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Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods, (Read 1407 times)

Will Hunt

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Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 12:52:59 pm
The incredible crag near me, Wuin Rank Boods, has a weird access arrangement. It's been the stomping ground of people like Dunne and Purchon, Dunning's done stuff there, as have Sooty and the like, but people just will not go any more because it has a reputation as a banned crag. A 2km woodland edge of intermittent buttresses and boulders, including the best quarried gritstone circuit in Yorkshire (move aside, Greetland!), right in the heart of Airedale, and nobody will go.

In the olden days the owner had a dog that would find you and bark its head off. The owner/gamekeeper would then use the tracker on the dog's collar and barking to home in on you and kick you out.
But no more. There are absolutely no signs telling you not to enter the woods or stating that they're private property, there are only signs telling you not to light any fires. There are no fences, locked gates, or barbed wire. There is no impediment to access whatsoever. Local people (dog walkers, families building dens, horse riders, mountain bikers, scallies, ramblers, people doing Instagram photoshoots FFS) all use the woods for enjoyment or as a walking shortcut between Harden and Cottingley without question. The only user group who fear to use the place are climbers because when we've asked for explicit permission it's been refused. There was lately some progress with an interim access agreement (of the sort that was actually quite prohibitive) but this has lapsed.

I just go whenever and have never been challenged, but it's such a shame that more people don't do the same. It is utterly magical and some of the problems, particularly the highballs, are up there with the best in the area. Tall Toad is right up there with the ultra-classics of the area. It is better than any 6C at Almscliff, Caley, or Brimham - very few problems in Yorkshire even come close. And then there's the LGPs!

Just my moan about access. Carry on.

moose

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#1 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 02:13:04 pm
The incredible crag near me, Wuin Rank Boods, has a weird access arrangement... The only user group who fear to use the place are climbers because when we've asked for explicit permission it's been refused. There was lately some progress with an interim access agreement (of the sort that was actually quite prohibitive) but this has lapsed.

I just go whenever and have never been challenged, but it's such a shame that more people don't do the same. It is utterly magical and some of the problems, particularly the highballs, are up there with the best in the area. Tall Toad is right up there with the ultra-classics of the area. It is better than any 6C at Almscliff, Caley, or Brimham - very few problems in Yorkshire even come close. And then there's the LGPs!

Just my moan about access. Carry on.

I wouldn't be sure any lack of traffic at Ruin Bank is entirely an access issue.  A lot of people just prefer to go to the established honey-pots, rather than risk disappointment elsewhere. 

My own experience is that I went to Ruin Bank once and was not tempted to return (and I am a frequent visitor to fairly esoteric limestone shitholes).  Not due to any awareness of past access problems - more that I spent the entire day terrified on even the easier problems by various combinations of scrittle, height, and bad landings.  Mind you, I have always been a massive coward, and I was going through a particularly bad patch at the time as I hadn't climbed in ages due to a broken wrist.  I guess I should revisit and see if am now more well-disposed to the place; although I think I'll avoid any of the problems where you recommend first cleaning the holds and sussing the moves from abseil before having a go!

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#2 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 02:41:34 pm
Started a chat in the NW region to try and get something going. Seem happy to use the Instagram account to promote the RAD. Bugger all followers right now, so fellow instawankers could give https://www.instagram.com/bmc_northwest a follow. #bemoreRAD

Will Hunt

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#3 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 02:58:56 pm
The incredible crag near me, Wuin Rank Boods, has a weird access arrangement... The only user group who fear to use the place are climbers because when we've asked for explicit permission it's been refused. There was lately some progress with an interim access agreement (of the sort that was actually quite prohibitive) but this has lapsed.

I just go whenever and have never been challenged, but it's such a shame that more people don't do the same. It is utterly magical and some of the problems, particularly the highballs, are up there with the best in the area. Tall Toad is right up there with the ultra-classics of the area. It is better than any 6C at Almscliff, Caley, or Brimham - very few problems in Yorkshire even come close. And then there's the LGPs!

Just my moan about access. Carry on.

I wouldn't be sure any lack of traffic at Ruin Bank is entirely an access issue.  A lot of people just prefer to go to the established honey-pots, rather than risk disappointment elsewhere. 

My own experience is that I went to Ruin Bank once and was not tempted to return (and I am a frequent visitor to fairly esoteric limestone shitholes).  Not due to any awareness of past access problems - more that I spent the entire day terrified on even the easier problems by various combinations of scrittle, height, and bad landings.  Mind you, I have always been a massive coward, and I was going through a particularly bad patch at the time as I hadn't climbed in ages due to a broken wrist.  I guess I should revisit and see if am now more well-disposed to the place; although I think I'll avoid any of the problems where you recommend first cleaning the holds and sussing the moves from abseil before having a go!

Whaaaaaat?!

Scrittle? Nah, the rock is hardy Airedale gritstone.
Height? Some of the stuff at the Folly edges into being just slightly highball, a big part of the appeal for me, but most problems can be climbed safely on your own with a single pad.
Bad landings?! I can think of two problems which have a tree behind them, one which has a boulder behind it, and one where the landing is stepped. Other than those I can't think of a single problem on the entirety of the crag which has anything other than a flat landing. Have you been at the crack?

moose

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#4 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 03:33:51 pm
Okay, maybe it wasn't scrittle but I remember coming off a few times in a shower of something - maybe dirt, leaves etc.

Re landings, I think when I went, the only problems I was really aware of / wanted to do were all the ones that match your description of a bit high and / or with trees and boulders behind them (mainly in the Pasta the Pinch / Addio Arete area and Thin Thing etc.)  I concede I was feeling very cautious at the time and was not climbing well (and am terrible at mantels at the best of times) - so anything remotely high with a potentially tricky top was off the menu.

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#5 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 04:04:02 pm
I think the main issue with Ruin Bank is that it isn't in any guidebooks. I know there are the PDFs on Unknown Stones which is clearly a great resource, but I'm not sure how many people actually even know about Unknown Stones in the first place. If you do go on there they're buried in amongst the enormous number of other venues, and if despite all that you manage to download them they're incomplete and slightly vague, and still mention access issues / temporary access agreements.

Combined with the prospect of potentially dirty rock and that it can be wet for longer than more exposed places and it's hard to choose it as a venue.

The other thing is that the lack of consistent documentation, e.g. various problems even having more than one name ascribed, means it also lacks the classic problems that e.g. Caley has in abundance. Yes they might actually be as good, but the lack of documentation equals a lack of kudos, history and atmosphere.

All things considered it's not massively surprising that it doesn't get much traffic.

Will Hunt

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#6 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 04:19:04 pm
Yes, that's probably fair. Really need to give Unknown Stones a sort out now I've got a bit more time. And I need to crack on with a proper RBW guide. I thought about making a film showcasing some of the best climbs there but no doubt I'd be hung, drawn, and quartered by internet hate mobs if I didn't mention that access is formally denied, and if I did mention it it would render the film/guide moot.

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#7 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 04:25:25 pm
It’s worth everyone remembering that once Will Hunt has made a pronouncement on a crag that no one else’s opinion matters afterwards 😂

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#8 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 04:34:07 pm
Moose you missed off "so green, dank, lichenous and pine-needle-coated that napalm is more useful than a Lapis"  :alien:

moose

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#9 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 05:03:06 pm
Moose you missed off "so green, dank, lichenous and pine-needle-coated that napalm is more useful than a Lapis"  :alien:

No comment! And given that my last day of climbing was at a greasy, fire-damaged lime venue I had to hop over a fly-tipped freezer to get to, raising those relatively wholesome issues would seem somewhat hypocritical!

Will Hunt

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#10 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 05:38:33 pm
It’s worth everyone remembering that once Will Hunt has made a pronouncement on a crag that no one else’s opinion matters afterwards 😂

Indeed.

30-odd years on this planet and I've not been wrong yet. A remarkable run.

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#11 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 06:16:12 pm
I did really like it the one time I went. It just doesn't stick in the memory as I've no idea what's what.

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#12 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 05, 2022, 09:49:09 pm
So once again an otherwise worthy and interesting topic about access issues was derailed into the usual bollox about grotty Yorkshire scrittle on unknownchoss.com, what a surprise  :sick: :chair:

What is it with you lot, don't you have any decent climbing up there??

James Malloch

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#13 Re: Topic split: Wuin Rank Boods,
July 06, 2022, 07:30:43 am
I’m still keen for a trip when I get back. You’ll have to give me a tour of the lowballs though ;-)

 

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