In reply to Dr Toph:
> And since its being brought up here, Pettifers is one of the best routes in the quarry IMHO. It is worth ensuring its climbable without the death-cornice, and hence I have no problem with the lower-off as it maintains the route as a viable trad line.
Well said - even if it needs a clean early in the season, it's definitely not merely a "grotty route". Best Scottish mid-extreme slab between Galloway sea-cliffs and Loch Sloy??
Although it's not the route at stake, mentioning Pettifar's does highlight a successful and beneficial situation: Firstly there are many examples around the UK of trad routes with lower-offs or recommended pre-placed belays to avoid unfeasible finishes / escapes, whilst retaining a great trad character. And secondly the death-cornice was caused by the motorway extension work which thus spoilt the original route - a lower-off is just compensating for that change. It is a good compromise, and absolutely not double standards.
It's a pity that if the current sport route does impinge on trad routes again, that there wasn't some form of warning or consultation. Either on here (which might not be to Buz's personal taste but it offers a wider spectrum of interested climbers than just EICA regulars) or on the Central Trad FB group (440 local climbers) or on the EICA Ratho page, or elsewhere.
It's good that Toph, Robert, Jamie, smally etc are taking a keen interest in this though, and hopefully it will get sorted out if needed.