UKC

Hi all

I have MS and can just about walk to the pub. Can still climb, though - still leading 6a+/6b indoors.

I need advice / recommendations for UK roadside crags or those with about 100 yards approach max. Sport, not bouldering (can't sort my feet out in time on landing). Not at all sure-footed so e.g. the approach to Reptile Smile would go badly.

Am coming from London, looking at two-three days.

Help..?

In reply to juicer:

Cheddar Gorge has some roadside crags and a few routes at that grade, although they may be a little polished.

The Cuttings on Portland is about 400yds but is mostly flat and a proper gravel track, not a goat path.

Cheyne Weares is only a couple of hundred yards but does involve a short angled descent down to the cliff base.

Horseshoe quarry is a flat walk in I seem to recall, but again its at least a few hundred yards.

In reply to juicer:

If you did North Wales there's a few places that are roadside. You've got:

Castle Inn (can belay from your car, you literally park against the rock)
Penmaen Head (30sec walk down steps)
Bus Stop Quarry (slate, ~3min walk from parking though primarily trad)
Dyserth Castle Slab (6ish min from parking in the ditch)
Llanddulas Cave (couple min walk uphill from parking)

The Gallery is also quite a short walk in I believe though can't confirm. Maybe someone else can.

In reply to Dandan:
Thank you!

I guess I was really looking for something in my grade that I and some newbs can drive right up to. I shall just have to man up.

More I look at tit, the more I think Portland and Swanage. It's nearby. I like cider. It's All Good.

In reply to juicer:

Swanage sport walk-in's are all around 30 minutes and over pretty varied terrain unfortunately, at least that's the case for Winspit (unless you want to get a mate to try their luck and drive all the way down the track to the crag to drop you off although I doubt it's technically allowed), Dancing Ledge, Hedbury, Promenade.

In reply to juicer:

Ban Y Gor is relatively close to the carpark, and not too bad to get to. Little bit of a scramble down to the crag, but not too severe. Ban-y-gor

In reply to juicer:

The areas I can think of are Bus Stop Quarry, the lowest bit of Vivian Quarry, Castle Inn Quarry (you can belay from the car) and various bits off the circular road round the Great Orme including Pen Trwyn and several others.

In reply to juicer:

In Scotland, Kirriemuir is maybe 200m walk in, though you could get dropped off closer I reckon, then your team park up and meet you. Nice sport, south-facing, plenty to do f4-7 with flat area at base, sheltered too.

Benny Beg IS 50 m walk in (2nd sector poss still under 100m) and flat. Maybe too easy at f3-6b, and I think only a couple of 6b.

North Berwick Law is prob 150-200m approach, f6a-7 mainly.

Hopefully someone will correct me if I misremember these! I'm sure there are others in "7a Max" but it's late and
I'm tired.

In reply to rattusrattus:

Ban Y Gor?
What the same Ban Y Gor that has at least a 500m approach to the first climbs along narrow often brambly/nettley and/or muddy path that runs close to the edge of a steep drop before scrambling down to the cliff base.
And the same Ban Y Gor with the cliff base path that is often blocked with fallen trees and steep slippery sections - not to mention the Via Ferrata style section of traversing around the Crawl Buttress to reach the Main Cliff.
In the Wye Valley the Lower Lift of Wyndcliff Quarry is a better bet at about 20m from the road the Upper Lift is just above up a short steep path. Areas of Cheddar Gorge and Castle Inn Quarry have already been mentioned and are both "belay from the car" friendly. The Cuttings is the best Portland option I can think of. No match for crag id:30 is pretty much roadside as well.

In reply to The Ivanator:

Second your comments re Ban Y Gor - not an easy access at all, plus path is quite narrow in places at the bottom of the cliff, above a long slope that I wouldn't want to slip down.
Wyndcliffe Quarry is very easy to access, 20 metres would possibly include crossing the road and lower lift to gain the upper lift.
Also agree totally with your comments re Cheddar, Avon and The Cuttings. (Don't know about Castle Inn).