UKC

Here are the dates for the long-awaited Swanage stake bashing sessions Sun 31 Oct 9-12am, and Sun 14 Nov 9-12am.
Many of the old stakes are very rusty and need replacing fairly urgently.
I have new the stakes (80 of them; but they need beating into the cliff-top, this is brutal, hard work-hence the short sessions (and you have a chance too climb once the sun has warmed the cliff).
Gloves, safety glasses, coffee and buns will be provided. Some sledge hammers will be provided, if you have one please bring it along BUT only if it is in excess of 10lbs, lighter 7lb hammers don't have any impact on these beasts. Ideally bring a couple of prop forwards, the average climber is too leanly built to swing the big hammer for long-be warned.
There will be some loppers provided to cut scrub around the stakes for those too lightly built for hammering.
Please let me know if you can come via my UKC mail
Thanks in anticipation
Scott

In reply to scott titt: A follow up report to the event would be useful Scott.

In reply to scott titt:

I'm assuming the rendezvous is the centre at Durlston?

In reply to clipskipper:
Meet in the Durlston centre carpark nearest to the road to the lighthouse.

In reply to scott titt:
bump

In reply to scott titt:

Hi Scott - I'll weigh my sledgehammer, but should be there either way on the 31st.

Steve

In reply to scott titt: Hey Scott count me in
Nick

In reply to scott titt:

I should be able to make it, but will confirm later in the week.

Darrell.

In reply to scott titt: I will certainly try to make one or other weekend, will confirm by email.

In reply to scott titt: For economy purposes for the journey, anybody likely to be travelling from London? (either weekend is OK atm)

I'll be there 10am sunday 31st ..... happy to assist in whatever capacity .... don't have a hammer thing. Mark

In reply to scott titt:

Hi Scott
sorry we cant make this sunday. i'm recovering from surgery and Neal is working. hope the day goes well and the weather is kind to you
H

In reply to scott titt:
Thanks for arranging this. Unfortunately I can't make either date now, if a third date gets added then I'll do my best!

In reply to scott titt:

Just to confirm I will be there.

Darrell.

In reply to scott titt: I will be there for the 14th Nov.

Repeat request for anyone coming from London to share costs.

In reply to scott titt:

A succesful day on Sunday with 15 new stakes placed, 4 hammers broken (!) and several rusting antiques removed; some easily and some with a struggle (you just cant tell)
My thanks to :-

Derek Jerman
Mark James
Darrell Gibson
Sue Hazel
Mick Ward
Alan Blanchflower
Nick Hawkins
Ris Wright
Iain Moodie
Frodo Stickel

who all turned out on an unpromising day and hammered to exhaustion-and then were brave enough to come to St Aldhelm's Head with me.
Boulder Ruckle East has now been done, on the 14 Nov we will be working on the Finale Groove-Sillhouette Arete area. Further dates will be arranged for 2011.
Photo link to follow when moderated.

In reply to scott titt:
See you on the 14th!

In reply to steve taylor: So is the 14th definitely on?

In reply to Simon4:
The event is still planned to happen on the 14th, definitely is a harder thing to commit to-if the weather is as it was on Wed then I will be at home!
The default position is that the event will happen. I will post here if the forecast is too horrendous.

In reply to all
Thanks to the BMC Crag Care Fund I now have some new sledge hammers (and new handles for the broken ones) so no need to bring your own.
I will be baking some Dorset apple cake tonight.

In reply to scott titt:

Hi Scott, thanks for (superbly) organising the last do. There's something oddly satisfying about seeing those stakes going in and knowing that they'll be peoples' salvation for decades. I'll be along this Sunday unless you say otherwise.

Mick

In reply to scott titt: OK Scott, what are the meeting arrangements? Also, do you have work-gloves?

In reply to Simon4:
Meet at the Durlston Country Park car park, in the SW corner at 9am Sun 14th Nov.
Gloves, safety glasses, coffee and buns will be provided.

In reply to scott titt:
Many thanks to all who braved an indifferent day (that turned from light drizzle to persistent rain) and knocked in a further 13 stakes. We finished early because of the weather-some wanted to carry on!

Steve Taylor
Simon Kemper
Edward Powell
Tom Thorne
Ed Babington
Mark James
Darrell Gibson
Mick Ward
Alan Blanchflower
and the family from Reading

Boulder Ruckle West is next on the programme, probably in Feb 2011.

In reply to scott titt:

The way my arms feel now, I'm pleased we stopped when we did.