UKC

Hi all,

Looking at taking a group over to Barmouth slabs in a couple of weeks, been having a look into it and a couple of sources mention a need of some kind of payment. Is this true?

On a different note, is the climbing good?

Thanks

Jon

In reply to Jonshef:

Don't know about access but climbing is nice but a bit limited. If there is another group there you will rapidly run out of options.

In reply to Jonshef:

The crag is on open access land although, as I understand it, local centres pay the landowner for group use. Stakes are in place on the top.

The climbing is short, slabby and straightforward. There is certainly enough there for a day with novice climbers provided that the crag is not rammed. A pleasant spot with lovely views on good days.

In reply to Jonshef:

When we went 2 years ago it was free. It's worth a visit but it's a bit limited.

In reply to Jonshef:

Local OECs apparently have a mutually agreed access arrangement, the aim of which is to try and prevent two centre groups turning up at the crag at the same time, which, at this particular crag, wouldn't be much fun and which would presumably also lead to some difficulty with the group who believed that it was 'their' day.

As Doug rightly says, groups also pay the farmer for use and have done so now for 20+ years.

If I was you, I'd contact one of the centres - say Arthog OEC, Outward Bound Aberdyfi - to get current advice re. both access and payment.

HTH

Dave

In reply to all:

Thanks for the information guys. I am in contact with a couple of different people who may be able to point me in the right direction. As people have said if you are using it for group use there is a need for some kind of payment, although maybe not directly to the farmer. Alongside the need to hope no-one else will be there at the same time!

Hopefully I'll get an answer in the next couple of days and be able to update the crag page.

Jon

I work at a local center which uses the crag a few times a week. Generally its quiet/empty on Mondays, there are three centers (Arthog, OB and CMC) that use it on a regular basis. OB tends to only be one-two days a week so it might be worth giving them a bell. The majority of the other instructors i've met there are friendly and are always willing to share/move climbs around to make it work.

The routes are good for beginners, especially learning to lead type scenarios. Main slab has a good spread of diff-severe grade climbs, middle also has a few then for younger kids the upper tier has really easy stuff.

In reply to Jonshef:

My understanding is that the need for payment is to do with the restrictions within the law regarding access land:

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/agricultural-law/right-to-roam.htm

"Exclusions and restrictions on public access

There are some general restrictions on the use of access land. These are as follows:
...
engaging in any activity which is organised or undertaken for any commercial purpose is prohibited.
..."
(this obviously can be permitted by the landowner, which is where the need for permission comes in)

I wouldn't know enough to say for sure, but my understanding is that it would be different if there is no commercial aspect to the activity. I guess it wouldn't be a bad idea to contact regular users to have an idea of how busy it's likely to be, but if it's a non commercial group partaking in climbing activity on access land, I can't see how anybody can object to you using the venue.

It can be very versatile venue, with plenty of options, depending on what you want to do. I reckon if groups keep to a compact area of the crag, it could easily swallow up 7 groups.

In reply to GerM:


7 groups!!!

2 small groups tops.
The place is thoroughly miserable when groups are there. Its a two hour drive for me to there, and one time i had just arrived, a group of about 30-40 turned up, i left not long after, pissed off. Hate the groups, they have no shame. The groups are usually comprised off gobby, precocious towny kids, that the instructors seem to think everyone wants to hear on there realxing day off.

In reply to anybody. I am hoping to take a group here on tuesday and wednesday. We are a youth club from wigan and are also a charity. Can anyone point me in the direction in order to take these groups?
Thanks.
Elliot.

In reply to all:

Thanks for the new comments, (excluding the slight hijack to have a little complain about groups! but that's for a different day)

so far i've spoken to a number of people acting on the landowners behalf. It looks like groups using it pay and annual fee, with there not really being an option for one off payments. The landowner may however let me have this trip as a one off as I am taking some staff on a training trip there rather than a paying group, however this doesn't look like it will become the norm.

Maybe i'll go somewhere else and go back on my own for a day instead...