UKC

My GF and I are new to climbing and so far do plenty of sport climbing on the south coast. We have done multipitch trad in Cornwall but want to practise the "art" nearer to home.

Question: Can I use a sport anchor (on a single pitch) to "mimic" a multi-pitch and belay up my second? Simply to practise top belay, rope management, potentially even climbing with two ropes and placing some gear? Are the anchors safe to use in this method? Is there an other way perhaps? (apart from actually multi-pitching a single pitch route?)

Any help in this area from more experienced climbers would be really appreciated. I'm confident my GF and I are safe climbers and we always adhere to best practise....but I'm a firm believer in practise makes perfect...and if we aren't using the multi-pitch skills regularly we're more likely to make mistakes when it counts.

Any help please? :-/

Perfectly safe to do so assuming you use them appropriately.

I thought this but just wanted to hear someone else say it too!

My plan is to lead climb to the anchor, make safe with a 2 piece anchor of some kind. I'm still undecided as to my favourite method here so will keep trying them all. I'll then take in and practise rope management and top belay my second. One she's up I'd set up the rope through the anchor so we could take turns cleaning the anchor, and double rope rappel out. 

Thanks again! 

This book might help

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://...

Thanks David.......that'll keep me going for a little while.  

It sounds safe but you might find it more awkward than on genuine multi pitch which for easier climbs will tend to have ledges to belay on so rope management is usually easier

No reason not to, especially if you find a route with a nice ledge to finish on rather than have a hanging belay. Make sure you don't leave the important bits of hardware you need to arrange a belay and rearrange it for abbing off on the ground though. I did that once and it provided for a few minutes of great entertainment - for everyone else.

Done this loads of times, usually to show people how to re-thread and clean a sport route. 

I'd use a 240 sling to hang from and a belay device in guide mode on 2 long draws on the same anchor points to bring them up (opposing or locking krabs). Keeps you out of the system and makes fixing f*ckups easier. 

Obviously check the bolts you are hanging from, but if in Dorset the DBF guys are really good at making good lower offs. (make a donation to the DBF if you are climbing there!)

Portland, fallen slabs, battleship block, the rear section of the cuttings the balcony I think it's called, areas around the quarried blocks at the top of the crags like sharbutts and neddyfields and theres a few other places to offer some suggestions. Just be cautious that the cliff top ecosystem is genuinely unique and should be respected.

Also areas with lines close to each other will offer many bolts where you are not reliant on just one for a belay.

Dancing ledge near the Mexican wave area has top rope bolts reachable from the top, you could use some trad gear nearby to make it realistic. There are quite good ledges at some of the other quarries around swanage but they can be fragile at the top. 

If you lead, then belay your second to the anchors. When you ab back, maybe ab off two strands of rope rather than simply lowering. Not only is this realistic to descending a multi pitch route, but it'll save wear on the lower offs as no loaded rope will run through the anchors.

Of course once you feel proficient, the swanage cliffs have lots of possible trad multi pitches to have a blast on.

Beside that, check,  double check and check again.

Just one thing to add to what others said: You could make a belay half way up a single pitch sport route where you can add some trad gear in to complement a single bolt, from there your partner to climb to you, take the gear and climb on to the loweroff. This would give you the complete experience of swinging leads.

I helped a friend with multipitch skills yesterday .... in perfect warmth, with a cuppa every now and then. My stairs at home have got a right turn halfway up, perfect for a belay ledge, and the banisters provided anchors. We got masses done in four hours.

Never thought of that!! Genius! Guys thanks so much this is gold...absolute gold. 

Kevster some top suggestions there....I can see a massive decline in my working productivity coming up, as I bomb around finding new climbs. Some quality ideas in this thread to! Who'd have thought it...I was having a brew and thought you know I'll sign up and ask the question......if only I'd done this a few months back!!!

Totally separate note...I'm dreaming of flying out to Malta in 4 weeks (because I'm spontaneous like that!) Anyone been? Any suggestions on routes sub 6a.....

Thanks again!

I forgot to say .... I had an old rope in the loft, so cut that in half to give us two 25m ropes for our indoor session. This meant that we weren't spending as much time coiling ropes etc when we practised the ropework on a 4m 'pitch'.

Most people pick something easy like a multi-pitch D or VD to practice on!