[tomar]

I am really tempted to go and explore Bovey Woods bouldering this weekend. Does anyone who's been there before want to come with me? I fear I might just end up going round in circle on my own.

[J.Kydd]

Which day are you thinking of heading down? I've not been before, but would be up for scouting the area out too

[andyd]

Very easy to wander around and find little of any worth in the woods. Find a local. And don't get your hopes up

[tomar]

J.Kidd, I could do tomorrow, weather should clear by early morning. Should be able to find Shaptor Long wall or Highball area at Rock Corpse I reckon.

[J.Kydd]

J.Kidd, I could do tomorrow, weather should clear by early morning. Should be able to find Shaptor Long wall or Highball area at Rock Corpse I reckon.

Ah, Sunday is the only day I could head down. Sorry, should have said that from the off 

[tomrainbow]

Very easy to wander around and find little of any worth in the woods. Find a local. And don't get your hopes up

Cheers Andy - you're doing a great job of keeping people out of the woods as you carp from your overcrowded, eroded and worn out corner of the country...I know where I'd rather be! Why not let people make their own minds up??

[tomrainbow]

Oh, and sorry Tomar but I am busy this weekend or I'd be very happy to give you the tour. Some other time.,..?

[andyd]

Very easy to wander around and find little of any worth in the woods. Find a local. And don't get your hopes up

Cheers Andy - you're doing a great job of keeping people out of the woods as you carp from your overcrowded, eroded and worn out corner of the country...I know where I'd rather be! Why not let people make their own minds up??

Just offering balance. I'm not having a dig.  I hear a lot about the woods. I've been there a lot. I'm yet to be anything but underwhelmed. It's a long drive for many who are tempted to visit. Devon scent looks truly great if it's in condition. Im sorry you feel that way about Yorkshire. I'd happily show you around if you'd care to visit.

[Steamboat Stello]

Did you guys end up going last weekend? How was it, anything clean?

I'd be keen to have a look this weekend if the weather plays ball. Anyone keen?

[J.Kydd]

Did you guys end up going last weekend? How was it, anything clean?

I'd be keen to have a look this weekend if the weather plays ball. Anyone keen?

I never went down in the end, as Tomar never got back to me and I didn't much fancy wandering the woods alone.
I'd have been up for this weekend, but I'm in Bristol for Blokfest @ TCA on Saturday and am busy on Sunday.

[macca7]

A last minute change of plan saw a group of us in there on Saturday and its was cracking!

There are obviously lots of damp problems but far more bone dry and in pristine condition.

It has rained considerably since then however!

Cheers

Macca

[tomrainbow]

[/quote]
Just offering balance. I'm not having a dig.  I hear a lot about the woods. I've been there a lot. I'm yet to be anything but underwhelmed. It's a long drive for many who are tempted to visit. Devon scent looks truly great if it's in condition. Im sorry you feel that way about Yorkshire. I'd happily show you around if you'd care to visit.
[/quote]

Andy,

Well..against my better judgment, I'm going to bite back! As someone who has spent an inordinate amount of time cleaning and, in many cases, re-cleaning problems in the woods, it saddens me that people who are keen to visit may be put off by someone who, by his own admission (you wrote this a while ago in a previous thread I seem to recall) couldn't be bothered to put his mat down and try any of the problems. If you're not trying the problems, you're hardly in a position to judge! We need more traffic in there not less and if people come and don't like it that's fine, but please don't put them off if they're keen!

I went to Stanage a few years ago and thought I would have a go at Deliverance. I didn't though, partly because there was a constant stream of people on it, but partly because it didn't appeal to me - teetery slab traverse on polished footholds into a seemingly height dependant leap above a shin wrecking lip if you should miss awkwardly. Now I'm sure it's a great problem for lots of people, perhaps I would think it was great if I tried it and did it, but I really didn't like the look of it. I don't, however, go on a forum looking to slag it off every time someone starts a conversation about it! To offer balance you have to be counteracting an opposing force - I don't recall anyone bigging up the woods recently in any way, so how are you 'offering balance'. It's hardly a Dawn Wall situation!

Whilst I am aware that you have been to the woods a few times in the past AND tried/done some of the problems, when was the last time you were there? Things are much cleaner now, it's a much nicer place to climb than it was way back in the early days.

Here are the three star problems in the woods:

Slotted Wall (V7)
William Shaptor (V8+)
Spiderland (V7)
Calcaneum Crisis (V7)
Tiger Balm (V4)
Tilted Heart (V5)
Kirstine (V5)
The Woodsman (V6)
Go Ape (V6)
Skyline (V6)
Cubic Boron (V3)
Boron Arete (V7)
Cubic Bosom (V6)
Shimmer (V3)
Midnight Thunder (V2)
The Jungle Book (V8+)
Balu (V4)
Organ Donor (V6)
Finger Ripping Good Sitter (V8)
Slackline (V6)
Breadcrumb Trail (V4)
Green Dot Traverse (V8)
Terror Twilight (V5)
Airstream (V7)
Yuri Gargarin (V5)
The Boy With Perpetual Nervousness (V5)
Undercover (V5)
TGJ (V3)
Dog Dick Arete (V4)
Cream T Crack (V5)
BBB (V3)
Beast of Bearacleave (V5)
Red October (V7)
Bend it Like Beckham (V4)
Mornington Crescent (V3)
Black Swansong (V7)
Bubbles from Amsterdam (V6)
Love Bugs (V0+)
Nether Edge (V8)
Devon Sent (V10) (which is almost never not in condition)
Poor Rhiannon (V6)
Jakob's Ladder (V6)

That's over 40 *** problems (not including a number of *** variations). How many have you done? All of these have been voted for as three star problems on UKC apart from Slackline. Loads of two and even one star problems have been voted as three stars too. In fact, when I looked at UKC voting, three quarters of the problems have been under starred on the database according to voters. The fact that Dave Henderson has suggested that it is the best bouldering in the Shire, Tim Hutchinson has admitted on one occasion that he would rather NOT be going to Font, Dave Westlake was rueful about moving away just as he had discovered the woods and Ted Kingsnorth has climbed in there on numerous occasions (AND put his mat down!) suggests to me that perhaps they aren't all that bad after all.

Your attempts at appearing altruistic are disingenuous to say the least - saving people a long drive is a nonsense excuse! Bovey Woods is only just over an hour from Bristol and if you don't like it, the Moor is only another 20 mins on. Last Spring I spent a couple of hours in Bearacleave before deciding the conditions were rubbish went to Saddle Tor then Easdon Tor and was still home for tea time, having left work at 3.30pm!

In short, I'm sorry you feel that way about the woods. Yorkshire is popular enough already (I know, I was at university there for three years and know my way around thanks!) but Bovey Woods could do with a bit more love and, in that respect, you really aren't helping!

Tom

[bolehillbilly]

Strong defence Tom, I'm keen for a visit sometime.  Will be in touch if a drift south is planned.

[a dense loner]

Slackline deserves 3 stars just for his dedication to the underdog

[Steamboat Stello]

Wow! Some serious passion for the woods Tom. Really nice to see someone so keen on their local crag. I have been to bovey 4 times in the past year and I don't think your right to try and make comparisons with Yorkshire/The Peak in terms of quality problems. A few votes on UKC mean nothing. I agree about Deliverance though! However Bovey is still a really unique and interesting location and myself and lots of others I know are really keen to try all these 3 star problems. This weekend looks like a washout but how about next weekend? Anyone? I'm happy to give anyone lifts from Exeter!

[tomrainbow]

My point wasn't really that we are competing with Yorkshire, I don't think I was comparing them in terms of quality propblems - the only reason I brought it up was because I know Andy lives there and I personally find the crowds/erosion at the popular crags really spoil the experience...but loads of people like the busyness and that's fine...and that's my point! I love the woods, lots of other people like them, some don't...t'was always the way, live and let live!

[granticus]

The fact that Dave Henderson has suggested that it is the best bouldering in the Shire

Heard the skinny midget ex climbing cyclist say different the other day but never know whether he's on the wind up, or not, at the best of times.     Besides he's never been to the Exmoor Coast so that would be an uninformed call at best.   

Anyhow in defense of the Woods, there are some very good problems in there and quite a few still to do on my hit list which I will go back for.  Definitely worth a look in the right conditions if you are in the area.
Incidentally some advice on finding The Woodsman would be welcome???

[tomrainbow]

Wow! Some serious passion for the woods Tom. Really nice to see someone so keen on their local crag. I have been to bovey 4 times in the past year and I don't think your right to try and make comparisons with Yorkshire/The Peak in terms of quality problems. A few votes on UKC mean nothing. I agree about Deliverance though! However Bovey is still a really unique and interesting location and myself and lots of others I know are really keen to try all these 3 star problems. This weekend looks like a washout but how about next weekend? Anyone? I'm happy to give anyone lifts from Exeter!

I thought this weekend looks pretty good - not sure I'm able to make it out though...possibly on Sunday.

The following weekend I'm away though, sorry.

[tomrainbow]

The fact that Dave Henderson has suggested that it is the best bouldering in the Shire

Heard the skinny midget ex climbing cyclist say different the other day but never know whether he's on the wind up, or not, at the best of times.     Besides he's never been to the Exmoor Coast so that would be an uninformed call at best.   

Anyhow in defense of the Woods, there are some very good problems in there and quite a few still to do on my hit list which I will go back for.  Definitely worth a look in the right conditions if you are in the area.
Incidentally some advice on finding The Woodsman would be welcome???

You're right about Mr Henderson..maybe he was winding me up!?!

Woodsman is right by the path through Lower Shaptor Grant, just in front of Cornish Wall...really easy to find, you can't miss it. Have you done Undercover, that is a brilliant problem?

[tomrainbow]

Strong defence Tom, I'm keen for a visit sometime.  Will be in touch if a drift south is planned.

Ah-ha, Mr Bellinghall, I believe! Good to hear from you. Lee and myself were wondering if you were still alive!!

[granticus]

Nearly always  on the wind up me thinks, loving his cheeky news reports on javu recently.

So I am pretty duff at finding my way around the Woods.   If I am at slotted wall how do I get to lower Shaptor never actually found it!!

Not done Undercover shall take your recommendation and add it to the list though.

[tomrainbow]

At Slotted Wall head down the path to the R as you look out from SW (ie away from the parking). Within about 100m you will get to a junction in the path, turn L. This path leads through LS all the way back to Stonelands (eventually). Woodsman is one of the first pieces of rock you meet on the L (distinctive 18ft high slab).

[tomtom]

I've never been (disclaimer) - but from reading the posts, it sounds like there are some great problems there, but finding them is an issue... Sounds like its spread out over a fairly large/wide area, so could someone put some pins on google maps where they are? Or something of that ilk, so people new to the area could wander around with a phone and give themselves a chance of finding things?

[granticus]

I've never been (disclaimer) - but from reading the posts, it sounds like there are some great problems there, but finding them is an issue... Sounds like its spread out over a fairly large/wide area, so could someone put some pins on google maps where they are? Or something of that ilk, so people new to the area could wander around with a phone and give themselves a chance of finding things?

I believe someone has done just that, can't remember who though but shall attempt to find out and suggest that they make the info. more widely available.

And thanks for the directions Tom R. 

[andyd]

Marmite then.
I live over 1.5hrs from stanage Tom. Sorry you don't like it there either.
It takes all sorts to make a world...