Dovestones Main Quarry Clean Up (posted on behalf of Chris Tan)
Rendevous: Meet up at The Crag Station, Kinders Lane, Greenfield (
http://www.thecragstation.co.uk/where/ ) on Saturday, October 19th at 1000. Cakes, pies and other refreshments are available at the bakery nearby or the cafe, The Country Kitchen, across the road. Or at the crag, OS ref. SE 0245 0384.
Tools: The usual crag cleaning stuff; work gloves, spades, trowels, secatuers, brushes, etc. If you plan to work at height, then a small rack and slings for setting up an abseil point will be useful as will a helmet.
Objectives: 1. Over the Moors, page 420. The heather left of line 1 has taken over. If we could remove all of it, it will make that area more pleasant to climb on.
2. Route cleaning - In August, I cleaned Mottled Groove on the second. It still needs a bit of work. Also the three routes left of Titan's Groove ( Moorland Gritstone - Chew Valley, page 216); Unicorn Direct, Little Unicorn and Tower of Babel, are among the best the Main Quarry has to offer. I think we should give them a very good clean, and announce this fact online, then monitor log books to see if there is any increase in traffic.
If we do this now, the winter weather will wash away most of the debris, then in the spring next year, a quick brush of the holds will make these routes ready for the 2104 season.
3. General litter pick and rhodedendren removal - For those who are not familiar with roped access work, then a general wander round the area, removing litter and rhodedendren saplings would be a big help. The rodedendren are starting to spread and we need to keep them in check.
Debriefing - The Wellington serves a lovely selection of beers and good food.
Note: Event updates will be posted on the The Chew Valley Cragsmen Facebook page -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/120969574613193/
