UKC

Hi! I'm a new spanish girl in England looking for partners to practise outdoor climbing.

I have heard about Symonds Yat where there are lots of routes, and it is the most closer place where I live, but I could move if you know another nice place! I only have climbing shoes, arnes and chok.

Let me know if someone is interested for this weekend.

Thank you.

In reply to ElenaMG:

Hello, where are you based? What's you current experience? Maybe get started on filling your profile, Symonds Yat has some very friendly introductory routes and has very good anchors to enable a top rope and get you climbing and used to the rock/area.

Depending on where you are based, there may be a good opportunity to join a local club, explore the area and have some more experienced members show you around, equally there'll be opportunities to access partners with more equipment and start leading etc.

Hope that helps,

James.

In reply to ElenaMG:

I honestly wouldn't bother with symonds yat!!!

Dirty, chossy and polished! Get yourself to the peak district and have a much better time!

Shorn cliff in the wye valley is excellent as well.

In reply to Jimbob11:

Thank you James. I started to write my profile. I'm in Hereford so I don't know if you know so local club arround here.
I used to climb sportive, so I don't know in trad. climbing. My level in sportive are 5 (6a in top rope) but I used to be belayer with friends in Spain.

Thank you,

Elena.

In reply to ElenaMG:

No match for crag id:3658 Gilwern

If you want a bit of sport you could go to Gilwern. Lots of 5's and 6's and about an hour from where you are based.

Contrary to the common perception Symonds Yat is a brilliant crag and the best in the Wye Valley in my humble opinion and I have been to all of them. However many people would not share my view.

In reply to ElenaMG:
It seems to be either love it or hate it. Symonds Yat is good for having easy grade climbs which is unusual on limestone but this in itself brings problems as it attracts lots of groups. As a consequence, apart from a few really good routes it is, in the main, lacking height, polished, loose, vegetated and chossy with a muddy base and muddy route exits that dump mud and soil on the holds below. Routes like the Russian and Red Rose Speedway however are classics as good as anywhere.

Al

In reply to ElenaMG:

I've no idea what they're like, but the local club is http://herefordclimbingclub.webs.com/

In reply to ElenaMG:

Symond's Yat is more of a Trad climbing venue, but you might get someone to set up top ropes for you??

In reply to Xavierpercy:


Hello Guy. We might try Gilwern tomorrow - never been. Looks like it's high and open enough to dry off after today's rain. I'm guessing that starting at Gilwern East and moving on after lunch might make the best of the sun?

In reply to bpmclimb:

Yes that would be the right way to do it if you wanted the best of the sun although there are more than enough routes at each crag to keep you going the whole day. The walk into Gilwern East is quite a bit longer,15-20 minutes each way. It is a bit awkward to get down to the crag as you approach from the top. The walk to Gilwern is just a couple of minutes.
If you go to Gilwern East get on Sidewinder. Christian broke my flake at Gilwern is really good. There are loads of other good routes at both crags.

In reply to Xavierpercy:

Thanks. I'm slightly confused by the approaches, though. Did you find the parking/crags easy to find? Gilwern is described from Blaenavon (on UKC and SWMC), but Gilwern East from Govilon.

(We would naturally come westwards via Raglan along the A465 (Heads of the Valleys Rd) towards Gilwern village).

In reply to Xavierpercy:

It's ok, I think I'm sorted now.

In reply to ElenaMG:

I'm looking for a partner in the Hereford area. Have emailed you.

In reply to springfall2008:

Hi!!! If it's trad climbing I don't know how to lead, so yes I woul need top rope. In sportive I could leader in my level. And I could belay with grigri. Salut!

In reply to ElenaMG:

If you are coming over this way, try Ban-y-gor, Wintours Leap - Woodcroft Quarry and Wydecliffe Quarry for bolted sports routes.

In reply to ElenaMG:

Symonds Yat is dreadful. There are many better places to go - Wyndcliffe (crag and quarry) spring to mind as do some of the other suggestions mentioned above. Avoid Symonds Yat!

In reply to Frank the Husky:


How selfish to tell people that Symonds Yat is dreadful so that you can have it all to yourself

In reply to ElenaMG:

Symonds Yat gets a bad rep but I like it.
I may be in need of a climbing partner on Sunday if you fancy seeing how it is

In reply to aceagles:



Me too. I wouldn't say it's my absolute favourite on limestone, but it is interesting, varied, and unique, with lots of good climbs. It's also much quicker to dry, and more often in condition, than generally assumed.

One thing that does annoy me is climbers who've hardly climbed there at all - just one or two visits - jumping on the bandwagon of negative opinion. It's a very extensive crag, and getting familiar with all the different buttresses is a real voyage of discovery - they're all very different.

In reply to bpmclimb:

Nail on head.

In reply to ElenaMG:

Would suggest you go to Wyndcliffe Quarry, upper tier.

Mick

In reply to Frank the Husky:


Seems a little unfair, there are a few classics there including Whitt (VS 4c) which is worth visiting just for that route.