UKC

Restricted Access

The BMC has negotiated with the landowner and secured an access agreement, but this is dependent on the continuing responsible behavior of climbers.

Local cavers have an agreement with the landowner to manage recreation in the quarry through the Fairy Cave Management Committee. They have been extremely supportive of climber’s efforts to secure access and without their support it is unlikely we would have been successful. Mark Courtiour (BMC Access Rep) has been co-opted onto the Management Committee but the cavers have overall responsibility for recreational use of the quarry.

Maintaining our good relationship with the cavers is important, as is following a few simple points within our access agreement:

  • Take all of your litter and any you find away with you to dispose of responsibly.
  • Responsible parking is essential to maintain access - see the 'parking and approach' section below for more information.
  • The only people with permission to be within the fenced area are cavers and climbers. If you find other people in the quarry please ask them to leave.
  • Parts of the quarry could be unstable and potentially dangerous for the unaware. In particular young or inexperienced climbers should be closely supervised at all times.
  • The quarry forms part of a larger SSSI and European SAC (Special Area of Conservation). Natural England are monitoring the rare flora and fauna within the quarry so avoid removing any vegetation without checking with the local Access Rep or Access Officer first.

Descents:

Movement around the top of some areas of the quarry can be difficult and local climbers have established abseil descents from all popular areas. Please do not remove these fixtures. Most lower offs/abseil points have been renewed and stakes have been installed above Robs Crack and Lumbar Puncture/Epic Dural. As always with fixed equipment, be sure to thoroughly inspect all parts of an anchor before committing to using it.

  • The best abseil descent (easier to pull through) from the Robs Crack area is from a pair of stakes with wire strops and maillon situated above Who Needs Hair Anyway i.e. next to the Hawthorn bush on the crag edge about 50m left (facing out) of Robs Crack.
  • A strop and maillon have been added to the stake above Halfway to Kansas/Lumbar Puncture, another above Balch's Slide and another above Senile Taff Corner to facilitate abseiling.
  • All routes in the Glacis area have lower offs in place.
  • The Alpine Ridge can be ascended/descended as a relatively easy but exposed scramble.
35m. The groove in the right arĂȘte of the The Conning Tower buttress. Very good value despite a rather loose finish.

UPDATE (13.6.21): there has been a report of a recent and significant rockfall from near the top, with some very loose rock remaining.

FA. R.Connaly 1993.

Ticklists

Fairy Cave Solo Circuit

Feedback

User Date Notes
bpmclimb 8 May, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Just to reinforce the warnings already in place about this route: there are a lot of loose rocks, some pretty large, especially towards the top. The low grade attracts relative beginners who lack the experience needed to negotiate loose rock safely - the tendency is to assume things are solid and just pull on them. This happened yesterday while we were on The Con, and a football-sized block came bouncing down, damaged our gear, and nearly squashed me while I was belaying. I didn't hear any shouted warning from the climber.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Just to reinforce the warnings already in place about this route: there are a lot of loose rocks, some pretty large, especially towards the top. The low grade attracts relative beginners who lack the experience needed to negotiate loose rock safely - the tendency is to assume things are solid and just pull on them. This happened yesterday while we were on The Con, and a football-sized block came bouncing down, damaged our gear, and nearly squashed me while I was belaying. I didn't hear any shouted warning from the climber.
Jakob Annerdal 9 Apr, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: First climb back after 3 years of no climbing, fun route. Anchor to the left at the very top, Slightly away from the loose boulders.
βeta?
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βeta: First climb back after 3 years of no climbing, fun route. Anchor to the left at the very top, Slightly away from the loose boulders.
kiwi boy 17 Oct, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Belay is a long way back
Show beta
βeta: Belay is a long way back
kiwi boy 3 Sep, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: It is likely that the large block will come off soon from the top section. Great care is needeed
βeta?
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βeta: It is likely that the large block will come off soon from the top section. Great care is needeed
mikehenesy 12 Jul, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Big rock fall at the top of the route. Big block dislodged resulting in lots of debris sitting precariously on the scrambly bit above where the climbing proper finishes. You can't see it at the base of the route and the climb itself is still intact and looks ok. As well as the loose stuff the rest of the remaining 'solid' rock could do with careful inspection, beware!
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Big rock fall at the top of the route. Big block dislodged resulting in lots of debris sitting precariously on the scrambly bit above where the climbing proper finishes. You can't see it at the base of the route and the climb itself is still intact and looks ok. As well as the loose stuff the rest of the remaining 'solid' rock could do with careful inspection, beware!
Eduardo2010 26 Jun, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Loose at the top, care needed
βeta?
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βeta: Loose at the top, care needed
alasdaircavaye 28 Mar, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Loose block at top
βeta?
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βeta: Loose block at top
Mark Beirne 22 Nov, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: 2m below the belay tree I pulled on a layback and it snapped off in my hands. Check the rocks, there seems to have been quite a lot of recent rock fall.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: 2m below the belay tree I pulled on a layback and it snapped off in my hands. Check the rocks, there seems to have been quite a lot of recent rock fall.
LukeAllum 30 Dec, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Careful belay at top as one piece on the right that's been used many times has become very loose. Great route for people to learn to lead.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Careful belay at top as one piece on the right that's been used many times has become very loose. Great route for people to learn to lead.
Dominic_H 14 Sep, 2019 Show βeta
βeta: Large boulders on the scramble to the top are unstable. Climb and build belay with caution. Excellent route though for someones first trad climb as the route will take lots of gear, all from comfortable positions.
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Large boulders on the scramble to the top are unstable. Climb and build belay with caution. Excellent route though for someones first trad climb as the route will take lots of gear, all from comfortable positions.

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