[yetix]

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/13291986/

Saw this today, could it have impacts on access in the future?

[spidermonkey09]

Short answer is no, its CROW land so the right to climb is protected.

[Fultonius]

Absolute bargain - get it bought!

[Will Hunt]

Short answer is no, its CROW land so the right to climb is protected.

What about the right to bolt though?

[Fiend]

Absolute bargain - get it bought!

Bloody hell yes. One of the few internationally significant sport venues we have, would be a far better use of BMC money than the amount allocated to comps. Then they could possibly do something to sort out parking?!

[cheque]

Would a new owner be able to install some sort of massive damp course behind it to stop it seeping? 

[Fultonius]

Would a new owner be able to install some sort of massive damp course behind it to stop it seeping? 

Get some horizontal directional drilling in there, divert it all into a pipe and sell the water in bottles? Special Kilnsey water?

@Feind.... who needs the BMC, I'm sure between Pete JH, Shark etc. they could have a whip round and get it out of petty change?

[tim palmer]

Would this be a realistic possibility? 
I think the American alpine club or the access fund have bought some crags haven't they? 
Obviously would take some fund raising but might avoid a lot of problems in the future.

[SA Chris]

BMC already owns several crags, including Longridge, Stone Farm Rocks, Horseshoe Quarry, Aldery Cliff and Craig Bwlch Y Moch. No idea how much they were each for.

[Bonjoy]

Absolute bargain - get it bought!

Bloody hell yes. One of the few internationally significant sport venues we have, would be a far better use of BMC money than the amount allocated to comps. Then they could possibly do something to sort out parking?!

I'll raise the question with the BMC body that has bought crags in the past, but the following things spring to mind (sorry to be a downer).
I don't think the purchase would help with the parking. The road and verge are managed by local Highways. I'm not sure the land package has any suitable areas for off road parking. The verge couldn't be widened without impacting the stream, which would not get approval in an SSSI.
A purchase would remove the risk of a landowner objecting to existing or new bolts, although it could actually complicate equipping work... How often do equippers currently seek permission off Natural England to bolt?

[spidermonkey09]

BMC already owns several crags, including Longridge, Stone Farm Rocks, Horseshoe Quarry, Aldery Cliff and Craig Bwlch Y Moch. No idea how much they were each for.

Nominal fees as I understand it. Sure Bonjoy knows more. Crookrise was £18k according to articles when it was bought. Longridge I understood to be a bargain due to the farmer who owned the land previously having a soft spot for climbers.

Also there is no problem with parking really; ample laybys within walking distance even on busy days.

[Bradders]

Surely in this day and age with all sorts of shit being crowdfunded the climbing community could make this happen. Pretty incredible opportunity to both safeguard future access and try to improve things (toilets maybe?) at one of the UK's most important venues.

[Serpico]

Longridge I understood to be a bargain due to the farmer who owned the land previously having a soft spot for climbers.

I don't think this is true, the farmer had already sold the land to guy that owns the caravan park.

[cheque]

I was told that Horseshoe Quarry cost £1.

[Paul B]

Surely in this day and age with all sorts of shit being crowdfunded the climbing community could make this happen. Pretty incredible opportunity to both safeguard future access and try to improve things (toilets maybe?) at one of the UK's most important venues.

If access is all but guaranteed, why would you spend money here rather than somewhere more at risk?

[Fiend]

I was told that Horseshoe Quarry cost £1.

Still a rip-off.

[Serpico]

Surely in this day and age with all sorts of shit being crowdfunded the climbing community could make this happen. Pretty incredible opportunity to both safeguard future access and try to improve things (toilets maybe?) at one of the UK's most important venues.

The problem with the BMC buying crags is that it can encourage landowners, who may have a crag on land with no development value, to ban access or make the crag unclimbable unless the BMC buys it. This is essentially what happened with Longridge - the landowner banned access and piled earth up against the face.

[petejh]

@Feind.... who needs the BMC, I'm sure between Pete JH, Shark etc. they could have a whip round and get it out of petty change?

Ziplines.. a mid-height via-ferrata traversing the length of the cliff.. children's ropes course.. merchandise stall selling 'Go Climb a Rock' and Lattice t-shirts  I can see it now    What do you say Shark.

[spidermonkey09]

Surely in this day and age with all sorts of shit being crowdfunded the climbing community could make this happen. Pretty incredible opportunity to both safeguard future access and try to improve things (toilets maybe?) at one of the UK's most important venues.

If access is all but guaranteed, why would you spend money here rather than somewhere more at risk?

This.

Stand corrected re Longridge, I think I got that off a Shark post on here!

[Adam Lincoln]

Longridge was bought combining a whip round of climbers and bmc money.

Can’t remember exact figure.

[Probes]

I think it was 8k raised and bought for 20k.   

[SA Chris]

Crookrise was £18k according to articles when it was bought

Forgot about Crookrise, that sounds like a good deal. I might see if they will sell it on, I'll buy it and ship it up to Aberdeenshire!

[shark]

Longridge I understood to be a bargain due to the farmer who owned the land previously having a soft spot for climbers.

I don't think this is true, the farmer had already sold the land to guy that owns the caravan park.

Not what Dave Turnbull said to me - they got it off the farmer who as Spidermonkey says seemed to have a soft spot for climbers

[shark]

Short answer is no, its CROW land so the right to climb is protected.

What about the right to bolt though?

Quite. If an owner wanted to stop sport climbing they could by taking  the bolts out for starters. CROW access doesn’t extend to allowing putting bolts into crags. There are also other ways that a landowner could make things difficult if they wanted to.

[Serpico]

Longridge I understood to be a bargain due to the farmer who owned the land previously having a soft spot for climbers.

I don't think this is true, the farmer had already sold the land to guy that owns the caravan park.

Not what Dave Turnbull said to me - they got it off the farmer who as Spidermonkey says seemed to have a soft spot for climbers

Here you go: https://www.ukhillwalking.com/news/2007/10/the_bmc_have_bought_craig_y_longridge_for_us-40632