UKC

The Cuttings

So I took two relatively new climbers down to Dorset at the weekend for their first outdoor lead climbs. Hedbury Quarry and The Cuttings being on the list. Hedbury on the Sunday great fun. The Saturday at the cuttings, the entire wall of nice easy climbs to cut your teeth on were all set with top ropes ? The outdoor activities center had decided to commandeer the entire wall and only use 3 routes at any one time? We asked nicely if we could use a route offering to re-set their top rope to be told they need all the ropes in place. I was pretty annoyed at this point as this is the third time in 12 months. 

Has anyone else encountered this, who are they and could they please share and share alike. It’s not teaching young climbers good cragg etiquette.

It's pretty bad but they were probably covering their arse - if your friends had an accident the vultures would go after the instructors.

You'd have been quite justified to pull their toprope down and lead whatever route you wanted, and offer to trail it and put it back up again afterwards, but it causes a lot of aggro

I agree entirely that it's unacceptably selfish an outdoor centre to take over a whole wall with top-ropes, when only about three routes are being done at any one time. 

BTW, Chris Craggs will be flattered to see how you spell 'crag'

Agree with Paz. They have no more right to be there than you. Pull the rope and replace it after. Or, leave it down if they get especially arsey!

Fancy naming and shaming the centre?

Ask first if they have paid the landowner for exclusive use of the venue, if not pull down the ropes they aren't using.

That's wrong and they have no right to do that. On the other hand they are among worst routes on Portland and may have put your two new leaders off for life, so they may have done you a favour. There are some quality routes of the same grade further along. Just because they're short doesn't make them good beginner material. 

Depends which bit of the Cuttings. On the path down, I agree. Polished to f*ck!

Along the old railway line at the bottom, there's some good stuff at the lower grade (Also in the New Cuttings)

I've been there before when those lines are taken over by an instructing group, does seem somewhat selfish. Having said that, those warm up climbs at the top of the Cuttings are almost universally terrible and polished, and unlikely to be enjoyable either for you or a beginner. They are the worst climbs at the Cuttings. Walk around the corner and there are some much nicer climbs to have a go at, including the sort of grades a first timer could be expected to get up.

I'll bet my own bottom it is those those routes...

While I agree with the sentiment of 'Just pull their ropes down' I can't help feeling that this would create more problems than it would solve and potentially escalate the situation (I can't imagine the instructors would calmly stand by and let you pull their ropes down). Considering how often this option gets suggested, has anyone on here actually tried doing it? What was the response?

More tactfully, you could insist that they tell you the name of their company and inform them that you will be reporting their selfish behaviour at the next BMC regional meeting.

... and then pull their bloody ropes down

It should be noted that you have choosen to climb at the most popular/populated crag in Dorset. Contention for easy routes is high, as unfortunately we don't have a lot of beginner space. Pulling through the ropes, as suggest by many here, is deliberately contentious and not likely to improve access or relations. Can I suggest next time you try battleship buttress for easy routes but be reassured that when you can climb F5C there will be many many routes available to you. Also try trad venues where you are likely to have the entire crag to yourself as I did at Subluminal on Monday this week. There are many Severe's at Subluminal and Cattle Troughs  and those crag's are easy access and suitable for beginners. Do take time to learn how to abseil and lead first.

For yourself or any others wanting to take new climbers to Portland here are some suggested venues:-

The Bower, over the notch opposite the main cliff at The Cuttings.

The Lost Valley, quick access, some newer easy climbs also, topo here: www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=309521#photos

Dungecroft Quarry, quick, easy access, some new stuff too, topo: www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=481376#photos

The Veranda.

Battleship Block Slab

Blacknor South, includes The Fallen Slab, Triple Slabs and Diamond Boulders areas.

All are far better than the initial "easy" wall at The Cuttings, leave those climbs to instructors wanting to put their clients off climbing for life.

What did climbing instructors do before Dorset locals bolted up the Cuttings over 20 years ago?  Was it the instructors themselves who put in those anchors?  Do these climbing companies contribute to the bolt fund or do any reequipping?

Took 'em abseiling? 

I believe not.

Not as far as I know. (Though this may have changed. Hopefully it has.)

Again, not as far as I know. Can only think of one person (a one-man band climbing instructor and a good egg) who came out with us for a day rebolting. Despite having done the Nose/F8a+/loads of E5s, he was humble enough to start something new as a raw beginner. Bless him!

The picture, as I see it, is that, on Portland at least, climbing companies take but don't give. Whether that's the case or not, they certainly need to behave themselves when they're here. Portland is far from perfect but a huge amount of time, effort and cost has voluntarily gone into making it what it is. And that's a resource for everybody to enjoy, not some money-grubbing sods to hog, for their own selfish purposes.

(Rant over!)

Mick

Can’t help was dyslexic at school and have never been able to spell. Lol

As I don’t like confrontation we made our way round to the Bower and had a great day. But that’s not the point. I have an immense level of respect for the crag and other climbers and that’s what I pass on. The way they were behaving shows little respect for either. I guess that’s more where I’m coming from. The next day we climbed at Hedbury, great walk down to the quarry, amazing views and to round it off an amazing day climbing with two very happy climbers who are now hooked on outside rather than the gym.

IIRC the routes at the left end of the Cuttings were put up by Basingstoke Climbing Club. So neither instructors nor Dorset locals.

I rather like the sound of Cragg Etiquette.  Time for a book perhaps? 

'Punters should only venture out on alternate Sundays and must  always  be prepared to give way to the experienced cragswoman/man.'

'Beanies are not appropriate above 3 metres.' 

Etc etc

Not quite true.

Many of the bolts and anchors have been replaced on those routes by the Dorset Bolt Fund. Also, the Basingstoke Club bolted some of the originals for everyone to enjoy, not just themselves or outdoor groups. I also bolted four of them (several years ago, and they might have been re-bolted since) out of my own pocket - again for everyone to enjoy.

Chapeau Steve. Some people seem to think bolted routes appear by magic, rather than from individual graft and folk spending their own money. Think about chucking a few quid in occasionally people? It'll cost you less than the petrol and Shell Meal Deal on the way

Yes I get that and thanks.