Archive for the ‘Bolts’ Category

BMC (British Mountaineeering Council) Bolts do not grow on trees

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Its official:  http://upload.pbase.com/images/122148350/original

http://www.thebmc.co.uk/Feature.aspx?id=1928

During the ‘planting’ of a myriad of expansion bolts in the floor of Horseshoe Quarry ‘particular care had been taken not to damage any interesting – coral-bed-fossil features.’ As one wag put it: ‘BMC bolts do not grow on trees’, how true. If you cannot climb? Bolt!And don’t forget to practice your – chipping – another great climbing aid. Members of the BMC, damaging cliffs and crags for – real climbers.

 http://www.cumbriaboltfund.com/CUMBRIA_BOLT_FUND/Photos.html(to put them in or take um out?)shows quite well the mess that BMC bolts are creating across the UK. Myriads of young men; potential climbers who actually believe that ‘falling off with impunity’ onto expansion bolts is – climbing… All thanks to the totally discredited; so called, British Mountaineering Council. Since 1993 members of the BMC have been bolting cliffs and crags from Lands End to the Highlands of Scotland (against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers): Simon Tong, Climber magazine, 1993: ‘When I visited Cornwall on November 28, 1992, Carn Vellan, the natural slate cliff on the Penwith north coast, had 35 bolts. To my knowledge bolt holes and bolts have now been drilled on the killas/greenstone cliffs of Gunards head and Carn Vellas and on the granite of Sennen, Lands End, Pordinack, Porth Lee, Chair Ladder and Cribba Head. This has taken place against the wishes of the majority of climbers, without discussion, reasoned debate or consideration of any opposing point of view. The identity and soul of these splendid sea cliffs has been changed irrevocably. I find it incredible that Jim Perrin chose not address these issues in his recent profile of two of the area’s leading activists – Roland and Mark Edwards. Climbing ability, green consciousness, or being “jolly nice guys” cannot justify their actions. Jim Perrin’s article will not cloud the fact – bolts are now (the majority since removed) widespread on West Cornwall cliffs. Local climbers have tried to represent the views of the majority of climbers nationally, and have been met with accusations of spitefulness and abuse. It is now clear that if  ‘real climbing’ in West Cornwall is to survive action by other climbers will have to be taken. Without action the future of climbing in Cornwall (in the UK) is all too clear.’ And don’t forget, chipping climbs needs real cunning which comes with practice. Apparently, some members of the BMC are very good at it, have been for years: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=416516

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BMC Leader Ladders (13 Jan 2008)

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

The British Mountaineering Council ‘new initiative’ has reached new heights: http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/2532-Worlds+Highest+Via+Ferrata-On-Mt.-Kinabalu.html  Step forward the highest ‘Leader Ladder’ in the world. Not content with the ‘Rape’ of the worlds mountains thus far, Mt Kinabalu has finally (2007 – 2008) succumbed to the ‘nut and bolt’ brigade… Can’t climb? Bolt! Don’t forget that the so-called British Mountaineering Council has thousands of ‘free bolts’ to give away; that need placing. In fact, the Meastri bolt ladder on Cerro Torre, Patagonia, is probably the highest ‘leader ladder’ in the world. 
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Bolts & Chipped Holds Everywhere (Oct 2007 – May, 09)

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Regardless of the human rights of none BMC members; the vast majority of UK climbers who do not wish to see the environment damaged by drilling, the British Mountaineering Council is determined to continue to push for the deliberate damaging of British crags and mountain rock faces by its members – drilling and placing expansion bolts. The amount of money wasted on the above mentioned activity, could help to reduce by educating, the increasing deaths amongst climbers in the UK. In May, 2009, a further 1,300 BMC Bolts were made available for use in damaging the Welsh cliffs and crags. http://upload.pbase.com/images/122148350/original The BMC ‘harvesting’ expansion bolts.
In February, 2007, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) flooded British climbing with 10,000 expansion bolts. The drilling (deliberate damage to unquarried cliffs and crags) and the placing of bolts, being sponsored by the – BMC. On the 2 January, 2009, a climber in Australia was killed when the expansion bolt that he pulled on – came out. In the ensuing fall, his rope was severed. There has been much ‘nashing of teeth’ amongst so-called Sports Climbers since this latest fatal accident who, rather than avoiding the use of bolts as a very dubious form of climbing protection, will now call for a ‘bolting qualification’… Bolting represents a future time-bomb-ticking in British climbing sponsored by the – British Mountaineering Council. http://www.safercliffs.org/code/photos.html An extra 1,300 BMC bolts were provided, for the specific purpose, of damaging Welsh mountain, cliffs and crags. Many bolts could be saved by  a ‘chipping holds’ program, this could be arranged through a BMC: How to chip holds properly & safely, program.
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President of the BMC advocates – Bolting (6 Mar 2003)

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Bolts Everwhere: http://www.safercliffs.org/code/photos.html Interestingly, the President of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), Dave Musgrove, has openly advocated the bolting of natural, unquarried cliffs rock in the United Kingdom. On the Internet site, Rockfax.com, on Sunday the 2 March, 2002, he wrote: ‘OK – lets get drilling.’ He gave a big thanks to all those who contributed to the Yorshire Bolting Fund the princely sum of 732 pounds sterling that was raised recently and organised event, an event that quite obviously was supported by the – BMC.
This course of action, is against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers whom, the BMC purports to represent.?? In 2007, the BMC bought, and flooded, the UK climbing scene with – 10,000 expansion bolts http://upload.pbase.com/images/122148350/original no, BMC bolts do not grow on trees…
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BMC & UIAA Proposals 2003 (20 Feb 2003)

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

According to Marco Scolaris, President of the UIAA Council for Competiton Climbing (introducing young people to climbing using expansion bolts):’The UIAA-ICC want all young people to have the opportunity to try indoor climbing (once again introducing young people to climbing on expansion bolts) as they already do in some (mis-guided) countries as part of the school curriculum.’
The UIAA, is strongly supported by the – British Mountaineering Council (BMC). The last (to 2002) General Secretary, Roger Payne (BMGuide) of course had a new, high profile job, arranged and waiting for him in the UIAA when he finally left the BMC.
Contrary to recent BMC statements that there is no intention of enticing into the potentially dangerous sport of climbing, vulnerable young people (against the letter of the Young Persons Safety Act 1995), there is every intention of further enticing.
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Can’t Climb? Bolt! BMC Bolt & Chipping Workshop’s

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

There Is More Trouble Ath Mill (16 March, 2005): Apparently, there is more trouble in Manchester when surprised members of the so-called British Mountaineering Council (BMC) found out that the BMC had squandered another, 12,000 pounds sterling on a Scottish winter climbing – jolly – for visiting climbing prima donnas. The representative, but would be, governing body of British climbing (the organisation represents just one percent of British climbers / hill goers) has gained a reputation for squandering – other peoples money and in a number of instances, loosing considerable amounts in failed project’s and financially dubious schemes (approximately 150,000 pounds sterling annually in recent years according to articles in specialist magazines).   There was no surprise recently (2nd December, 2004) when a rotund, ex-climber, mountaineer was chosen as the new President of the UIAA, the Alpine Union. More details on page 4… 

There was also shock, anger and outrage after it was revealed that mountain clients are endangering – mountain guides!: “We all thought they were experienced and competent in all aspects of – guide care.” A commentator has recently accused mountain clients of being responsible for the death’s of their guide’s (strange that, because we have on our record’s that only two BMG guide have ever been killed whilst with a client. In one instance, the guide had  unroped from his client before the fatal avalanche killed him.? There was no similar shock, or anger, when on the 14 July, 2003, six clients were killed in an ice avalanche on the Grand Mulets glacier, their guide de haut montagne as usual, survived. One commentator stated that: “This accident, which happened on a classic itinerary, used by numerous climbers every day, cannot be attributed to error or imprudence…” Really! In a Chamonix alpine season, one of the worst in living memory (the author has been climbing in Chamonix since 1958) where unprecedented rock and and ice avalanches have prevailed since late June; in a season that saw, Mont Blanc ‘put out of bounds’; guides taking groups of clients into such conditions were in fact, asking for trouble. Just three weeks later, 32 ‘lemmings’ were air-lifted from the Gouter hut because the Ridge/Couloir was far to dangerous to descend/recross… On the 30 June, 2004, Aspirant (to guide under BMG / IFMGA Limitations and under the guidance of a fully qualified BMG guide), British Mountain Guide Jules Cartwright and his female client, Ms Julie Calverd, roped together, fell to their deaths from the reletively easy, alternative approach to the Cassin Route – 900meter Alpine North (North-East) Face (something happened) on the Piz Badile. Another BMG guide (possibly the fully qualified guide) and his client were at the same time airlifted from the mountain. Whilst the BMC immediately compiled and raised to its website an extensive, glowing accolade to Mr Cartwright, Ms Colverd the unfortunate client, is merely mentioned in passing. Apparently, Mr Cartwright had not climbed the Cassin Route on the Piz Badile, prior to this guided attempt. As a mountain client/ potential mountain client, your safety has been further eroded by the comments of Sir C. Bonington in the Guardian (October 2003): “it is important that guidelines are not solidified into – regulations.” Really! He was commenting because the British commercial, climbing establishment is faced with new Health & Safety Executive – Work at Height Legislation which they do not want introduced. Why? Even though numerous BMG and some AMI clients have been killed and injured whilst being instructed / guided at a height, they are determined not to incorporate new legislation into their – world. He went on to say: “There is a danger that regulations stifle not only initiative, but also effects risk management by individual climbers.” The very legislation that the BMC was determined to introduce via – climbing qualifications. Fifty years ago the embryonic BMC was warned about introducing climbing / leader qualifications because: Legislation stifles initiave. Legislation in the wrong hands in climbing, has also brought about the premature deaths of numerous – mountain clients… That Sir C. Bonington who appeared on the front cover of a climbing magazine in full colour in a rock climbing pose whilst not wearing a safety helmet (sending out the wrong message to young readers) wrote of the new Safety Directive: ´…common sense has not prevailed…´, speaks volumes about the level of common sense in the British climbing establishment when it comes to – safety.

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Chedder Gorge, SSI, Bolted by members of the BMC

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Can’t Climb? Bolt! The Rape of Cheddar Gorge by members of the BMC

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=229571

On the 11 August, 2007, I received an unsolicited, three page letter from Martin Crocker the individual who took it upon himself (with able assistance from the so-called British Mountaineering Council) to deliberately damage, by drilling and inserting over 1,000 expansion bolts into a site of Special Scientific Interest (a supposedly protected SSSI). Cheddar Gorge, had been climbed on by decades of traditional climbers myself certainly, since 1961. I had written a letter to Cheddar Caves & Gorge (CC&G) asking them why, they had allowed the special area that is Cheddar Gorge, to be deliberately damaged – bolted (it is not yet known if the BMC’s new – ‘Leading Ladder’(s) are to be installed) against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers. I did not receive a reply from CC&G to my letter.

Dear Mr Morrod,

I have been asked to reply to your email to Cheddar Caves & Gorge (CC&G) by their Director, Hugh Cornwell.

As you may be aware I organised and ran the Cheddar Climbing Project on behalf of the BMC (the so-called British Mountaineering Council that still, after 55 years, represents just one percent of climbers, hillgoers) and local climbers (as a local climber since 1961, Mr Crocker’s actions were not on my behalf). The Project was something I conceived in my own time, because I was dismayed by the state of neglect of the climbs, the imminent risks to public safety because of that, and – moreover – the growing distain shown by climbers towards Cheddar Gorge climbing (by definition, drilling and placing in excess of 1,000 expansion bolts has apparently, not shown disdain towards Cheddar Gorge).

Climbing ethics and styles and how they embrace the placing of fix gear, are matters that, it is fair to say, CC&G have left to climbers to debate and decide for themselves. The use of fixed gear would not have crystallized as an issue to CC&G over and above the deeper implications of allowing climbing to take place in the Gorge. In retrospect CC&G would have assumed or trusted that – through the pioneering of new climbs and any re-gearing or equipping campaigns – the style would have been ‘applied’ in a way that was sympathetic with the state of climbing and presumably the wishes of the consensus of local climbers (as there are very few local climbers one has to guess at the radius; area around the Gorge that was applied) contemporaneously. Though the management of CC&G have an understanding of the differences between sport climbing and (trad) climbing, they are still reliant on climbers and their representative bodies to guide them on any technical and ethical climbing issues. However I would think that if there were any resultant implications or liabilities for CC&G as a landowner; then they would then seek to take control of what was going on e.g. they would not and do not hold any liability for the bolts

And the differences between sport climbing and climbing (trad) are? Apparently, if you cannot climb properly; are not competent enough to climb ethically by longstanding, traditional methods – then bolt! CC&G do not ‘hold any liability’ of the bolts??

The letter continues: The appropriateness of sport climbing in Britain, and the use of bolts, is something that will no doubt continue to be debated heatedly ad infinitum (er yes now the deliberate damage has been done) and justifiably so, in my opinion, since checks and balances will always be needed to contain the effects of what is an increasingly popular part of climbing (the increasingly demise of the sport of climbing).

On the beautiful evening of the 28 June, 2010, I stood in a deserted Cheddar Gorge. The quiet, brilliant atmosphere was radiant as I look-up, back-of-the-neck staining, at Coronation Street the centre of piece of rock climbing at Cheddar. I was dismayed at the amount of grease and growth that now covers much of the climb. No, I was not allowed to climb, not even the first pitch to clean it up – because I am not a member of the – British Mountaineering Club. Looking from side to side, the new bolts were all to evident. The Limestone that is Cheddar Gorge, a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI) has been drilled and bolted, damaged for ever, by those who should have know better. The quest for notoriety knows no bounds amongst members of the BMC: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=416516  

To be continued…the whole, pathetic letter will fill this page.

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BMC Bolt & Chipping Workshop’s

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

The British Mountaineering Council Supports Bolting (deliberate damage to unquarried rock)

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=301834

BMC Guidebook’s Sales Back Bolting… Pete Livesey:”Malham Cove – what must the Nature Conservancy Council think, with the conservationist BMC permitting bolting on a very fine and admired geological SSSI?” Pete, would turn in his grave if he knew about the British Mountaineering Council’s Cheddar bolting debacle (2005/6)…

OTE Issue 47, April, 1995: ‘Bolting in the Peak District is to be funded out of BMC guidebook profits. An open meeting of the BMC Peak Guidebook committee voted overwhelmingly in favour of contributing to the Peak Bolt Fund, set up and administered by Seb Grieve. Peak District limestone is a world famous climbing area but much of its fixed gear is in a dangerous state. Seb has been replacing bolts and fixing belays out of his own pocket until last year when he started collecting money from local and visiting climbers…’ So there we have it, the BMC actively funding bolting, against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers.

The Peak Bolting fund is still working well (2006) a new bank account being recently opened to try and swell the Fund’s coffers… ‘We can have ‘pride’ in the Peak Bolting Fund.’ Really! You know what they say about – pride – it come before a fall.

Five years earlier in the Dec, 1990 issue of Climber magazine Peter Evans wrote: ‘So the creeping, insidious and abhorrent disease of bolting has taken a further step up the crags in Scotland. Like AIDS it needs stamping out, and it’s time those who want to see it nipped in the bud – I believe a majority of climbers north of the border – stood up to be counted. Otherwise it will gain credence and bolters will feel they have carte blanche to carry out their activities (the deliberate damaging of unquarried rock) free of censure, wherever they like.’

A court case recently held that governing (repesentative) sports bodies were responsible for their members safety. Why then, does the BMC avocate and increase in climbers abseiling, being ‘lowered off” climbs rather, where possible, continue with the tradition method of descending crags and cliffs, by walking down where ever possible.?? BMC Skills & Safety – Abseiling Tips: ‘Abeiling, not the quickest way down. A common and false perception of abseiling is that it is an adventure activity that is completely safe. But as many have discovered, accidents occur (will now increase) even in controlled circumstances. The BMC’s Equipment Failure Investigations include abseil ropes cut through, failed anchors (even bolts), detached karabiners and abseil devices that ‘mysteriously’ did not control the speed of decent.’ Abseiling is the one time during a climbing day, when all of the climbing equipment comes under stress.

The BMC went on: ‘For most experienced climbers abseiling is an activity to be avoided unless it is the  – only way of getting off a climb or down a mountain – for the unwary it can be a fast introduction into discovering the quickest way to reach the ground.’ Their ill advised safety information continued: ‘For long abseils where it is necessary to join two ropes a reliable knot ‘must be used’. Probably (definitely) the most reliable is the double fisherman’s knot, But this can become jammed after an abseil. An alternative is an overhand knot…’ The overhand knot is not only – unreliable, it also can jam (in much narrower cracks) as it is retrieved after the abseil.

And yet, the BMC is actively enticing young climbers to indulge themselves, abseil when there is a much safer alternatives. When old bolts (badly placed bolts) start to fail, more climbers making mistakes when abseiling, the BMC will be responsible (and parents and relatives  now have some BMC names to use under the new Corporate Liability Law) for the avoidable, increase in deaths and injuries that are bound to follow the use of bolted climbs and lower off’s by the BMC. That the BMC is now also condoning the use of the British Death Knot (overhand knot) to be used to fasten two abseil ropes together, is another fatal flaw emanating from this: professional body at the peak of it profession.??

‘Bolts only work on sport type routes i.e sustained overhanging rock (not Cairngorm mountain granite).?? So wrote some individual in Climber, January, 1991. The picture that accompanies the article shows Greame Livingstone (photo by Garry Latter) reaching to clip a long, pre-placed sling above him on Fated Path a bolted route on unquarried rock, on Craig a’Bhancair – Glencoe. So bolts do not work on granite.? Apparently the mouthing of fatuous platitudes when it come to bolting, has started. The next symptom, these so-called climbers, start to – dribble. Can’t climb? Bolt!

Guy Keating, BMC Regional Access and Con-servation Officer, Thursday, 30 September, 2003: ‘News just in from Martin (Crocker) on his work on the Cheddar Gorge Climbing Program.’ “So far in Phase 2 of the Cheddar Gorge Climbing Project (commenced 12.9.2004) the following climbs have been restored (down-graded) and, from October, will be available to climbers (swing around on). The excellent climbs at Cheddar Gorge have in fact be available to ‘real’ climbers for the last fifty years. Several climbs, now fully bolted, are then sited in Crockers report to the BMC .  Care will be needed when approaching routes initially given the many years they’ve been neglected (Sports Climbers have apparently been failing on the approach routes hence the need to bring these climbs down the their standard). All retreat (the Italian Army became famous for this manouver) from abseil stations. Sunset Buttress, Paradise Lost (due to bolters) and Gates of Eden, together with a direct means of access to the underlying ledge, are likely to be ready the second weekend in October (as long as rain does not stop play). Edge of Eternity (direct) is ready now.”

Keating goes on: ‘Anyone (the BMC has a policy of enticing youngsters of – any age to the potentially dangerous sport of climbing) in need of any more information can contact Martin Cocker, as previously publicised. Routes restored (damaged) are photo-digrammatically desribed in a booklet costing 5.00 pounds sterling from Martin Crocker.’

The wholesale bolting at Cheddar Gorge is a typical example of pro-bolters not being satisfied with ‘some bolting’, it has to be all or nothing. What Mr Crocker does not mention is: Cheddar Gorge Management Company (Longleat Estate’s) in a Case Management Conference has stated: ‘The climbing regime in Cheddar Gorge in ‘agreement’ with the British Mountaineering Council has decided that ‘only BMC members with their own insurance can now climb in the gorge’. Bolted abseil stations at the top of the most popular climb are to be allowed.’

And what do we see in response? The wholesale bolting of Cheddar Gorge. But of course!

Peter Evens, in Dollar, Clacks, wrote in Climber, Dec, 1990: ‘The creeping, insidious and abhorrent disease of bolting has taken another step up the crags in Scotland (November issue). Like AIDS it needs stamping out, and its time those who want to see it nipped in the bud – I believe a majority of climbers north of the border – stood up to be counted. Otherwise it (bolting) will grain credence and the bolters will feel they have carte blanche to carry out their activities free from censure, wherever they like.’

The point is that this is an issue that is effecting, will effect, all climbers eventually. Yes, you got it, all climbers will have to buy BMC insurance if they wish to continue climbing.

Pic005Bird Line, Cheesewring Quarry, Cornwall, (finishes through the small V notch right of center), FA Dennis Morrod with one point of aid in the final groove) FFA E2 5c, climbs diagonally from left to right into the overhanging groove right of centre in the photograph above. Bolts, have appeared in close proximity to this trad climb. In fact, all of the original trad climbs in Cheeswring Quarry are being / will eventually be over bolted. That is the (not so insidious now 2004) part of the insidious BMC  bolting plan for the UK. Be assured, these particular bolts in due course, will be chopped!

Can’t Climb? Bolt!

The worst piece of bolting that I have ever witnessed is at the foot of the ‘Nose’ on El  Capitan in Yosemite, California. Walking slowly along the foot of the huge, vertical face, shooting as it does heavenwards, straight out of the horizontal ground, I was running, sliding my hand along the marble smooth granite of this magnificent, ageless monolithic monument. The scene was ruined when on looking up, I was confronted by rows and rows, of bolts. The rock had not a single feature for hundreds of feet – just those dammed bolts.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=301834Bolting supported; sponsored by the BMC… Cheating in climbing is out in the open and being codified by the BMC.

Bolts in the Eden Valley sanctioned by the BMC: ‘hardon’ (Rockfax 26 May 2006) – I personally would be completely against bolts at ANY crags in the Eden Valley…’ There are many climbers who do not agree with the BMC’s pro-bolting policy…the deliberate damage to cliffs and crags (this includes bolting already established traditional / adventure climbs without – the permission of the first ascensionist) from Lands End to the Highlands of Scotland’s by members of the BMC.

Bolting has introduced lies and cheating** into the sport of climbing. Cesare Maestri during his supposed first ascent of Cerro Torre in 1959, returned to re-climb his supposed ‘first ascent’ of that Patagonian mountain (The Rape of a Mountain in 1971) and placed with the aid of a petrol driven compressor, some 300 bolts (deliberately drilled and inserted in excess of 300 expansion bolts). Following his despicable ‘lead’ other climbers instead of shunning such a desecrated route followed; repeated the route using the inserted bolts. The supposed ‘first ascent’ in 1959 was proved to be lie many years ago. The need to return and construct the ‘Compressor Route’ by the same individual, proved it beyond any doubt. ** Reinhold Messner stated that only cowards packed bolts into the top flap of their mountaineering rucksacks… and yet, this what the British Mountaineering Council and its members have gone for – http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=215043 http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=277

Government E-Petition against ‘expansionbolts’ now online… http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/expansionbolts

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BMC Bolts and Chippings

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

The British Mountaineering Council (or the Association of Democratic and Liberal Minded Climbers) Supports Bolting.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=301834

http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=150200  

Longships Wall at Lands End damaged by vandals: July, 2010, more damage to unquarried Cornish granite has been found. Longships Wall at Lands End is the latest rock climbing venue to be damaged this time, ‘someone’ has resorted to drilling and chipping holds and placements for conventional climbing equipment placement. This novel method of damaging climbing areas first appeared at Lands End (1980**) on Cornish granite and then in Spain were the Spanish Climbing Federation (SCF) asked two local expats to stop – drilling climbing areas with their ‘new’ idea of drilling ‘slots into which’ protection could be placed – apparently, the wires (of a certain size) had to be bought from the culprits. The Edwards first arrived; appeared at Lands End in the – 1980,s**. The BMC did not make a similar public denouncement (as did the SCF) of the drilling activities at Lands End; in Cornwall in the 1980′s. by two of its members.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=416516

So-called Ocean Atlantic Wall (pictured below) to the right of Longships Wall was deliberately damaged (by you know, you know who) with the drilling and placing of bolts (along with some 158 other bolt placements). The First and Last bolts in the UK were placed regardless of the fact that others climbers had been trying to climb; make the firsts ascent of this wall (Ocean Atlantic) without resorting to - bolts. At one time, there were reports of a ‘compressor’ used to make bolting quicker (against the wishes of the vast majority of local climbers) being found hidden near the Count House, Bosigran, Cornwall. None of these climbs were ‘on-sigth’ leads but in the main ‘engineered’ against the wishes of local climbers.  

Roger Payne the then National Officer of the BMC in the November, 1991, issue of Climber Magazine wrote: ‘Further to Paul Mahrer’s letter in the February (1991) issue, concerning bolting and chipping and his proposal for an “Association of Democratic and Liberal Minded Climbers” (ADLM) – such an organisation already exists and has done so since 1944. The BMC (you are havin a larf) presently making considerable efforts to resolve democratically, and with a liberal, open mind, concerns about the use of bolts, which affects the whole of the United Kingdom. Via its affiliated clubs, area committees and special open meeting it is seeking to reach a **consensus view on where, and in what circumstances, the use of bolts is legitimate. Hopefully democratic and liberal minded climbers will respect that consensus and the views of the majority’.  Just one months prior, the management of Lands End released: ‘Changing the Face of Rock Climbing in Britain’. They were proposing, with the assistance of Roland Edwards, to install bolt and chain abseil points on the cliffs of Lands End. Against of course, the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers. The ADLM organisation is, of course,  the BMC – by buying and distributing – 10,000 expansion bolts in 2007.

What have we seen in the 19 years since Mr Paynes bold assertion? As he wrote, two members of the BMC were bolting, with in excess of 150 bolts, the sea cliffs of West Penwith (Lands End etc) so much for democracy. So you are a member of the BMC are you? Are you aware that the the  (BMC) has finally ‘come out’ in full support of the widespread (not so insidious now) bolting in the United Kingdom.

Witch20hunt The placing of stainless steel tubes and bolts by members of the BMC in Ocean Atlantic Wall, one of the First and Last climbs in Britain, Lands End, Cornwall, stands as damning evidence in a quest for publicity (It will never be know, just how the first ascent of this climb was ‘rigged and frigged’). Did you know that there is now not only a North Wales, South West Wales, Yorkshire, but also more recently, Cheddar Gorge and Portland Bolt Funds, the proliferation continues unabated.

Just a decadeago, on a wide scale in British climbing, bolts were an absolute no no (except the tragedy of bolts at Great and Little Orme and Bosigran, Cornwall). Yet now (in 2010) we have grade2 routes being bolted. Even Yorkshire has 50 or so bolted routes grade 5 and under. In the latest YorkshireLimestoneguidebook, there was one grade4+. The Peak Bolting Fund, OTE issue 47, April, 1995: ‘Bolting in the Peak District is to be funded out of BMC guidebook profits. An open meeting of the BMC Peak Guidebook committee voted – overwhelmingly in favour of contributing to The Peak Bolt Fund. A request was tabled at the meeting in March, 1995, that the Peak Guidebook committee, whose guide included ‘sport routes’, should contribute money from its operating surplus. The meeting voted to give cash for – bolts…’ Apparently, a long standing member of the guidebook committee was – visibly shocked at the decision…£1,000 was not considered a large amount of money to keep the Peak – a world class, environmentally aware, climbing area.?? You could write the script for it.

The disease of bolting appeared full-time when  members of the BMC, Roland Edwards and his son Mark, placed in excess of 150 bolts in the perfect granite of Lands End. damage that has in fact continued unabated ever since Climber & Hillwalker (Letters), January, 1994: ‘I am delighted that Mark Edwards has admitted that he made a mistake in putting bolts on the granite of Sennen (Red Rose). I and others spent many years telling Edwards that he had made such a mistake. We have been reviled for doing so. I applaud also, Edward’s statement that there shouldn’t be bolts on granite under any conditions and trust that this includes rejection of the many bolts that he and Rowland Edwards, together and separately, have placed on the granite cliffs of Lands End, Pordenack, Carn Boel, Carn Les Boel, Bosisow Island, Pendower Cavern, Pendower Cove, Dirtchman’s Zawn, Folly Cove, Porth Loe Cove, Chairladder and Gunard’s Head…’, to name just a few.

Complaints (and direct action in removing the offending bolts though the damage had already been done) by other, concerned Cornish climbers was followed in October 1999 by – Spanish climbers (with a tradition of bolting) who complained about a member of the Association of British Mountain Guides (BMG) and his son both of whom, are members of the – BMC. Jose Miguel Garcia Fraile wrote: “As local climbers who have known the Edwards for many years it upsets us that, once again, they have introduced a new, and maybe unsafe system and put it into practice widely without a word to any local, Spanish climber, mountain club, refugio or Federation. We talked to Roland (Edwards), after reading an article, about the need to get consensus within the climbing community before proceeding with his new (commercial bolting system – ENP Environmental Protection.?) His rigid, un constructive and negative attitude (nothing new there then) has resulted in us making this public protest… The love and respect that Rowland says spurs them onto developing routes and gear in a way that leaves minimal impact, does not correspond with reality: ‘I think their routes are messy and unsafe.”  This is the right time and place, after so long (15 years), to denounce what we think is a blatant lack of respect for the rock shown by these climbers…This letter is a protest about the attitude and methods of the Edwards but also about the direction of our sport…‘ It is of course – too late – for Spanish unquarried rock now that most of Spain’s cliffs and crags have been -  grid bolted – almost every trad climb obliterated.

In 1994 also, in the April edition of Climber &  12 climbers signed (one Letter): ‘The climbers involved in the “day of action” at Carn Vellan (Land End) last year reject entirely the claim made by your correspondent Jim Perrin and in the letter by Crispin Carpenter published in the Mail page of Climber that our bolt removing and chopping was “vandalism” or “anti – environmental”. The damage was done by those who placed over 50 bolts on the cliff, in the process of doing that they have left many rawplugs and a large amount of epoxy resin on the cliff, to say nothing of “cleaning scars.” A mess in other words.’

There is nothing new in the attitude of the Edwards towards other climbers then. After the initial revelation that they had in fact bolted Lands End, West Penwith, Mark Jarvis, of Plymouth wrote to Climber Magazine, who printed: “Jim Perrin in his article Burning the Witches (Climber magazine) does a disservice to – witches, as in days-gone-by, 100% of so-called witches were invariably innocent. The Edwards arrived in Cornwall and deliberately, systematically started to bolt everything in sight. It mattered not that other local climbers were (already) attempting certain routes – without resorting to bolts. What could not be climbed traditionally was naively left to a future climber, a future generation of better climbers, or, to await an increase in performance, equipment and experience.” Not to be desecrated with chipping and bolts! 

“The Edwards in their desire for infamy, launched out onto the back wall of Longships Zawn, onto a much-eyed line (Ocean Atlantic Wall, so called) and hammered it into submission – bolts and all. Climbing it by using bolt protection – it could have been climbed much earlier. For me, Atlantic Ocean Wall will stand as damning evidence against those who chose to bolt (this was done at a time when the BMC were sending whoodles of clients down to Cornwall)  to swell the Edwards BMG coffers; (the first bolting fund; the Lands End Bolt Fund).”

‘The same name, Edwards, reviewing the Climbing in Cornwall – The Green Guide and stating: “if you have any concern for the future of British climbing or wish to preserve some of the beauty which surrounds our sport…”, in the same magazine – excuse me while I vomit.”

The Edwards caused; are causing more deliberate damage to Cornish rock in two decades, than the military; the Army and Royal Marine Commando’s did in seventy years with full equipment (1940-2010)…

From Lands End to the Highlands of Scotland…  

In 1999, the climbing magazine OTE, printed a letter about the activities of Dave Cuthbertson (BMG) placing bolts in the Highlands of Scotland, the letter writer was not impressed with his activities (along with many more climbers). In its May edition, OTE printed a ‘two page’ response from Mr Cuthbertson, who was trying to vindicate his actions. In its April edition in 1999 OTE printed a letter: ‘Dear OTE, (when OTE gives a ‘write to reply’ they give a right-to-reply –  two whole pages!). Like Roland Edwards, another member of the UIAGM/BMG / BMC, David Cuthbertson, has apparently ‘come-out’ as one of those climbers responsible for the (no so) insidious, creeping disease of ‘bolting’ (OTE 82).’ Isn’t it time that BMB, ‘Britain’s Mad Bolters’, were once and for all eradicated like – BSE? Surely?

Like AIDS or BSE, the vast majority of climbers are searching for a cure to BMB apparently, there is no cure for ineptitude. At a time when the BMC  is lobbying the government for a legal ‘right to roam’  it is imperative that BMB, the spreading of which, is being sponsored by the BMC, is stamped out - OTE 47: ‘Bolting in the Peak district is to be funded out of BMC guidebook profits’.? This is an environ-mental issue that will eventually infect all those who love the countryside, rock climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers alike.’

It is now true to say, that from Lands End to the Highlands of Scotland, members of the BMC / BMG have wreaked havoc, deliberately, damaging crags and cliffs, by bolting and chipping holds (against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers).

As with BSE, BMB’s suffer from unstable thinking, then apparently, they start to dribble. They then loose all respect, in caring for the environment (and localised orders banning bolts from certain crags) and the climbing community in general. Once they have savoured the inherent publicity, their lifeblood, they will look for other pristine areas of virgin rock in which to sink their bolts and chip their holds. And soon, very soon, the whole climbing fraternity will be walking around in a trance, the final symptom – mouthing fatuous platitudes: “Sports climbing is the finest thing since sliced bread there are now only one or two opponents of sports climbing…”, dribble-on. As during the Cornish ‘Witch Hunt’ against the Edwards, the government have once again been asked to restart their proposed program of burning climbers with BMB – Britain’s Mad Bolters as the only safe way of eradicating this disease once and for all.’

Ken Wilson’s Prophesy Came True:   The above comments and similar comments from other climbers were being voiced exactly ten years after Ken Wilson, prophetically wrote in Letters, Climber &  in its March, 1989 edition: “In giving this explanation I wouldn’t wish to appear to have a totally negative attitude to competitions (competition climbing). They may yet prove to be an amusing sideshow (as with so-called Sports Climbing) that can be absorbed happily into the sport. I have grave doubts about this however, as I believe vested interests will ensure they are given ludicrous prominence and bring in their wake strident demands to convert our cliffs (and crags) into bolt-protected safety arenas for every grade of climbing.” Ken Wilson had just explained in his long letter to C&H, the circumstances surrounding his resignation from, and his subsequent reinstatement to, the BMC Management Committee – actions criticised by Alister MacDonald in the Dec 1988, issue of C&H.

Unlike John Horscroft (an obvious environmental expert and member of the BMC who in 1996 had been climbing for a mere 12 years): “The climbing community is about as environmentally sound as open-cast mining yes, the BMC’s record on protecting the environment is pretty poor allowing as it does, its members to bolt un quarried rock from Lands End to the Highlands of Scotland. We (members of the BMC) trash everything we come across, just look at the top of the Cromlech (just look at the unsightly fence that has been erected across the foot of the rock face that is the Dewerstone in Devon- sponsored by the BMC) look at the paths we turn into motorways, look at the crap we leave behind on Everest. We have no right to be holier than thou mate!”  Mr Horscroft was writing  in the July, 1996, issue of Climber just three months after Roland Edwards article in the same magazine in its March issue: ‘New Bolts for Old Trees’. No, Mr Horscroft is not writing about the millions of trees that are destroyed annually by excessive felling and disease from industrial pollution,  but climbers passing a rope around them and sliding of (too difficult to walk down).
If the BMC in its infinite wisdom had not advertised; done its level best to attract thousands of young people to ‘try rock climbing’ over the years a mandate that the BMC does not have, then the present situation would not exist. Of course there is an excessive use of trees at the top of certain climbs, of course the foot paths are being over used – thank you very much BMC. But deliberately drilling and then drilling again in five years time, unquarried rock to place ‘convenient abseil bolts’ and that is what Mr Horscroft and Roland Edwards ‘pro bolt stance’ is all about, just for the convenience of  BMC members is not the answer. We are concerned about the trees. We are concerned that climbers might step on blue-bells – just will not do. Yes, members of the BMC are apparently, eco-vandals to a greater or lesser extent and beginning to look pretty stupid from any kind of independent point of view.
‘Is it so radical, so beyond the pale, to install an abseil point to reduce the damage (mirroring exactly Roland Edwards argument in his article in the March, 1996 issue of Climber) inevitably cause. “Is a double bolt really so much worse than the pile of tat atop Left” Wall (John Hroscroft). Yes it is. The deliberate act of drilling the rock above the Cromlech would just be a further widening of the thin-end-of-the-wedge for wholesale bolting and Mr Horscroft knows it. That is why, even Joe Brown the climbing legend; even he came out of retirement to oppose bolting in North Wales.

Contributions for the British Environment Defence Fund (BEDF) for the removal of bolts, are always gratefully received… The cementing of the drilled and chipped holes on Longships Wall will be done this September - 2010 out of our de-bolting fund. http://83.231.159.41/bmcnews/NewsItem.aspx?id=1052 Drilling rock and placing bolts to ‘protect’ cliffs?  Dribble on…

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Pete Livesey Retrobolts

Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Pete Livesey (prophetically) – Retrobolts – The Back Page

Climber and Hill Walker Magazine

‘It has come to my attention recently that some climbers are using bolts for protection and that there’s a big argument about it that’s stretched from  a phone-in on Radio Lancashire right through the columns of The Independent to the office of the Keepers of Scottish Antiquities. So – I’ve bought the biggest drill you’ve ever seen a hundredweight of industrial bolts (Pete could not afford 10,000 or two hundredweight of bolts as could the – BMC in 2007) with great solid steel eyes on the end and a two foot bit!,  (sadly, Pete never knew about the BMC’s ‘bolt garden’: http://upload.pbase.com/images)./12214835o/original

As I write this I can stare out of the window and see a wonderful piece of rock that is completely devoid of natural protection, it has only two scary routes and is crying out for bolts to enable climbs to be put up at today’s standard. Yes, the lack of bolts on the Cow face at Ilkley is holding back my progress and of course the progress of British climbing in general. By the time you read this I’ll have the job done along with several other bolting jobs I have in mind, and there will be a matrix of 48 reassuring steel eyes spaced neatly about the face of the Cow.

I have other projects in my sports plan: there are some wonderful blank spaces at Frogatt and Curbar totally devoid of natural protection. But the ultimate aim is the creation of a dozen or so routes on Cloggy’s Great Wall – a real forgotten crag that needs pepping up and reintroducing to the brave new world of sport climbing.

Now before you start reaching for your pens to tell me what to do with my biggest drill in the world, let me tell you what I have read what my friend BMC has to say about where I can bolt, when I can retrobolt, what ever that means, and where I must never set foot with the hint of hard metal about my person. The trouble is I don’t understand it; I don’t see any logic in what purports to be a reasoned policy statement. In fact, it seems to me that a statement like the BMC’s bolt rules pronouncement is opening a real can of worms, to say nothing of the red rag it shows to any spirited sports climber. I know, its a contradiction in terms, but there must be at least one or two spirited ones out around.

Why, BMC, do you tell me I can bolt my crag, in my back garden – one of the biggest, steepest and finest piece of rock in Britain, in an SSSI which specifically designates damaging the rock as a prohibited activity?

Malham Cove is much more worthy of protection than dirty old Dumbarton Rock: and that’s a climbers point of view. What must the Nature Conservancy Council think, with the conservationist BMC permitting (condoning) bolting on a very fine and admired peological SSSI? It is undoubtedly an access hot potato, and I suspect a position that the undoubted integrity of the BMC’s industrious access officer finds problomatic.

In those areas where bolts are acceptable, the BMC “feels that every effort should be made to use natural protection first.” But the bolted parts of Malham Cove fit that very criteria there are natural runner placement all over the wall above the Catwalk. They may be difficult to place and more spaced out than the bolts, but the same routes could have been done – eventually.

Why can’t I bolt Gritstone? I just don’t see a logical argument against it. It has much less in the way of natural runners than limestone, on the blank walls anyway; much of it is quarried and most of it is already more environmentally abused than limestone.

The BMC, however, tell me I can bolt on certain agreed quarried crags and on agreed parts of certain limestone crags. Well who “agreed”? I didn’t, and most of the climbers I am aquainted with didn’t either. I do know who agreed – it was the climbers who had put the bolts there in the first place: in other words, it was a post event agreement. As far as I am aware there is yet to be an agreement to bolt on a crag tht has not yet been bolted.

The BMC agreed with the status quo – it would cause too many waves to disagree with an existing bolted area, and if you want a new crag or area to be designated a bolt zone you just go and bolt it.

Now this is not meant to be an anti BMC argument, but I do think the BMC’s honest (really!) attempts at resolving the bolt issue have been hijacked by the few sports climbers at the expence of the great mass of traditional climbers.

Instead of recruiting biased experts and sports climbers to formulate policy, why did the BMC not use its represenataive body, representative of all climbers (well its members) the Management Committee to formulate a policy that was both acceptable and logical for all climbers and would satisfy potential environmental and access issues? It may have meant removing bolts from one or two crags and permitting bolts on others, but at least everyone would know where they stood and the sports climbers would have a clear defined area.

What a mess the area committees are creating for themselves, at least I assume it is they who will decide where the lines are to be drawn on each limestone crag delineating the bolts and bolt free zones, Kilnsey and Cheedale will be a jigsaw puzzle of bolts and bolt free routes, with Cornwall the Channel Islands and Pembroke being completely bolt-free zones.

Visiting climbers will quite reasonably observe, however, that there are crags in all those areas that have blank sections with no natural protection – some limestone and certainly none of the taboo gritstone stuff. Why can’t we bolt them? they will say.

Its a bit of a mess and doesn’t make much sense, but I’m sure the adaptable climbing public can live with it. What really worries me is whether those controlling access can live with bolts(**). WANTED Info on the terrorists who have painted red all the natural belay points at the top of Twistleton Scar.’ Pete Livesey.

Since Pete’s untimely death the BMC have flooded the British climbing scene with at least – 10,000 expansion bolts distributing them to all and sundry. The SSSI that is Malham Cove has not yet (2008) been cleaned of its illegal bolts. Pete would also be incensed at the new Peak Bolting Fund (2007). To the contrary in January, 2008: http://www.thebmc.co.uk/News.aspx?id=2347 (**) apparently they can Pete...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Dave+Turnbull+BMC&search=SearchThe British Mountaineering Council Bolting Gritstone in its 2007 Christmas Message to rock climbers, mountaineers and hillwalkers.

Under the guiseof – Access and Con-servation: Malham Cove (SSSI) http://www.thebmc.co.uk/News.aspx?id=2347is to be retro-bolted (whatever that means) in 2008. The finest crag in the UK to be once again, re-desecrated with the apparent blessing of – none climbers. 30 pieces of silver no doubt, changed hands (or will change hands) somewhere along the way.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=229571 http://thebmc.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=bolts

The brave new world of Sports Climbing sponsored by the – British Mountaineering Council and staff at Plas y Brenin (BMC/BMG) who recently put their stamp of approval on Ceasar Maesti’s bolted route on Cerro Torre (during his failed second attempt) giving their stamp of approval  to the Rape of a (another) Mountain…

Mick Ryan recently stated in Dec 2008, on UKclimbing: ‘The issue (regarding the BMC flooding UK climbing with bolts) will soon be forgotten.’ Er, no it will not…

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