (hold, pull, hold pull (or not as the case may be)).

It was just a shame to have a branch of the Subaru Imprezza (or was it the Evo) Club and loads of bikers seriously destroying the peace for the whole day. How everyone marvelled and gasped at all that high pitched revving and exhaust farting.

Have fun if you visit. I want to go back soon to get spanked on some mind-blowing craziness once more.

In reply to Orkita:

aaaaw!!!!!!! many thanks guys!!
At the end I wentt to Peak : bouldering and almost trad!!, but thank you, I might go this weekend to Cheddar.SSooo al that tip are very wellcome.
People, we see each other in the rock!!
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