UKC

So. We went as it was nearest after a sub-zero team decision to fight Coronation Street another day.

The guidebook was encouraging.

The reality was a bit underwhelming?

Ok, the classic VS crack was a good 'un.

I got to the upper slab on Lumbar Puncture and then pulled off a couple of handholds and ran out of brave pills. The whole slab looks like it's going to concertina up at some point. Playing lotto with small foot edges exfoliating isn't fun. The large dinner-plating finger edges was the final straw. Finished up the HS and did battle with the electric fence.

Most of the far right hand slab is now under a deep layer of vegetation/gravelly choss/run-off/whatever (what is the name of the small exfoliation chips that build up on ledges etc.?), so a couple of starred routes are unpleasant (though the top crack of the HVS is clear *if* you can scrabble your way to it).

Perhaps the melancholy was just down to having come revved up for the Street, but it really didn't satisfy.

Nice nature reserve though.

Anyone else been there recently? Am I being harsh?

Or is it a bit of a shit hole?



J

In reply to Moacs:



yes it is a bit of a shit hole

but in Mendips terms its world class

nice nature reserve though

(and "Moving target" is good)

In reply to The Pylon King:

>

Ah. I shall make a note in my guidebook.

J

In reply to Moacs: If you ever have the urge to go back again you should check out 'the glacis.' Its not a pile of rotting crap, unlike some of the other stuff.

In reply to Moacs:

I feel I should defend the Mendips somehow from this abuse, unfortunatly im struggling sooo <slaps John Lisle round the face with a glove> "take that sir!"

You need to be a conisuir to climb round yer!

In reply to Moacs:

Fairy Caves has always been an acquired taste, mostly for loons like me

Im amazed you got so high on Lumbar Puncture before bits fell off. Sounds a lot more stable than it was. I remember bits sliding off the whole route. It was more like paddling than climbing up the slab!

In reply to Moacs:

Climbed there a bit last year and found some of the climbing to be pleasant but the lack of sun and copious amounts of mud makes the place depressing. Almost killed myself soloing a "VDiff" - it pretty much fell to bits on me.

In reply to Moacs:

Would make a good drytooling crag.

In reply to Moacs:

It is a grotty crag, like most quarries, however on a warm day, it provides quite a pleasant day out...there are some very good routes, as well as dross...and remember, the harder climbs are all overgraded by about one and a half grades, E and technical...so you always feel better after a day at Fairy Cave!...

In reply to HappyTrundler: Maybe the its just that the fairies give you wings...

In reply to Moacs:

All I can say is that it is considerably better than Mells !

In reply to GrahamD:

I'd say the reverse! Mells has a much better setting, good steep and generally solid routes, generally not vegitated...just a shame it's so small.

In reply to thomasadixon:

I agree Mells is a lovely setting but unfortunately we chose our 'warm up' routes badly and they were vegitated and chossy !
after that we bailed out to Fairy Caves and did a couple of nice routes.

In reply to Moacs:

There are some shocking piules of choss at fairy caves, but there are also some very good routes. The glacis slabs have some nice, solid routes. The withy crack slab has two nice HVS's & one E1, the grades are a bit suspect though. Balch's slide is pretty nice as well.
Tyr going back and meeting up with one of the local weirdo's

In reply to HappyTrundler:

Thats an incredible generalisation?

In reply to Al Evans: No really it is a grotty quarry. However that doesn't make the routes pap... you just have to pick and choose.

In reply to Moacs:

It's an acquired taste, personally I love it. Solid rock is boring.

In reply to James Jackson:

Its a new route with every ascent when the holds are disposable. I think the guide book describes it as in a constant state of change!

In reply to SC:

That's a wonder of it. I do believe one of my route descriptions also says something like "the trick is to climb up faster than the route falls down". That one was particularly shite.

In reply to Al Evans:

Staden Hill Quarry is absolutely beautiful, a grassy meadow, lovely views, Millstone is great...however, I think it fair to say that most quarries are grotty, dusty, desolate, upside down slag heaps...
I saw recently that someone had listed 'Rob's Crack' as one of the best crack climbs in the UK! It should be docked a star just because of the location...

In reply to HappyTrundler:

It's nothing special to be sure.

In reply to HappyTrundler:

Robs crack is pleasant enough, nothing special though.
Bad to the bone is the best route in the quarry, bit over graded though.

In reply to SC:

The Mutant looks fun, but I'm a weakling and never bothered trying it.

In reply to James Jackson:

I think you should all stop moaning. There is nothing wrong with FCQ. It isn't that loose, and if you don't like kicking steps in rock boots you can just pick and choose your routes.

Could never really work out the line of The Mutant James, got any info?

In reply to Richard Hall: It's on the sloping side wall between the slab with Moving Target on and the Glacis slab. You follow the diagonal crack across the wall facing the glacis, before moving up the obvious break to finish on the slab. Very sustained and you have to be careful with gear due to problem of never gaining much height the 'ground' (as you're climbing parallel to the glacis slabs). Well named considering most of the climbing there is delicate slab climbing!

In reply to cornishben: There is the Withy Crack area between the MT area and the glacis.

Is it between WC and MT?

In reply to Richard Hall: sorry my memories going.. It's on the wall between WC slab and the glacis slab. If you're standing at the bottom of the LH route on the glacis its just to your left

In reply to SC:

I really think "Moving Target" is the best route at FC - E2 5b/ E3 5c

In reply to cornishben: OK Thanks

In reply to The Pylon King: Its OK - wouldn't say its the best - the tops pretty dirty...