In reply to all:
Hi everyone
Just to clarify a few things – as John Willson said, the current policy on fixed gear at Wintour's Leap is no new bolts (outside Woodcroft Quarry), pegs can be replaced by pegs and bolts by bolts (I think there is one exception which is if a belay - as opposed to a runner - is dependent on pegs and these are not replaceable and there is no alternative reliable placement). If you disagree, please raise the issue with the local BMC SW area rather than take matters into your own hands.
There isn't at present any active peg replacement programme at Wintour's – the last major overhaul was during the preparation for the guidebook in 2005-7, which included a full overhaul of the fixed gear on GO Wall by Martin Crocker and more ad hoc replacement of some pegs and bolts elsewhere by other guidebook authors. The cemented-in pegs are generally quite a bit older – they date back to the '70s and early '80s and were placed and cemented in by John to provide (semi) permanent fixed gear at a time when pegs were frequently removed. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are worse than the newer pegs – here I would cautiously question Beardy Mike (though he knows a lot more about materials science than me!) about the cement being "porous". I believe that John used water-resistant cement (he can correct me if I'm wrong!) and I certainly haven't noticed the cement remaining moist when the rock around it dries after heavy rain (in the way that the sandy breccia stuff at Wyndcliff Quarry lower tier does). My guess (and it's only a guess) is that most of the old cemented-in pegs are about as strong as they ever were – but not all of them and I'm definitely not giving any guarantees. Incidentally, as the top pitch of Zelda was mentioned in the OP – I've often heard that described as wholly peg-protected. It isn't, you can get other gear in (three cams and three wires is my record!)
There may well have been a few pegs replaced since 2007, and under the policy there is nothing to stop other pegs being replaced – but please only do this if you know what you are doing and what you leave is better than what you found (I'm not volunteering for this reason – I've never placed a peg in anger). If there to be was any more widespread fixed gear replacement, it would be good to keep an online record of it as has been done at Avon – and I would want to make sure that the GWT were aware of and happy with anything like that to avoid any more difficulties.
Cheers
Rick (Wye Valley Access Rep)