[OffshoreAndy]

I spoke to the Ranger putting up the restriction signs yesterday. The Falcon who normally nests on Hen Cloud couldn't get to that nesting site because of the snow, so has returned to the Black and Tans area of the Upper Tier. - about two thirds up.

The restricted area runs from Damascus Crack to Easy Gully which for those not in the know  pretty much includes all the Upper Tier 'classics' - Sloth, Sauls's Crack etc and also includes all the upper tier boulders apart from 'Bancrofts 6b block' - thought this was a bit much but apparently climbing around on top of the boulders interrupts the falcons flight path and may stop the falcons returning to the nest.

Cheers

[Johnny Brown]

Nice one. This is the same area that was 'agreed' last time. The BMC arranged a site visit with a Peregrine expert from the RSPB. He was happy with a smaller area that allowed more bouldering, but the local rangers and the NE man were not prepared to compromise. Given that was the first year they nested in the area their zealousness was perhaps understandable, this time less so.