UKC

Hi,

I'm looking for a good location to set up a group abseil in the Hope Valley area. Any locals know of a decent crag/area that is out the way of the more established edges? I know how annoying it can be to have groups abbing all over the line you're looking to climb!

Cheers

Tom

In reply to thomaspomfrett:

The BMC used to have a list of brdges, viaducts etc that were better alternatives than a crag.

In reply to thomaspomfrett: brilliant, any idea where I can find this? I've been looking around the bmc site this morning and struggled to come up with anything

In reply to thomaspomfrett:

email them?

In reply to thomaspomfrett: I've used the far end of Horseshoe a couple of times. If you walk right around the side you come to the top of the Chocolate Blancmange wall, where there are two big trees a long way back that equalise nicely to give you a line down the corner between Neanderthal and Excavator. I'd always figured that this was a bit less annoying than sending clients down some 3* gritstone slab, and it's a lot higher and more impressive too.

Caveats: you will need two 50m static ropes, one to rig and one to abseil on. Because the rig is so long there's considerable stretch when the climber goes over the edge - tension it yourself to take as much of that stretch out first. With a very heavy client I found that everything moved almost 3m towards the edge when they weighted the system so set all the knots way back from the edge.

And the rock is not the most solid, so have a system to get one client away from the base before the next sets off. Don't consider sending anyone down if there's anyone climbing on Neanderthal, Excavator or Slab Cake.

In reply to thomaspomfrett:

Not hope valley, but you could try Millers Dale viaduct. You can set up abseils down a column or as a free line over a span into the stream below. Great fun.

Here's a picture of a group of friends that I took there... https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150926238169274&set=t.6180885...

In reply to thomaspomfrett:
Abseils on Miller's Dale Viaduct are meant to be licensed, but I couldn't tell you who the licensing authority is.

In reply to thomaspomfrett: Thanks all, have spoken to the BMC and they've given me the details for Miller's Dale which is where they also recommended.

In reply to jwa:

Neither could I, we just rucked up and did it.

In reply to thomaspomfrett: the BMC actively recommend Miller's Dale? Interesting.

I too thought there were some access issues (my understanding is that a couple of the big outdoor centres had somehow bagged the access rights and were less than friendly to others trying to use it) so I've never taken clients there. There was a suggestion here that you needed a site-specific licence, though no details of who to apply to:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=377766

If it is open for use by anyone who just turns up, I'd love to know.

In reply to Jamie Wakeham: They gave me the contact details of who to speak to (which I won't put up here) so presumably that person controls access in some way.

In reply to thomaspomfrett:
There is no mystery here. The licenses are controlled by the Peak National Park and they insist on holders having insurance and complying with operating procedures whilst at the bridge. Otherwise there is potential for conflict with other users of the trail and of local residents.

In reply to thomaspomfrett:

Just found this...

Abseiling
A licence is required for abseiling from Bridge 75 at Millers Dale.
Contact the Access & Recreation Administration Support Team for further
information on 01629 816290.

In reply to Tony the Blade:

Sorry, should that it came from this: http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/230523/PDNPA-A-Z...

In reply to Tony the Blade: useful. I wonder why it was not made easier to find (well, I spent five minutes on google and didn't come up with it, anyway, but I suppose I wasn't trying very hard)?

Out of interest, Thomas, does this licence cost anything? Or are they really just checking you have insurance and know where to set your anchors?

In reply to Jamie Wakeham: No idea at this stage, I've not spoken to the contact yet. The question was partly out of interest as there are numerous posts where people (in many cases quite correctly) get angry about groups hogging areas of a crag or abseiling down classic lines but people very rarely provide a concrete solution of where the groups might go.

I've got my SPA assessment in November and as part of the home paper I've got to plan a trip in the Hope Valley area. I've already got a couple of options for a group abseil (some of the quieter areas of Stanage or a bit further afield outside the valley maybe Harborough Rocks) but was wondering if there were any better ideas.

In reply to thomaspomfrett:
The roadside bay at Lawrencefield has a popular abseil line with good rigging and a safe area at the top. The line goes down an E10 project so not likely to be much conflict with climbers.