UKC

Hi, I'm looking for some guidance on the best way to set up a top roping (belayer at top) anchor on bolts. I have searched through the forums and I have seen various comments about bolts damaging both rope and krabs. If this is the case, I'm unsure as to wether I should thread a sling directly through the bolt, or clip the bolt with a krab then clip the sling? My thinking is that the former could potentially abrade or cut the sling, the latter adds more points of weakness and damages a more expensive krab. Assuming the bolt isn't a rusty, raggedy edged mess, what is the best way to go about this?

While I'm here, the reason I'm asking is that, after my first outdoor session at Neilston this weekend, I'd like to begin a tour of supposedly crappy rock (!) by heading to the Quadrocks. I'm just wondering how extensive the bolting is, if they cover most of the climbs, in particular the left hand crag which I believe has more lower end climbs?

Thanks for any advice.

In reply to Taurig:

Clip the sling to the krab clipped through the bolt (the krab won't get damaged by this its way too tough at the forces involved).

In reply to Taurig:

Clip em. Won't do your krabs any harm in a top-rope set-up.

For leading you keep one end of the quickdraw for the bolt, the other for the rope. The bolt end krab accumulates nicks and scratches as you fall but it's nothing to worry about.

jk

Brilliant, cheers. Looks like I'll have to buy one more screwgate if I want two seperate anchors then, but no problem. I'm guessing on a top rope the chances of causing any really damage to the krab are pretty minial anyway.

Any info on the Quadrocks appreciated, although I'm sure there will be something there for us to do.

Cheers

In reply to Taurig:
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Let me know if there is anything missing from the page: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=228 and I'll update it.

All the routes at the Quadrocks are trad routes and there are no bolts.

In reply to Ean T:

I am aware that the routes aren't bolted, but in the comments section of the link jonnie provided above, there's a guy saying there are bolts at the top for anchor building. I was wondering wether these cover most of the climbs on both parts of the crag, or if it's just a couple at the top of the harder ones for example?

Basically I'd like to top rope V Diff to Severe with decent anchors, wondering if that is possible at Quadrocks.

In reply to Taurig:

Aye, it is possible. If I remember rightly, the bolts are on the right hand crag, but belays are possible for top roping or bottom roping above each route. It's a great crag and the view over the firth is wonderful, especially during an evening sunset (it faces west ish.)

In reply to Taurig:

There are several large eyebolts ( look like lolly pops with a hole through the middle or like a ring doughnut on a spike) set into the rock above the right (south crag), easy to run a sling through or you can tie into them with a spare bit of rigging rope. They are probably too fat to clip in directly with a crab unless it is very big one. It is easily possible to use two or even three to set up a safe belay above several beginner climbs. There is only one above the left hand north crag as I remember but also suitable rock spurs to put a sling round.

Ideal place to start out - but beware the walk in it is a killer on legs, very steep.

Jonnie and Brownie, thanks, that's exactly the info I was looking for, I'm definitely up for giving it a shot. Brownie, interesting you say the bolts can only be clipped by large krabs, seems to defeat the purpose! I've been buying DMM Aero screwgates, hopefully they will be large enough.

I have heard the walk in is a pain in the arse, I'm coming from a hillwalking background though so hopefully it won't be too bad. That said, a 60m x 10.2mm rope weighs even more than I expected!