UKC

Following on from the discussion on here about bottle-smashing at Pex Hill I have formulated some ideas, set out below, and will be seeking comments from interested parties. I am compiling a database of people interested in contributing and if you are interested reply on here or email me direct on ptrewin@hotmail.com.

Local climbers carry out regular clean-ups at Pex – litter removal, gorse/bramble clearance – but every year we have major problems with bottle-smashing which can reach such a state that it can be dangerous to climb there – even to take dogs and kids. It seems to reach a peak around the 22nd July (exams completed at the nearby Sixth Form College which by a quirk of geography is in the Halton Council area while Pex Hill is in Knowsley) and the 29th August (results). Some years the students organise a ‘rave’ where hundreds listen to music and get drunk. The bottle smashing seems to occur late in the evening when climbers have gone home. At one time there was a Council-run Rangers group for the wider country park based in the centre by the car park but this was disbanded because of the cuts. A Conservation Volunteers group is now based in the centre and does carry out some work in the quarry but gets overwhelmed by the scale of the problem and local climbers have to clean up the mess.
This is all a shame as Pex is a popular destination for climbers from Merseyside (on a bus route) and from further afield and has incubated many fine climbers such as Phil Davidson and Joe Healey. Interest has shown a resurgence after the recent publication of the new guidebook to Cheshire and Merseyside.
Maybe we could plan ahead for future years. One suggestion made is to set up a 'Friends of Pex' group which might carry greater weight with the authorities than individuals. Not a formal group with committees and all that mullarkey but an informal group based on UKC and maybe Facebook. I am linked to the old pekkies like Phil Davidson, Mark Hounslea (guidebook co-ordinator) and Harold Walmsley (BMC North West area secretary) via Facebook. Utilise links to local climbing clubs/walls etc. Request support from Parish and Borough Councils, Police, BMC and United Utilities (the owners). We could contact the college just ahead of time. Maybe they have their own students union/sports clubs. Some of the students must be climbers. Maybe schedule clean-ups with barbecues and taster sessions for kids.

In reply to Pekkie:

I'm an hours drive away but as someone born in Huyton and having learned to climb at Pex hill from around 1979-80 I'd be willing to help. I've spent time cleaning up there on a number of occasions over the past 35 years and seen the quarry go from good to bad and back again over the years....my best mate was involved in the community programme there probably around 1985'ish and it looked great then...

In reply to Pekkie:

Hi Pete,

I feel a bit helpless, not getting up to Liverpool these days but these are some thoughts from afar.

I think the 'Friends of Pex' is a good idea and the 'Friends of...' may well be a good template for other parts of the country. We all have local patches which often have to be maintained, whether it's rebolting or cutting back vegetation or whatever. In my experience, people generally tend to be either a) cash rich or b) time rich. Most of us can put in either some dosh or some time or (preferably) both. And there can be fun social occasions with (sometimes) local legends appearing.

With Pex, the big problems seem to be 1) students and 2) scallies. The student one is more easily targeted - it seems they do their exams, get pissed, wreck the place and... get their results, get pissed, wreck the place. Now, hard though it is to believe, I too was once young and, sadly, poorly behaved. I needed educating.

My guess is that we need to target the educators. Are they turning out tossers with bits of paper or are they turning out good citizens with bits of paper? The head educators are, of course, bureaucrats who will whitewash everything cos... err, that's what they do, innit? But the carrot is (public) kudos and the stick is (public) shame.

Let's start with the stick. Have we any before and after photos, pre and post exams and results? Cos, if we have, I'd be tempted to send them to the principal, saying that if this happens next year, it'll be all over the media - social/national/viral, you name it. I'm sure we can all improve on, 'Drunken students wreck climbing paradise'. Such headlines sell newspapers - even if the punters couldn't give a hoot about climbing.

Being an old hippie, I'd like to switch to the carrot, as soon as possible. Students get marvellous grades on dumbed down courses, have rave, get pissed (DON'T SMASH BOTTLES) and help clean up afterwards. Everyone comes out swathed in glory. Students = good citizens. 'Everyone's got to learn sometime.'

But I'd start with the stick - the thinly veiled threat of public shame - cos that will get the head honcho's attention. Hell, he/she's probably an out and out sociopath who couldn't give a toss if the place got nuked.

And I know I've not got on to the scallies yet. But, like eating the elephant, one bit at a time.

Mick

In reply to Pekkie:

Pete, stray thought of the morning before I have to shoot off.

Slightly different tack but... if we could entice some bring young thing to make a fillim (as my granny used to call 'em) about Pex, it would surely raise the profile, help to make it more of a publicly cherished venue and make it harder for folk to get away with trashing it. (Note: it wouldn't necessarily stop 'em trashing it; I still think we need a stick for that.) But Pex is dripping with history and legends. There was a brilliant video of Wilton Four which, yes, has history but (no disrespect) nothing to rival Pex.

Just another thought. Catch up later.

Mick

In reply to Pekkie:

Shouldn't it be the Pex La's?

In reply to Bulls Crack:


Actually, Pex is not in Liverpool but firmly in Lancashire woolly-back land. There you are , you've learnt something on UKC.

In reply to Pekkie:

I am interested but should note that I am no longer BMC NW area secretary (5 yr max term)

In reply to Pekkie:

Hello I live 10 minutes away and am more then will to help

johnrogers13@msn.com

thank you

In reply to Pekkie:

Evening guys!

I'm interested in this and last night at the crag a few of us talked about a clean up. I'm local so i'm up to do stuff anytime.
I'm not sure what can be done about the bottles etc as it happens often with the increase when the schools finish.

Anyway my email is alexander.renfrew@yahoo.co.uk

In reply to Pekkie:

Hi just seen your post, as I've just put stuff on the other thread of Pex to you , as I 'm only just back from Spain.
Tryin to catch up this week, and certainly the colleges /education thing needs a go, we'll do what we can/ Speak to you as I get my organised and back into things. Cheers.

In reply to Mick Ward:

Hi Mick , just getting back into things , been away. I'm just recalling end of Aug' and I'm sure a couple of guys took some photos down Pex, certainly on the day of bottle smashing.
Will. S. takes some and gets down there regularly, maybe we could ask him . Don't know if he's around this week , and my mates abroad too at the mo. I'll do what I can . Cheers.