[clgladiator]

Probably a totally stupid idea, but was wondering whether any of the Southern Sandstone would be dry what with the freezing conditions and all.

[chriss]

Hmmmmmmmm, not sure buddy. You might be ok on Fandango wall, but as always any kind of damp makes the whole area a bit of a risk.

The big freeze should stop seepage, but not snapping holds. Try giving the Bowles office a bell.
http://www.bowles.ac/

[clgladiator]

Cheers mate.

[i_a_coops]

The area under Temptation at Bowles should be dry if you're up for some eliminate shiz. Fandango was sopping about a week ago, don't know if the seepage will have frozen up. A few things around The Wish on the Matterhorn boulder should be dry as well, but if the grounds frozen you might not be allowed in for health and safety reasons....

[i_a_coops]

Anyone been recently? Was hoping there might be something at Eridge in nick, failing that has Fandango wall dried out at all? Cheers
Ian

[i_a_coops]

A lot of fandango IS dry, as is Cardboard Box, a couple of dry things at Eridge but not much.

[miso soup]

Anyone been out?  It hasn't rained for a bit but there's been some mist and fog and not a great deal of sun so I really don't know what it'll be like.

[Stubbs]

Went to Happy Valley on Sunday and that was all dry as a noob I'm not sure how this relates to everything else!

[miso soup]

That's good enough for me, cheers.

[seankenny]

I was at High Rocks on Sunday, most stuff was drying out nicely by lunchtime and we got plenty done.

[miso soup]

I was in a dark hole all day, did any scattered showers hit down there?  Will it be dry tomorrow?

[miso soup]

Was anyone out today?  Was thinking of finally caving in to the ridiculous 10 pound entry fee and checking out High Rocks tomorrow, but if anywhere else is definitely dry I'll go there.

[andyh]

Thinking of heading out this weekend, probably to one of the free crags.

Anyone any ideas on conditions? Worth the hour + drive from near Reading? (obviously the second question is relative)

[Dr T]

It's been heaving it down day in day out for an age in Surrey - doubt anything will be truly dryall the way through and that will only guarantee maximum friablity 

[andyh]

ok cheers

[i.munro]

It's been heaving it down day in day out for an age in Surrey - doubt anything will be truly dryall the way through and that will only guarantee maximum friablity

kinda my thinking as well.

[tomtom]

Thinking of heading out this weekend, probably to one of the free crags.

Anyone any ideas on conditions? Worth the hour + drive from near Reading? (obviously the second question is relative)

Worth heading down to Portland way instead? (maybe not much further..)

[Dr T]

Thinking of heading out this weekend, probably to one of the free crags.

Anyone any ideas on conditions? Worth the hour + drive from near Reading? (obviously the second question is relative)

Worth heading down to Portland way instead? (maybe not much further..)

do check what's fallen into the sea/is in danger of doing so before you go.

[miso soup]

It's got to be dry now, right?

[i.munro]

It's got to be dry now, right?

Which it? I've been staying away on the assumption that nowhere will be dry so I'm guessing, but my guess is that Bowles will be ok.

Last year (after what was then the wettest winter on record) High Rocks finally dried out down to foothold level IIRC in mid-September.

[miso soup]

Good grief.  I've never actually made it out this early in the year before, and still haven't been able to stomach paying for High Rocks, didn't realise it was so extreme.

The side of the north boulder at Harrison's that gets the sun was alright, but the other side was very much not.  I didn't venture any further down but there was a lot of people walking past so hopefully they found some dry stuff.

[i.munro]

Good grief.  I've never actually made it out this early in the year before, and still haven't been able to stomach paying for High Rocks, didn't realise it was so extreme.

The side of the north boulder at Harrison's that gets the sun was alright, but the other side was very much not.  I didn't venture any further down but there was a lot of people walking past so hopefully they found some dry stuff.

What seems to be extreme is our new climate.
from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26280219 looks like the sandstone got at least 225% of the average amount of rain this winter.
From your description the N boulder is still full of water even if the surface has dried out in parts.
The N boulder has no cap of vegetation or mass of rock above to act as a reservoir (unlike most of SS ) & catches the sun pretty much all day so if that's still full of water then we can pretty much guess that everywhere else will be.