UKC

Went to Hope Mansel and found a 'Private Wood Keep Out' Sign.

Have contacted and spoken to our BMC Wye Valley rep, Julio who is looking into it.

Is this the location with the Perlieu boulder? (Lockdown V5 etc)

Yep

Bummer, that is a quality boulder! Thanks for the warning though, I was actually thinking of heading up there this week so will definitely leave it for now. 

Right to roam etc etc. Land ownership is theft etc etc.

Got to give respect to get respect in my experience. If the landowner has been pissed off by more people (or in this case people probably not parking in the layby up the road) then it could be sorted with a chat and some space. By all means go and assert your (not actually legally protected) right to wander over someone else's patch whatever their wishes. I'll just go where access isn't sensitive.

Whether you agree with land ownership or not, private property exists. Open access to your house is it? Or do you just mean the bits of land you want access to?

Aye lets wait and see if we can have a discourse with the owners before jumping to our freedom flags (Solidarity brother etc)

You cant own land that wasnt yours to own in the first place. But yes I agree its best to go down the 'proper' subservient channels first. After all, many landowners just put signs up because of liability issues.

Also there is a big difference between trespassing in someones back garden or house to trespassing in a vast woodland or moorland that somebody very rich dubiously 'aquired'.

Of course idiots straight out of the climbing wall with no sense of the countryside code do not help the cause at all.

Read 'The Book of Trespass' by Nick Hayes.

Huntsham access is very sensitive.

Lots of assumptions here: that the landowner is very rich, that they acquired it dubiously etc. etc. I agree in principle, I'd like more freedom and access rights to these places, but at the moment this is the system we have in place and climbers need to work within that or the access will become more hostile. Closed laybys, damage to vehicles etc. it's all happened elsewhere so I won't be pushing it in this case. Hopefully just a parking or liability issue, like you say, that can be resolved. If it's just that they don't want regular groups turning up on their property it could be a bit more tricky.

Re: huntsham - no disagreement on access being weird there, not my intended place to visit. Nice venue, spoiled for me by the frisson of maybe having that guy (Elfyn?) creep up and have a go . Never had trouble there myself but others have. Haven't been there for over two years since some local closed off all the verges with big branches and stuck stickers on all the cars shortly after lockdown 1. Again, not a massive fan of being told not to go there but I can see how boulderers are becoming a bit of a locust swarm on some places, the game has changed a lot in the last few years. 

I think Pylon Kings first comment was satire or meant to be at least taken in jest while also pushing a narrative.

I also think the 2nd comment was a generalisation as well. That most of the countryside in the UK is owned by rich land owners who don't like us, the proletariat enjoying and accessing these beautiful lands.

Fair do. Kinder trespass it is, see you at perlieu boulder on Wednesday after I finished tie dying my t shirt 

That's the spirit!

love that book, every climber should read it

Do I have to buy a copy or can I just come round to someone's house and take it? Book ownership is theft etc. etc.

Happy to share, I can drop it off at Cinderford climbing wall if you want? lol

Too kind! I’m in Cheltenham so unlikely to be out there anytime soon, but I appreciate the offer. I’ll spend my dubious earnings on a Proudhon disapproved personal copy. 

I'm in Cheltenham, well Cleeve. I'd let you roam on my book, but sadly don't have a copy atm.

Cheers, keep us updated 👍 

Where is the sign btw?

Its right on the corner of the road on the first tree on the path in to the area (here's a photo https://bit.ly/3yzbv7U)

They are everywhere now.  You hardly ever used to see that sort of litter in Herefordshire. 

I usually photograph them from the back.  Thank goodness I now live in Scotland.

Such a terrible eyesore. Should be illegal.

Have to admit, now I see it like that it does grate with me a little bit and make me want to go climbing there! It’s a wood and some rocks ffs. Pretty hypocritical as there is loads of fly tipped shit up there that’s clearly not from climbers. Anyway, so it goes etc.  

The fun police say no. No fence there though.

Not saying this is the case here as I know nothing about it but a "private keep out" sign doesn't necessarily mean that the land is owned by the person who put up the sign, not yet anyway. Sometimes people who are trying to claim ownership through adverse possession (which I think is a bit like squatters rights for land) put up fences and signs as part of staking their claim. As I say, might not be relevant in the slightest in this case...

edit - typo

What fun police?

Cheers, and you mention Cinderford climbing wall, funny I keep meaning to check it out.

Is it worth a trip on a rainy day? 

https://tenor.com/view/fun-police-gif-22704521