Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
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When the Edwards first arrived at, Sennen, Lands End: they were written to in the late 70′s (no, they didn’t reply) and welcomed to West Penwith but that welcome was soon to change… It took some time before it was realised that already established providers of climbing courses at Lands End (Cornwall had a very high rate of unemployment) were in for some stiff competition /opposition from BMC advertising for the newly established Compass West. As if that was not bad enough, the bolting that started, just rubbed salt into the wound. When they started to rig, frig and bolt routes that had been; were being attempted over time; that could have been climbed in a similar style – but years earlier – beggared belief. Based at Sennen also, was one of the UK finest climbers / guide Mac McDermott (they do/did exist) who had climbed/instructed there since 1959 (I climbed with him in 1959 when he was instructing Royal Marines in Cliff Assault) suddenly abandoned Lands End and left the county in the late 70′s - I have often wondered why? I often wondered also what happened to him; how he got on after leaving the idyllic climbing situation that he had at Lands End prior to the bolting/chipping debacle.
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BMC Southwest Meeting, Sunday, April, 2nd, 2011, at Redruth School at 19:00h: ’To “once again” discuss a proposal to place bolts and sanction sports climbing on the sea cliff (apparently it used to be the most dangerous quarry in the world where 123 miners were killed – so-the-story-goes) at Carn Vellan, West Penwith, Lands End, Cornwall’: Apparently, the spectra of ‘chipping’ and bolts being inserted into Cornish sea cliffs has once again raised its ugly head. There is to be “another” meeting in deepest Cornwall where certain “climbers” want to drill and place expansion bolts – again (if you can’t climb – bolt!) Apparently, the new word; the currant concern is “creep” (it used to mean something else) in that not being happy with “some” so-called sports-routes being established in controlled areas the disease of bolting would “spill-over” into traditional climbing areas – again. In reality, the pro-bolter’s will not be satisfied with “any control”. The Cheesewring Quarry, near Liskead, being a good example where traditional routes have been; are being over-bolted without permission of the first ascentionists. Those bolts, when “they” have finally finished will be chopped. Not content with creating their own routes in the quarry, bolter’s have interfered with already established tradition climbs, in the process, spoiling those climbs. Even bolting the traditional climbs and then having the audacity – to renaming them! This kind of “take-over” would occur right across Cornwall if these “climbers” were given half- a-chance. In the 1980′s at least – 158 expansion bolts were drilled; were placed into Cornish sea cliffs by two members of the BMC - against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers. http://www.javu.co.uk/Climbing/Articles/CornishBolts/index.shtml#Des
Creep: Like a cancer, pro-bolters would not be satisfied with certain designated area for “Sport’s Routes” there would be inevitable “creep” into other traditional climbing areas – from past experience: ‘They (David Musgrove BMC and others) just went a few routes too far retrobolting – established traditional routes’, The Great Yorkshire Bolt Debate, 13/10/2004.
So “they” just want a few small crags to play on with their bolts: ‘Where to next? Let the dust settle then go for broke – by the time that anyone realizes what’s going on it will be too late and everyone can have a good time (bolting the Lake District) and relax. The dinosaurs can have Scafell until they die out, then if anyone can still be bothered to walk(!) up there, I am sure a line or two of bolts wouldn’t go amiss.’ In the end I suppose you’ll get everything, which is what you wanted all along really but haven’t dared to say it. Though what you’ll actually get is nothing. No past, no future, no hope. Just thought you ought to know before you sell your soul; you can’t get it back. ‘Selling of Lakeland’s climbing soul for bolts (Bob Wightman, Aug, 1991)’, and twenty years on, the same bolters trying to sell off Cornwall’s climbing soul for – bolts (March, 2011). It’s called – creep.
Bolting Disease: So the creeping, abhorrent and not so insidious now, disease of bolting has once again raised it’s ugly head in Cornwall. Like AIDS it needs stamping out and it is time finally, for those who want to see it nipped in the bud, I believe a majority of climber, stood up to be counted. Once again, bolter’s feel that they have cart blanche to carry out their activities free from censure, wherever they like. They shall not bolt every line that at present, cannot be climbed traditionally if they do their bolts will be chopped. If it cannot be climbed any other way it should be left alone shouting defiance at those who would step-forward to try and climb it. What gives anyone the right to introduce, faced with such opposition, permanent hardware. There might be some excuse for bolting in already damaged, quarries but even there, many cases have emerged where already established traditional climbs have been over-bolted without permission from the first ascentionists. It is called – creep.
There were sixty people present: During the evening of the 2nd April, 2011, at the Redruth School, the vast majority present: ‘It seems that those opposed to it (bolting in Cornwall) are a hard-core group of – cretinous old traditionalists (the group of giggling; sniggering people sat behind me must therefore have been the pro-bolters). “I can’t wait for them to pass on the torch to a more “pragmatic” group of climbers (pro-bolters) – good riddance in advance.” Stated one pro-bolter…
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