In reply to UKC News:
This issue has been discussed at the local NE BMC meeting and Franco, as Local Access Rep, is taking things forward. This approach includes:
- raising awareness among the climbing community of the access situation (ie here, Facebook and the RAD) so that the current situation is not exacerbated / worsened
- trying to establish contact with the local gamekeeper / stalkers so that a longer-term approach can be agreed between climbers and other users of the forest (ie with the aim that we are notified of stalking days in advance of signs appearing so that we can post details online on the RAD to save climbers turning up to the parking and being disappointed).
In the interim, please abide by any signed instructions (which hitherto have been by the access gate). In addition, it is worth noting:
- Kyloe Crags (ie both In and Out) do not lie on CRoW land and the forest in which Kyloe In lies is privately owned (indeed there are a number of private properties in the woods incl. Bogle Houses, Dingle Bungalow etc). Climbers are, therefore, not the ‘exclusive’ users of the forest and we should be mindful that other stakeholders (including deer stalkers) may have other interests beyond climbing.
- Kyloe Out (marked Collar Heugh on OS maps) lies on a public footpath outside of the forest and, to our knowledge, is thus unaffected and remains open. This is not the case for Kyloe In (marked Deus Heugh on OS maps).
- There are a number of other venues close to Kyloe In, including larger classics like Kyloe Out, Bowden(s), Hepburn, Goats Crag, Berryhill (etc) as well as lesser known spots such as Doddington Skyline, Cuddy’s Cave, Doveholes.
- Steve Blake / the NMC / myself have produced a number of miniguides for smaller areas and new developments including: Aid Crag, Blakey’s Block, Bizzle Crags, Caller, Hepburn, High Crag, Howlerhirst Quarry, Key Heugh, Lower Tosson, Outlying Wannies, Sandy Crags, Shitlington, The Lost Rocks, The Stell and Upper Tosson, which can be freely downloaded at:
https://issuu.com/thenmc and
http://geoquest-verlag.de/?q=en/node/503 (some of which are closer to Newcastle, though not all are winter venues).
- Many locals use the Facebook Group ‘County Psyche’, which has frequent user updates on conditions, access, developments etc.
We appreciate that it can be frustrating to drive and find a crag temporarily closed. However, we would also appreciate cooperation in following whatever signs are in place at the crag to ensure that we do not risk a permanent ban in future.
Simon Litchfield, BMC NE Secretary