UKC

The Peak Bolt Fund is managed by a small community of climbers who are putting in the time and effort to get out there and replace some of the tired and ageing bolts of The Peak. James Reputon spoke to some of the active members of the fund to explore the motivations behind the rebolting.

The Fund has been revitalised over the last couple of years - we've had some new faces join the old guard and all are doing their best to get out there and update some of the lower quality bolts around the Peak. This means that many popular routes now have new bolts and improved lower-offs, often sporting maillon-ring combinations to reduce wear on the lower-off bolts.

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In reply to UKC Articles:thanks for bearly mentioning my efforts? Smalldale, Harper Hill, Cowdale, Masson Lees, Central Buttress, Blackwell Halt, Crag X and a load in Chee Dale plus many others. 

 

In reply to Gary Gibson:

Kristian mentions that you have done more bolting than everybody else put together.

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:yes but the snippet in the article could be taken as just inferring  bolting for new routes when Gary has done a massive amount of work  rebolting existing routes, mostly not his own

 

In reply to kevin stephens:

The article consists of interviews of people involved in the Peak Bolt Fund.

For what ever reason Gary wasn't interviewed so he can hardly expect to dominate proceedings.

In reply to DubyaJamesDubya:I wasn’t expecting to dominate proceedings. I put a lot of my own money into rebolting routes and do get support from Rockfax and a few others etc which I have no complaints about. My comments were aimed at balancing the article, nothing more. I fully support the ideology of the Peak bolt fund, always have and always will so get off my back.

 

In reply to Gary Gibson:

That may not have come out the way I intended but I was just saying that the article seems specific to the people interviewed and was asking for their views on their own contributions/approaches. Thus explaining you not figuring highly in the article. I don't think I was 'on your back'. I don't work for Rockfax.

In reply to kevin stephens:

Not many people would assume a single climber would lead more new routes than all other climbers put together surely?

In reply to UKC Articles:

In my 'limited' experience the people who contribute least to bolts funds, whether the Peak fund or GG's own fund, are the ones who complain most about the bolting, or who do the most damage. When you see 'groups' top-roping through fixed gear and comment, they usually say that the BMC look after the gear. (Many of these groups are making money out of the voluntary efforts of others.)

I contribute on a limited basis to each fund, but if every sport climber in the Peak contributed the same amount as me, there would be a lot of cash going into the system!

I congratulate all those who give up their time and energies to maintain fixed equipment at our climbing areas, and also the numerous volunteers who keep crags tidy, even the simple things like picking up discarded finger tape. 

Most climbers seem to think that it is up to others to 'Respect the rock!'

 

In reply to Gary Gibson:

Hi Gary,

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply. I wrote the article about the PBF work rather than bolting in the Peak in general; hence why you only get a brief mention. I did have a sentence in an earlier draft commending your work but decided to just include Kristian's mention of you doing more than anyone. The PBF really appreciates your work, there'd be significantly less bolting/rebolting in the Peak without it. On reflection a paragraph on your work wouldn't have gone amiss.

I hope to be at the next Peak Area Meet if you want to discuss.

Regards,

James

In reply to DubyaJamesDubya:

Not normally, but if you look at Gary's history, there's a fair chance that he has!

In reply to Derek Ryden:

A vast number and probably true for certain crags but surely not for all routes in the Peak.