[duncan]

I know this little bit of cliff very well as it was part of my Brean bouldering circuit in the 1980s. It's the next bay inland from the sport section ie right of Great Corner and Bones Chimney. There are a number of pleasant up problems and some entertaining traversing. Just out of shot left there is a good and hard-ish (Fr8a) traverse of Martin Crocker's. 

The rock is typical tidal zone Brean, solid but brittle.  It has some of the better bouldering in the area. IT IS ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE FOR DRYTOOLING!

Apparently the person who posted the video, Dave Talbot, is an instructor of some sort. It looks like it is easy to contact him via his website.  I have done.

[crimp]

Proper job Duncan.

Let us know what he says.

I ain't being a killjoy, but i can't think of any regional crags where dry tooling is appropriate? (Except tintern quarry of course! Only joking, i know some people love it's post apocalypse atmosphere)

[duncan]

Dave responded promptly and was very reasonable in response to my request not to dry tool here.  I limited myself to commenting on this single area as it is well known to me. 

I didn't add the obvious question as to why on earth anyone should think that dry tooling anywhere at a long established trad. and sport (and bouldering) crag was acceptable. Perhaps I should have done. Where is the line drawn?   

[crimp]

I don't know where the line is drawn either.

I am going to contact BMC area rep, and see what debate there has been at regional and national level. Personally, i think it needs an agreed area ethic, like the drilled gear policies.

[Jaspersharpe]

I can understand this being done on stuff that can't be climbed properly. Chalk and other such choss is clearly fair game but surely anything else should be left alone. Call it "Dry Tooling" if you like but it's hacking at the rock with a fucking axe for fuck's sake.

[crimp]

A quick search throws up minutes of a 2010 BMC SW area meet, where it was carried unanimously that dry tooling is not acceptable on any cliff with established climbs in the south west.

I think that probably sums up majority opinion as well.

I shall contact BMC area rep, asking for the policy to be stated in all future guidebooks for the region and promoted at local walls.

[SA Chris]

I can understand this being done on stuff that can't be climbed properly. Chalk and other such choss is clearly fair game but surely anything else should be left alone. Call it "Dry Tooling" if you like but it's hacking at the rock with a fucking axe for fuck's sake.

+1. As far as I know the only established DT venues are permawet holes in the ground or too loose for conventional climbing of any sort.

Or Dave Macleod new routes

[crimp]

a) This meeting opposes the use of any documented rock-climbing crags in the Wye Valley, Forest of Dean, or Cotswolds for dry-tooling. b) Amendment to the above resolution to extend it to cover the whole of the SW


the above is the exact wording of 2010 BMC south west area meeting. The resolution and amendment to extend it to cover whole sw was carried unanimously.

The resolution was put to the the meeting because there was a debate on the other channel about whether to make cleeve hill a dry tooling venue. Thankfully the BMC area declaration stopped It.

might be worth checking your own areas to see what the BMC stance is. It's ammo against fools with tools in discussion or at the crag.

[slackline]

a) This meeting opposes the use of any documented Wye Valley, Forest of Dean, or Cotswolds cliff for dry-tooling. b) resolution to extend it to cover the whole of the SW

the above is the exact wording of 2010 BMC south west area meeting. The resolution and amendment to extend it to cover whole sw was carried unanimously.

The resolution was put to the the meeting because there was a debate on the other channel about whether to make cleeve hill a dry tooling venue. Thankfully the BMC area declaration stopped It.

might be worth checking your own areas to see what the BMC stance is. It's ammo against fools with tools in discussion or at the crag.

No idea if Dave Talbot reads these forums, might be worth letting him know.

[crimp]

Duncan already has a polite friendly line of communication with him. Perhaps he might consider informing him of the BMC south west area resolution.

He should be made aware of it. Duncan says earlier he's an instructor.

[duncan]

I didn't add the obvious question as to why on earth anyone should think that dry tooling anywhere at a long established trad. and sport (and bouldering) crag was acceptable.

I emailed Dave again pointing out the BMC area motion and asked the obvious question.

I've also mentioned this to a mutual friend who says he'll have a quiet word.

I want to keep open lines of communication with someone who I would judge to be uninformed and a bit overenthusiastic but make it clear that this is completely unacceptable behavior.

[Moo]

I believe he's also an infamous space criminal

[SA Chris]

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=70228

Fuckwits

[petejh]

A little knowledge (on the part of the culprits) is dangerous.