In reply to Barney Carver:
> Hi Iain,
> If that's the case why has no effort as yet been made to contact the FAs?
It is normally the responsibility of the individual(s) to elicit opinion on such issues. Perhaps Tim can answer your query?
> this wasn't mentioned on the pre-published agenda and the first I learnt about it was over a month later when the minutes were finally published. All this makes me very worried that most of the Cheesewring climbers (and Cornwall and Devon's climbers in general) will be completely unaware of these proposals.
I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it was brought up by Tim at AOB, which is why it will be on the agenda in Bristol.
> It may well be that there is support for this (although it does very much go against the existing establish practice at Cheesewring) but I'd need to be reassured that that was the case before even entertaining the idea as at the moment it appears to me as if this is just one chap's fancy.
Absolutely agree.
> Finally just to respond to one of your points: I'd agree that Cornwall has limited available sport-climbing but are you suggesting that Cheesewring's long-established traditional routes should be sacrificed?
I am not. The point is that the subject was raised at the Exeter meeting and will now be debated in Bristol, and doubtless again at the next meeting after that in West Penwith, which will be more convenient for locals like yourself to attend.
One of the problems with "mixed" crags is that there will always be some degree of conflict between those who want more sports routes and those who don't. Currently here in Devon there is a proposal, initiated by the SDMC, to replace the old pegs at Long Quarry Point with bolts and to retro-bolt the long neglected trad routes at Berry Head Quarry. I believe the FA at the latter, has agreed in principle, and Pat Littlejohn has asked for more information about bolting any of his routes at LQP.
As TPK points out above it will be discussed but I'm absolutely certain that no action will be taken by the BMC or anyone else until many more views have been expressed.
I also acknowledge the central role the Cheesewring has played in the development of climbing in SE Cornwall. I have only climbed the trad routes there, some of which are classics of their era, whilst others are pretty average IMO. Whether or not the latter would be improved by bolts I'm happy to let others decide.
Finally, there's a quarry on Dartmoor near Sweltor, where I put up a few bold but reasonably worthwhile routes many years back with peg protection. As far as I'm aware they get very few ascents and being a man-made hole in the ground I personally wouldn't object to them being retro-bolted...!