[Paz]

Just thought I'd big up the UK's best sport crag to those who can make the most of it, while anyone's still sport fit. 

The crag's all dry at the moment* and it's dry all this week bar tuesday, then dry all the week after that until a week on friday.

For those who don't know October is the prime season as it's the warmest time when the south side crags are open and north facing.  This doesn't mean it's any warmer than it usually is, but it is a lot better bolted than it once was.

Essentials:  a massive single rope, or a second light one to trail for abs.  Warm clothing.  Warm shoes. Warm gloves.  Belay jacket. Warm drinks.  3rd part insurance (apparently, I think).

I sound very elitisit and cliguey but all the easy sport I can think of should be open in summer anyway.

*No seepage and plenty of teams visible on Sunset Buttress.  Warlord wall (this even peaks into the sun in the afternoon), Will Stanton area, High Rock, Burmese Wall OK from a distance too with people on the latter two (loads on Corrie).  Acid Rock, Ginsberg/Yew Tree, Arch/ Overshoot/Stepped, Horseshoe/Wave/ Heartleaf Bluff OKish but these should be open in (some of the) summer.  Woody's at Swine cliff looked worse than when we were there ally if you see this, but it should be open in summer as you know so patience!  Didn't see Pride Evans (or Madrugada or Scary Monster's etc.) but  Remnant (and even Lion Rock) looked fine.

[Fiend]

Nice one Paz, good to promote this place. Only been once and not a fan but it looks spectacular and definitely worth more traffic.

[andy popp]

Nice one Paz, good to promote this place. Only been once and not a fan but it looks spectacular and definitely worth more traffic.

Fiend, do Ahimsa on Acid Rock one of the best trad E3s I've ever done in England

[Paz]

Is good yeah.  I was really glad I saved the flash on it.  Look out for the peg before the crux on P1.  You cshould be able to do ahimsa in summer now though acid rock gets afternoon sun, so if you do find yourself there with rack and time... 

We've had a couple of soakings but I still think the winter only stuff at Cheddar is currently in as climbable as condition as it's going to get.   

[Paz]

Just an update on conditions (and to let you all know that it's still not all fallen down):
Even though some seepage may have been and gone during the previous month (apologies if I sandbagged anyone), and I've been told insistently that you really can't predict conditions months in advance as it can change from day to day, I'd just like to say it was mostly all looking dry from a distance on tuesday. (Ally the hand holds were dry on Woody's but there was a lot of seepage around where your feet are, dunno if you can just dry them with a bar towl). It is drizzling a bit now though in Brizzle (update: it's just pissed it down), but the weekend looks doable (something will be) until tuesday, and the end of the week after, so this, if not perfect for the weekend, could be the last chance to get something done for a bit.  Even if it is a bit overcast, that bit of cloud cover can trap the heat in and raise the air temperature, so is good for the more extensive north facing crags as well as making the south facing ones (most of which are open during the project season) less tempting.  It was just about warm enough for 1st RP/OS/flash type routes tues if you were wrapped up, and was actually warm (for the crag) in the shade at the weekend when it was sunny and still.  I guess you're looking at being fast, light and hardcore now (or short and sweet) though if you're up for trad.

Also:

The short cut from the North from Shipham is closed once it enters Cheddar Village at the petrol station, and you have to go in through the main entrance with the traffic, so maybe it's a good idea to take the Burrington route to the top of the Gorge. 

I've been assured the Remnant is open when the rest of the north side is, so you can ignore it until the middle of March when it should be warmer.  Some other North side crags are still possible when ever with discretion/ care not to cause a public hazard too.

There's a new sister mega route to Castles Made of Sand, but apparently this is Winter only.  Presumably look for the other cleaned 4 pitch line of bolts left of that route (70m rope required to ab down).  Mid 6 something. 

Apparently conditions can't be that bad at High Tor either, but if it does start raining up North, you've always got Brean down here as well (never rains there, honest) if Cheddar happens to be wet. 

[Paz]

The good news is I think it's mostly still dry (even though it rained on sunday), but the bad news is I know it's getting cold.

[Paz]

Still mostly dry, and maybe not as cold as I feared on saturday.  Has rained quite a bit since though, but sommat will be reet.

[abarro81]

yo man, you know dates for next season yet? same as this time? ie. will there be time for me to try west route at easteror will it be closed already? any idea if it's been done this season or if the placements would be clear or owt?

[Ally Smith]

Exact dates I'm unsure of, but if uni holidays are still longer than school holidays at easter then High Rock will be open.
Corrie looked reasonably clean last week, and a pair did Crow, but everything else looked ignored and vegetated. Guess you could get someoene to ab down first and make sure it was clean? Or are you approaching from below?

[abarro81]

na, i'd do it as an abb-in one pitch thing i think. having a go depends on strength, fitness and ability feeling ok at start of those hols though! tis the line of cheddar for me though..
i'll send mark down it on abb to clean it and replace the thread the guide chats about (if he'll let me!)

[duncan]

tis the line of cheddar for me though...

Absolutely.  It's a great pitch. 

It shouldn't need much cleaning.  The base of the first crack can be damp for a day or two if it's had a soaking, but otherwise doesn't get much seepage or hold vegetation.

Have the bolt(s) on the crux been replaced?

[abarro81]

dunno about the bolts.. i'd have thought they'd just be left to disapear of their own accord (ie for someone like me to fall on them and blow them!), but i'm not that up on the 'bolting rules' there atm.
presuming the bolts are worthless, is it reasonably protectable anyway?

[duncan]

It was a very long time ago, so don’t believe any of this but…

My recollection is that the cracks are well-protected but the scoop linking the two is a bit exciting.  Not serious, but the last gear isn’t by your nose and it’s an exhilarating spot to take a winger.  I fell, pulled the ropes, and got it second go; Paul Smith flashed it with some gear in.  There are no hard moves and it must be very on-sightable at the grade.  The fixed gear seemed pretty worthless in 1983, and my vote would be for their remains to RIP, leaving the route for what it is: the hardish trad. line of the area. 

[Three Nine]

Barrows if we're going to do the route (which i'll happily ab first), you got to come back down this way before things get too arctic! are you fit enough to do a route more than 8m long at the moment? 

[abarro81]

yeah, i can do 10m routes so long as they've got a big break to rest at half way up i'd do it at the start of easter hols i think - want to be fitter than i am now and might not be so frickin freezing then too.
(i come back 21st, then font on 3rd so between xmas and new years is cheddar time if dry..)

[Three Nine]

Ace, lets head there on 22nd... and maybe 23rd, have two days off and then 26th-2nd? sound good? Paz is keen too.

[abarro81]

word. obviously depending on weather..

[Paz]

Glad you finally got some good advice Alex. 

Just thought I'd point out to everyone that sunset buttress is totally seeping now, and most other things are at best, hit and miss.  You've had your chance.  Don't blame me, I gave you a couple of months warning.  Pencil it in for next year, if the spring turns out to be wet.  Or maybe, you never know, they might actually build this mega fence that will give us summer access. 

When I started this thread I incorrectly assumed everyone was familiar with the new inspiring colour topo detailing the sport routes and selected trad routes accessible under the new (`summer') agreement.  But what noone ever points out is that you can buy it on the internet from the local shop (not just for local people) here: 
http://www.thegorgeoutdoors.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.cgi?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2ethegorgeoutdoors%2eco%2euk%2fcgi%2dbin%2fsh000001%2ecgi%3fREFPAGE%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww%252ethegorgeoutdoors%252eco%252euk%252fcgi%252dbin%252fss000001%252ecgi%253fSS%253dCheddar%2520topo%2526ACTION%252ex%253d0%2526ACTION%252ey%253d0%2526PR%253d%252d1%2526TB%253dA%2526SHOP%253d%26WD%3dproject%2520climbing%26SHOP%3d%2520%26PN%3dThe_Gorge_Outdoors_Books_and_Guides_140%252ehtml%2523aCHEDDARGORGE&WD=project%20climbing%20guide%20gorge%202006%20cheddar&SHOP=%20&PN=The_Gorge_Outdoors_Books_and_Guides_140%2ehtml%23aCHEDDARGORGE#aCHEDDARGORGE

[Paz]

The fence is complete below sunset.  The gorge is dry.  That is all.