UKC

Hi all, this is about the Kebs, Yorkshire grit, not the NY Moors crag.

On Monday 14th July, there were two amiable guys 'practicing their SRT' off a ledge on The Castle (only about 15 feet up), one of the larger buttresses you come to on the lower tier from the farm track. At the time I didn't pay much attention, but I then heard drilling. By the time I went to look I found a 2-bolt anchor; hangers gone, fresh dust around the bolt stubs.

Back at the track I bumped into the two guys, who cheerily admitted to placing the bolts, claimed to be ex-climbers, but clearly had no idea they were doing anything at all unacceptable. SRT is, I was informed, a 'sport in its own right'! It felt a bit pointless to try and take the moral high ground when they were just out enjoying themselves, but I mentioned to them that it wasn't a good idea (a sling over the top causes less damage, bolting could lead to access problems, etc) but they didn't really get it that bolts on natural grit aren't on, especially as they 'wouldn't interfere with the climbing'.

These particular bolts are obviously doomed to be chopped (if they haven't been already), but if SRT is indeed a growing activity on the crags, the obvious concern is that bolted belay stations may begin to appear in other inappropriate places. Some old quarries may be fair game I suppose - live and let live - but surely not the natural grit.

I've posted this after consulting with the local BMC access rep (thanks Mick), who I'm sure will add comment at some point...

In reply to bullybones:

Alright, whats SRT then?

In reply to Steve nevers:

Single rope technique. Typically used by cavers to ascend a rope.

In reply to Steve nevers:

Single Rope Technique. It's usually associated with caving.

jk

In reply to bullybones:

Cheers, wasn't an TLA i'm familiar with.

In reply to Steve nevers:
TLA, I like it. Maybe I should have given SRT in full, but the 2 guys didn't - maybe they meant something else...!

In reply to bullybones:

Are the bolts still?

In reply to bullybones:

You really do seem to find them; don't you?

No. SRT is not a'sport' practised on our crags. They were talking bolocks.

What sort of bolts had they placed? That's important information for the de-bolters.

In reply to Steve nevers:

What's a TLA?

In reply to bogster:


No they're the ones which vibrate when a Peaky gets close to them.

E

In reply to Enty:

Ha!

In reply to aln:

Three Letter Abbreviation...

In reply to Enty:

10/10 brilliant

In reply to Merlin:


Ah. ION. FKS. BUC. LMO.

In reply to andyathome:

I'd guess expansion, but I'm no expert. Just the stubs were visible, they took the hangers with them ('too expensive to leave behind').

In reply to andyathome:
'SRT is not a'sport' practised on our crags.'

It is now!

Before we get too judgemental, let's remember that this part of Bridestones has a fragile skin that has been trashed by bouldereres for years, and also sports some of the biggest chipped holds known to man (big square ones, presumably created by the farmer for construction purposes). Whatever you think about bolting grit, the damage caused by these bolts pales in comparison!

In reply to bullybones:

Hmm - wonder if they're related to the Heptonstall bolts?

In reply to Bulls Crack:
as discussed here I take it? http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=586354

Possibly, but sounds to me unlikely, as the SRTers were keen to finish on a ledge to enable them to unclip and walk off.

In reply to aln:

I understood that TLA was Three Letter Acronym, not Abbreviation. Suit yourself.

In reply to HammondR:


I think you are QON in the finest of UKC tradition.

In reply to HammondR:

TLA or TLI...

In reply to bullybones:
Soughted It was two old fashioned 10mm raw bolts with sleeves.Managed to ease them out and backfill the hole.[Heptonstall?]

In reply to thinredline20:

Good work!
Best wishes,
Mike

In reply to thinredline20:

Good effort. I had a similar job to do at Woodhouse Scar some years ago when someone thought the best way to 'work' on the crag was to have a load of belay bolts in place that just needed hangers bolting on.