UKC

I am camping in Chepstow and want easy climbing for a group of children from 6 to 12.  new to the area as we normally climb on stanage.

Can you recommend any crags or quarries?  easy access, safe lots of climbs At HS or below.  I am a competent climber. got the Climbers club book lower wye valley but cant see much that is appropriate.

In reply to Cleanhands:

That's because there isn't I'm afraid. There are a few suitable places at Symonds Yat, but they are very polished and can be muddy; Wintours Leap has some classic V Diffs/Severes which would be great for a 12 year old, less so for a 6.

The Gower Peninsular - especially 3 Cliffs - would be great , but plan for the tides - though low water is good at the moment, about 14:30 - and it is a bit of a trek.

In reply to Cleanhands:

If they're top-roping then Windcliff Quarry would be ideal. Plenty of easy stuff (there's even a 3!)

Wyndcliff Quarry

Please don't TR through the loweroffs or monopolise the lines though, it's a popular venue

In reply to PaulJepson:

Thanks for that.  what is TR?  there will be 12 kids so is there another venue that is not so popular but has easy access and fairly safe for kids to wander, as with this size of group plus adults we will be on routes for a while.  

I am also happy to lead and set up a top rope on a trad climb so it dose'nt have to be sport climbs.

In reply to Cleanhands:

TR=TopRope.

Windcliff has easy access and the lower tier has plenty of easy stuff and is safe. Upper tier is generally harder and less sound and also only a couple of meters to drop off down to the lower tier (would be irresponsible to have a group of young kids up there I think).

Woodcroft Quarry is slightly less popular but has less in the way of kid-friendly routes. 

If you're wanting to stay local then I'd say they're your best bets. Other than that you could travel a bit into the valleys to some of the South Wales sandstone quarries. 

In the Wye there's not much that ticks your boxes. Ban-y-gor is steep and hard sport (might get a couple of things up Mushroom Wall but you'd exhaust that quickly), Wintours has some easy routes but they're all multi-pitch, and Shorncliff starts at VS.

I've not been to  Black Cliff Quarry but that could be an option and would certainly be quieter than Windcliff Quarry. 

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Thanks, is there anywhere in the Breacons that's in an hours drive?  Happy to go to Windcliff but we may be to big a group.  what does TR mean (thread?)  if not I may just go for walks and bike rides

In reply to PaulJepson:

Black Cliff Quarry is awful - it would be a good way to put children off climbing for life. There's a lot of loose rock at Woodcroft Quarry - I wouldn't recommend it for children. Wintour's does have some easy routes, but managing that with a group wouldn't be easy - the easy routes tend to be multipitch and spread out.

Tirpentwys is the obvious solution if you're happy to travel a bit further - easy sport routes in a pleasant setting with a flat grassy area at the bottom. I wouldn't write off Symonds Yat - the rock is generally sound, access is easy, and there's a cafe at the top, and it's in pleasant surrounds - every beginner I've taken there has liked it.  Gilwern could be an option, but it's often cold - especially if there's a breeze.

In reply to whenry:

thank you

box bay by porthcawl would be perfect if you have the tides on your side. About 45 minute/1 hour drive from Chepstow. Just download the guide from the South Wales climbing club website

In reply to Cleanhands:

I wouldn't call Wyndcliff Quarry safe, not for a large group of kids (sorry Paul, don't mean to contradict you). It's in the Wye Valley Sport guide as 'potentially the most dangerous quarry in the Wye Valley'. 

In reply to stvredmond:

F**k me hello Steve!  You back in the game?

Sorry for tangent OP!

In reply to Cleanhands:

If you've got a group of kids from 6-12 who don't mind a bit of a walk then the area round the bottom of the Easy Way Down at Wintour's Leap could be fine I'd have thought - there are 3 or 4 lines, about 12 metres long and graded Mod-V Diff - unfortunately for any talented kids the next easiest is top-end VS (though you can make the start of Cement Groove harder by insisting they go over the overhang rather than round it!)  If you've got the Lower Wye Valley guide then the lines are essentially the first half of the first pitches of the routes on pages 120-121 - would be best to go down there on your own to check it out first.  Mid-week there won't be too many climbers coming down the EWD - at weekends it might not be ideal.  Don't take the kids down the Easy Way Down (despite the name) - take them in the long way round via the chapel (described on p73) and make the walk in and out part of the day.

Otherwise Symonds Yat has quite a few possibilities and isn't remotely muddy at the moment - it's been pretty dry all spring - but you'll need the Symonds Yat guide rather than the LWV guide.

Rick

In reply to drgrange:

Madness! Tintern and Woodcroft are choss-factories compared to Windcliff. The top has the odd loose bit as I said but the lower tier is solid. 

In reply to PaulJepson:

Hi Paul, It’s mainly referring to the large amounts of hidden loose rock at the top out of the upper tier. 

In reply to Cleanhands:

What about  Gilwern. Main cliff has some fairly easy grades.

In reply to drgrange: Thanks  we went to Tintern.  no very safe with kids due to steep walls and thin path but it worked and they were all well behaved.

Thanks for your reply 

In reply to Cleanhands:

Oh man, did you go to Tintern when you meant Tirpentwys? Because no one suggested Tintern...

In reply to Cleanhands:

Yeh what? Nobody suggested Tintern. It is the worst place you could take kids. Not only is climbing banned there with many climbers regularly evicted, but it’s got the loosest rock in the area.