[quejada]

Hi everyone I'm in desperate need for help: I might have to relocate to Hertfordshire soon, probably will settle in St.Alban. Please please please just tell me there's an half-decent bouldering venue within 1hr from there..
I know, in just over 2 hours you could reach the Peak, but it's a long drive if you want to do it in one day, there and back. I was hoping to find something closer where you could go for the day without making it a mammoth day out...
please help? anything?
thanks
g

[slackline]

Try this to see if there is anything nearby.

[SA Chris]

Depends what you call half-decent? You could probably get to Leicestershire and Forest Rock etc in half an hour out of peak times.

[Muenchener]

Depends what you call half-decent? You could probably get to Leicestershire and Forest Rock etc in half an hour out of peak times.

It's 92 miles according to google maps. Remind me not to accept any lifts from you.

[quejada]

I've seen Forest Rock pics on Niall Grimes Boulder Britain guidebook....ok let's say for argument sake that it's a decent area, which is not in reality, but ok let's pretend it is... googlemaps gives me 1 hours 30 mins from St.Albans... not exactly around the corner...

[quejada]

thanks Slackline, the UKC link looks quite useful.... I'll have a proper look, with not much hope in my heart...

[kelvin]

I'm in Northampton, so a fair way up the M1 corridor and Leicester can regularly take me an hour to drive. If I'm dead honest, I'd say you're a bit stuffed and I've spent hours on the interweb looking for something, anything nearer than the Peak. I wouldn't consider Forest Rock an easy evening's bouldering for me, let alone you.

I do the Peak for a day, have been know to head to Wales for the day too but that's just plain knackering but better than when I used to surf and we'd head to North Devon for the days - these days I don't even notice a 2/3hr drive.

 

[fried]

Being Hertfordshire born and bred, I can confirm that there is norhing to climb but trees.

Dont waste time piddling about in Leics, just go straight to the peak. 3h.
Dont relocate would be another option.

[quejada]

You guys are not making me happy... and yes, of course if could avoid relocating there, I'd avoid it like the plague.. but these days you gotta find a job that pays the bills, haven't you? my company is going bust, and this company in Welwyn Garden Centre is going to offer me a nice and permanent position....
damn.

[turnipturned]

I think you are going to have to do a bit of travelling:

1.5hrs to Southern Sandstone- I know it get bad rep but I recon it worth checking out
2 hrs to Bristol- Yes it does look kind of bad
2 hrs to Forest Rock- Not been but I have heard people say its fun and dries fast?
2.5 hrs to Huntsham- looks quite a cool spot

Unfortunately you are now 3hrs from the best climbing in the UK...Yorkshire.......!!

But the massive benefit is that you are only 1hr 45 mins to the Ferry, so you could easily do weekend trips to Font or Northern France areas?

Good luck with the new job, build a board! Then make your trips count!

[SA Chris]

I've seen Forest Rock pics on Niall Grimes Boulder Britain guidebook....ok let's say for argument sake that it's a decent area, which is not in reality, but ok let's pretend it is... googlemaps gives me 1 hours 30 mins from St.Albans... not exactly around the corner...

Then you're fucked I'm afraid. I was trying to give you a glimmer of hope. Welcome to the flatlands.

[Pebblespanker]

There is more than just Forest Rock in Leicestershire, there was an article on some other Leics venues by Mike Adams I think (??) in one of the mags recently, plus I know from personal experience there is Beacon Hill, not great and as someone who used to live 30 mins away Im not sure I'd travel 1.5hrs for it ... but I am attempting to gild the turd here in an attempt to stop you throwing yourself on the railway tracks...

You always have Option C - relocate but start job hunting immediately to relocate back to somewhere more Peak friendly, bite the bullet over increased travel times for now and focus on the southern Peak Cracliffe, Stanton, RHS, Churnet etc. 

[2 Tru]

I have spent an embarrassing amount of time on the internet hoping to find a mythical piece of rock hidden away in a wood somewhere in Hertfordshire but sadly it does not exist. Apparently the County even has its own conglomerate rock type called 'puddingstone' but there are no crags made up of the stuff.

Forest Rock will take you 1hr 30min from St Albans but it is worth the trip. I've also just found out from the ukc map that there is even a small sport crag down the road from here which could be worth a check out. Southern sandstone can be surprisingly good in places but also is 1hr 30mins away and you have to get round the M25.

Don't get too excited about the other locations marked on the ukc map, they are all of the disused railway bridge variety.

  to be the bearer of bad news mate. If you want to share a lift to somewhere with Rock send me a pm.
 

[Fadanoid]

Don't waste your time battling with the M25 to get top the Southern Sandstone.

The 1.5 hr time will only apply at midnight on a Saturday regardless of what google claims. The rest of the week you will get stuffed near heathrow and the Dartford crossings.
You will need to allow at least 2 hrs for that journey on a good run.

Build a moon board and have more quality trips to the grit.

[Falling Down]

Try another hobby.

[SA Chris]

My brother lives in St Albans, apparently there's a good 5 a side league. He says the mountain biking's pretty boring round those parts too.

[fried]

..... in Welwyn Garden Centre is going to offer me a nice and permanent position....
damn.

Welwyn Garden City? You wanna hear a song about Welwyn Garden City?

[Andy D]

Being Hertfordshire born and bred, I can confirm that there is nothing to climb but trees.

Me too.

Me three. Also ended up in Snorbens for another year or two later in life just to add to the torture. Phasels Wood has an outdoor climbing wall which was OK for the trainings and is only 15 mins away

[Andy D]

After a formative decade in Stevenage

[quejada]

I've been to Southern Sandstone few times before.. Bowles and High Rocks are ok, but not really worth a 1.5-2 h trip in my opinion..

from the above mentioned guidebook Forest Rock seems decent but really small (as in: 1 block of rock with around 15 lines on it) so I'm note sure I'd drive 1.5 h to get there, I'm sure I'd be tempted to keep going and spend another 0.5-1 h to reach the southern Peak.

If you want to share a lift to somewhere with Rock send me a pm.

I've still got few loose ends that I need to tie up before moving there, so it will be few weeks/months before I can actually plan any sort of climbing trip to the peak or lincs, but I'll get back in touch once I'm settled.

I've also just found out from the ukc map that there is even a small sport crag down the road from here which could be worth a check out.

What's its name? Do you know much about it? and sorry for the stupid question, but when you say "down the road from here" where do you mean? Where is 'here'? St. Albans?

cheers

[Jerry Morefat]

I got stuck in St Albans for a year. If it's any consolation, I thought the bouldering wall at the University of Hertfordshire was excellent, even though though it was small. They have a naturally featured cave with angles varying from slightly overhanging to 45 degrees to a roof which has endless possibility for eliminates on crimps, pockets and even jams. I thought it simulated outdoor climbing pretty well, certainly far better than the modern plywood bouldering walls.

[quejada]

They have a naturally featured cave with angles varying from slightly overhanging to 45 degrees to a roof which has endless possibility for eliminates on crimps, pockets and even jams. I thought it simulated outdoor climbing pretty well, certainly far better than the modern plywood bouldering walls.

thanks that is in fact somewhat consolating