In reply to ebdon:
> Could someone enlighten me is this just the way some lakes crags are going or has this crag been under some massive bird ban for the last decade?
1. Par for the course in North lakes at moment.
2. Culmination of many cold wet summers, lack of long warm dry spells.
3. Lack of poularity too - you will see more people boulderbating at Carrock than you will on crags like Eagle, Green, Raven Thirlmere, Great End, Hind, Newlands-Dalehead for example despite the presence of fantastic and often unstarred routes.
4. Many climbers prefer bolts in Europe or local bolted crags.
5. Lake District climbing may be over - vegetation is reclaiming the rock, most climbers are not concerned and go elsewhere.
6. It will only change with hotter drier weather.