[moose]

Thinking of my first trip to Rocky Valley this weekend.  In light of the recent fire is this possible / advisable?

Also even if the delights of the Valley are available, is it worth going to if you are significantly less than hardcore (i.e. a V7 would be one of my better days)?  Any recommendations?  I have the yorkshiregrit / Friction guide but the venue has the air of highly dispersed big-numbers that makes me suspect that a lot of the easier problems, regardless of star-ratings, are actually a bit crap (you know the sort of thing - "bigged up" in the hope that lots of traffic makes them at least vaguely climbable). 

[webbo]

i've been once and doubt i would go on my own,as alot of the problems need several mats to make the landings ok.the biggest problem at this time of year would be finding the problems in all the vegetation,theres lots of hidden crevasses and the like which makes getting around quite hard.there are some problems near the path but i think they are v8ish or harder.

[webbo]

i've just looked at the stuff on yorkshire grit and the sweet dreams area is the one near the path.but the easist problem is s.d from standing at v8.carnivore v8 looks like it needs cool conditions and theres great potential for a bit of mat surfing.likewise with beyond the borders v6.its got a flat landing but not much of it,the other problems to right seen a bit contrived.
voodoo v8 is a low roof but an eliminate and you might need a couple of pads to make it safe.the frank boulder has got very poor landings in places.the name frank comes from the 4 franklin pads used on the first ascent.
when i went back in november some of the problems were a bit crusty.


or was that me.

[moose]

Many thanks, kind of what I suspected from an "up-and-coming" venue: the odd very good (usually hard) problem on clean rock with lots of dirty easier stuff for the punters (a bit like some of the Lakes and Northumberlands).  Might take a look at the area anyway though as there's always the stuff nearer the main crag: I want another crack at First Arete and to have a look at that "Back Quarry".

Mind you the weather forecast for the entire north of england looks so poor it could all be academic (first time in a long while I have printed off the cinema listings "just in case").