[Wellsy]

This sign has been seen at the front gate of Anston Stones



Posting for awareness, does anyone else have knowledge of this?

[Wellsy]

Looks like there was also a small mention of this on UKC but not any really concrete info there either

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/crag_access/anston_stones_new_restrictions-746363

[Bradders]

This shit again. 

The local Parish Council have been trying to pull this for years. I'm assuming it's the same thing. IIRC the woods are owned by Natural England, who have always been totally fine with climbing there.

For some reason the Council aren't, and have repeatedly put up signs saying climbing is banned, when they have absolutely no right to take any such action.

That was the situation as far as I know but maybe something has changed? Seems unlikely to me.

Here's the last thread on it:

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26885.0.html

[SA Chris]

I bet it's that Jackie Weaver, she has no authority here.

[BID]

The outcome of the previous thread was keep calm and carry on and be polite.
But there was discussion with the BMC at the time.
Is it worth involving them again?
Do we have a rep for that area? There didn't seem to be one in the last thread or it wasn't clear.

[teestub]

The local Parish Council have been trying to pull this for years. I'm assuming it's the same thing. IIRC the woods are owned by Natural England, who have always been totally fine with climbing there.

For some reason the Council aren't, and have repeatedly put up signs saying climbing is banned, when they have absolutely no right to take any such action.

Parish claim ownership on their site
https://www.anston.gov.uk/land-and-property.html

And the Woodland Trust notes it to be ‘A (sic) Anston Parish Council Wood
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/anston-stones-wood/

🤷

[danm]

I had a quick look at the SSSI schedule which suggests the sign is probably using the SSSI designation inaccurately to try and ban climbing. The reason for the wood being a SSSI is because of its value as a limestone woodland, so I can't see anything that would make bouldering an issue as it doesn't cause damage to the features leading to the SSSI designation, unless for example, there has been illegal tree or vegetation clearance done by boulderers.

Regardless of who the landowners are, with a SSSI you need Natural England's permission to allow any activities which are listed under the schedule. As boulderers are not asking to do an activity which is listed, this permission is not needed and I think the sign is wrong. Still, best to be discrete and avoid confrontation.

Maybe worth giving Jon Fullwood or Rob Dyer a ping about it as well?

[Ru]

Even if the council do own the land, their most recent management plan (Oct '21) as published on the council website, recommends liaising with climbers and encouraging responsible enjoyment.

https://www.anston.gov.uk/uploads/management-plan-review-approved-oct-2021.pdf

[Bradders]

The local Parish Council have been trying to pull this for years. I'm assuming it's the same thing. IIRC the woods are owned by Natural England, who have always been totally fine with climbing there.

For some reason the Council aren't, and have repeatedly put up signs saying climbing is banned, when they have absolutely no right to take any such action.

Parish claim ownership on their site
https://www.anston.gov.uk/land-and-property.html

And the Woodland Trust notes it to be ‘A (sic) Anston Parish Council Wood
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/anston-stones-wood/

🤷

Ah fair enough, I was just going on the previous thread. Perhaps it's always been owned by the council and the bit about Natural England's permission is a general misunderstanding of the rules for an SSSI as Dan says then?

[Will Hunt]

I think that sign has been up for a long time and is now just ignored?

[nai]

I've always thought of that as no scrambling on the small outcrops around the woods.  Probably for parents to stop kids and possibly just for liability.  Although we're not supposed to top out for ecological reasons are we, so maybe to prevent folk being at the top of the outcrops.

[Bradders]

I think that sign has been up for a long time and is now just ignored?

No, it disappeared for a few years and wasn't there a month or so ago when I last visited.

[m.cooke.1421]

I think the sign has still been up at the other end of the wood and it looks like this one just has been fished out of the nettles. I have seen/heard motorbikes in the woods quite a few times in the last year or so when I haven't seen them previously. It may be that the sign is nothing to do with bouldering. Even still, I think it would be worth not making any new paths (such as the one that people have started taking going straight down the hill from bullet), keep your dog on a lead and out of the river, clean off any tick marks and excess chalk, drop off or downclimb rather than topping out, avoid removing any more vegetation, make sure you use the proper start holds for Ebola rather than pulling on two moves in and don't walk on the railway.

Is there any evidence that the sign has been put back up by the parish council? It could well be that whoever has been erecting the fence has decided to remount the sign and may not be a change in the access situation. I don't think jumping to conclusions and complaining about the council is going to be that helpful.

Does anyone know who the BMC access rep is for the crag? Other mag lime venues don't seem to be considered peak or Yorkshire lime when I have tried contacting the BMC about issues previously.

[spidermonkey09]

Does anyone know who the BMC access rep is for the crag? Other mag lime venues don't seem to be considered peak or Yorkshire lime when I have tried contacting the BMC about issues previously.

Anston is surely Peak. Rob Dyer has been quick to respond to my emails last few days so might be worth going straight to him.

[Wellsy]

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1117429708317626/permalink/5261173730609849/

Sorrow.jpg

[Moo]

The evils of social media strike again.

[Wellsy]

Sorry, to be clear the link is to a peak climbing group and shows the Apprentice Area being fenced off

[Bradders]

That picture on 27crags does look bad, when you consider that it's an active rail line etc. can appreciate why they'd be concerned. Fingers crossed the fence is far enough from the crag as to still make discrete sessions possible (e.g. at the weekend when the trains don't run).

Interestingly 27crags now shows the whole place as being fully banned due to the concerns of Network Rail. Clearly that makes absolutely no sense for any other areas of it though given existing rights of way, general public access, etc.

[36chambers]

Even if the council do own the land, their most recent management plan (Oct '21) as published on the council website, recommends liaising with climbers and encouraging responsible enjoyment.

https://www.anston.gov.uk/uploads/management-plan-review-approved-oct-2021.pdf

That does look promising.

Does anyone know what the deal is with that brilliant looking buttress with the huge roof that you pass on the way to Frodo? I assumed it wasn't written up as it's right by the walking path, but if climbing is acknowledged and accepted at Anston, does that mean it's now fair game? (or is it actually best not to highlight it's existence on a public forum? )

[SamT]

That picture on 27crags does look bad, when you consider that it's an active rail line etc. can appreciate why they'd be concerned.

Yeah, indeed -   

https://27crags.com/crags/anston-stones/photos

[remus]

I assumed it wasn't written up as it's right by the walking path, but if climbing is acknowledged and accepted at Anston, does that mean it's now fair game? (or is it actually best not to highlight it's existence on a public forum? )

My understanding (I can't remember where from, maybe the old guide?) was that new development at anston was off limits to protect the flora.

[Wellsy]

Just mentioning this for awareness as it was passed to me



Seems like abject nonsense to me. But the BMC should probably get in touch I guess.

[Duma]

can't see the link?

[Wellsy]

It's an image but here's a link to the post

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/kDTgC3S6nBhSgqQY/

[Duma]

link doesn't work for me either