UKC

This is just a note of caution. Do not park in the lay-by as described in the new Rockfax guide as you will be ticketed or clamped by the police. They have been doing this for a while now, a friend of mine got done in this lay-by last year, so this is bad info to follow.

Yesterday, everybody got at least a ticket.

For parking, park down by the church/Traveller's Rest pub and walk up Fiddle Lane to the path which brings you out at the Blue Lagoon.

In reply to Gary Gibson: I've always parked down on the road, but perhaps it might be worth talking to the owners about placing some BMC branded signs up by the lay-by informing climbers not to park there? I know there are signs up already, but if they were from the BMC perhaps people would pay them a little more attention. Its hardly that much further to walk if you park down in the village anyway!

In reply to chrisprescott: Nah, they wouldn't do that. They want people to park there so that they can ticket them.

In reply to chrisprescott:

Might not be a great idea putting BMC signs up for a crag which has no formal access agreement.

In reply to andi turner: Ah ok, didn't actually realise there wasn't a formal agreement to use Harpur Hill!

In reply to Gary Gibson: is this the layby up by the HSE place? Next to what looks like a bus shelter could be a smoking shelter?

In reply to Gary Gibson:

That is really rather annoying, I spent quite a while looking for somewhere that had plenty of space, no double yellow or signs, nowhere near any access routes - basically to avoid people clogging up the area, especially down by the houses on the main road.

The other place I considered recommending was on Hillhead Lane (53.22858, -1.89661) at the opposite end of Harpur Hill, leaving a longer walking in (public right of way I think) but at least it isn't near any buildings,


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: Hi Chris, I think this was particularly annoying for my mate who got the ticket of £30 yesterday after taking the advice of the guidebook but at least he didn't get clamped as some did and got a £90 release fee.

In fact some people I know of got caught there last year and if I'd known this was the advice the guidebook was giving I could have let you know but Alan didn't send me that section.

This has now created something of a problem for those that don't read these pages as many more may get caught. Maybe you can give it some prominence on UKC.

On the points you make I wouldn't advise parking on Hillhead Lane as this is a very busy road with some big trucks hurtling back and forth to the quarry and there is only parking for three cars. The only real parking is in the village.

In reply to Gary Gibson:

There must be prominent signs or the clamping would be illegal.

In reply to Gary Gibson:

How can they ticket you for parking on a bit of random bit of land with no restrictions/sighns shown, double yellows etc.

There are some very wide laybyes on the road that branches right off Hillhead Lane towards the upper quarries.

I can't help but think that lots of folks parking in the village will cause problems.


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Probably. But it won't be climbers. Several thousand youths descended on the village yesterday. Most of them had arrived by car. I assume they were visiting the blue lagoon judging from the beach wear and towels, certainly not much climbing gear in evidence.

In reply to Gary Gibson:
So following on from the other thread "Great day ruined by the 5-0". Has the access situation changed? As it seems that the police are now asking people to leave and that "it isn't available for climbing" quote. Just for clarification really.

In reply to Duncan Bourne:

Yes but Harpur Hill really is shit. Just to clarify my personal stance on this

In reply to Duncan Bourne:


As far as I'm aware, there hasn't been any access agreement in place. In the latest rockfax as well as in previous guides it is stated as such and recommended that if requested climbers leave without creating an issue.

As for the peelers kicking people off the crag, the most likely explanation is they have been told to go up and clear the place of all the hoods who are drinking by the blue lagoon, the climbers most probably collateral damage - one has to go, all have to go.

If I have climbed at the quarry it's been in the playground or the sanctuary, out of sight out of mind

In reply to Nordie_matt:

The peelers...? I didn't think anyone had called them that since 1834...?!



Gregor

In reply to JonC:

I've only been once, and will probably go again. But for the trad, not the bolted stuff, which I agree is pretty rubbish

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Must be a Nor'n Irish thing

In reply to Gary Gibson:

It would be interesting to have feedback from people who were ticketed?

I used this parking a few times over the last year and it is very open, is away from all the units, there is little chance of anyone blocking anything, and, from what I remember, there is no signage about not parking there.

Has this changed or is this in fact just a one-off caused by an event organised by the local youth.

The blue lagoon is toxic isn't it? It would be pretty stupid to swim in there.

Alan

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax: I hope not, I've swam in there before...

In reply to Gary Gibson: Lime water is carcinogenic. I doubt the odd splash around in there would be an issue but doing it regularly might be. It can also work as a dehairing agent.

There is a reason why it's completely free from anything remotely living.

In reply to And Climb:

Lime water? You mean calcium hydroxide solution? That can't be what's in the blue lagoon can it? Wouldn't it gradually go cloudy and precipitate out calcium carbonate?

Anyway, even if it is nastily alkaline, I'm not sure I see the link with cancer. You might dissolve though...

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax: From go0gle street view I'd say that could be classed as pavement. It's not a layby and I wouldn't consider it a parking spot.

There's some good routes there, but also a lot of problems. Combination of dirt bike noise, unwelcome feel and loose rock spook me.

In reply to Papillon:

I can't see how you could consider it a pavement, it is gravel, 5m wide and doesn't go anywhere?


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: Are we talking about the same bit?

http://goo.gl/maps/dbVp

This is the end of it, there an old kerb and it goes up to the HSE lab.

In reply to Papillon:

Yes you are right. Good job I didn't have a bet on it being gravel eh?


Chris

In reply to Papillon:

That is the bit but it has been rebuilt since that Street view image since there is a roundabout there now.

You are not in anyone's way parking there so there must be some other reason for these tickets and I am beginning to think it is more to do with yobs trading drugs and having raves in the lagoon than climbers parking badly.

Alan

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

Agreed, I'm just speculating the offence they have issued the tickets for. Maybe the people who got the tickets could help?

In reply to Gary Gibson:

need to confirm where about the person was parked when they got a ticket.

I went on Sunday for the first time in 3 years or so and went to park at the old parking area by the cafe. However, loads of no parking/clamping signs all around that area now so followed the advice in the new guide and parked by the new bus shelter, ( as per google image). No yellow lines or anything there so should be OK to park

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:
.




You are right Al, It's full of toxic chemicals that you wouldn't want to digest - trace elements & metals just the starters...

The BMC would not and should not be accountable for any signage for Harpur Hill as Andi Turnip, says - there is no access agreement and therefore we would have no right to sign.

It would be interesting to know if anyone's been turfed off the crag recently?

Cheers

si

In reply to Simon:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=507163&v=1#x6890458

Out of interest who is issuing the parking tickets and clamping the cars ? Police will tow vehicles away but they don't issue parking tickets anymore. Sounds to me like it's the landowner ( maybe the same as who owns the crag ) who has got a private company in to enforce his right not to have anyone on the land.

I guess it's due to the local kids from what has been mentioned but now climbers are getting it in the neck too.

In reply to Simon:


Si. UKC provides - http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=507163&v=1#x6890299

In reply to All:

We discussed this at last night's BMC meeting and Henry Folkard said he would discuss the matter with the local police. However, at the moment we haven't found anyone who has actually been ticketed for parking in the place described in the new Rockfax guidebook. In order to report we need to have specific details of an incident.

I have located this place accurately here - http://www.rockfax.com/news/2012/05/29/harpur-hill-parking/

Please could anyone who has parked here and got ticketed send me an email by clicking on my name above.

Thanks

Alan

Someone has sent me the name Simon Watchorn-Rice from Blithe Bridge as a person who got a ticket here, but I have no other details.

Does anyone know this person? Could you ask him to contact me?

Thanks

Alan

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax: Hi Alan, I was just relaying a message relayed to me in the pub that night. Simon is away at the monent, well he goes tomorrow but is working today and I'll get him to contact you when he gets back. In fariness I was just trying to warn people of the problem rather than create a discussion forum around the quality of HH or the Blue Lagoon etc.

In reply to biscuit:


Ah yes - I saw that chap that was rather disingenuous & I didn't get involved. Rather than be derogatory - it would have been more helpful to find out the reasons why they were asked to leave (e.g any previous problems etc )

Si

More details have come to light now and we have also worked out an alternative parking.

Report here - http://www.rockfax.com/news/2012/05/29/harpur-hill-parking/

Alan

We parked at the new spot up the top of Hillhead Lane today, didn't have any problems.