UKH

Hello, can someone please tell me if 1) Castle Rock, Gloucestershire features iin any guidebooks and if so, which one?  2) are the belay stakes well maintained and would I need to back them up? 3) is the rock too unstable to risk taking 3 kids ages 10-12 to do some top-roping? I’ve read that there’s a lot of loose rock.. Thanks.

In reply to Sara G:

It's in this guide book:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/books/symonds_yat-815

In reply to Sara G:

It's in the symonds yat guidebook but there is also a free topo here: https://trfreeclimber.blogspot.com/2017/07/cleeve-hillcastle-rock-cheltenha...

There are about a million stakes at the top so you can back up anything.

It is a bit fractured and snappy but probably no more than the yat. As long as you're wearing lids you should be okay.

In reply to Sara G:

As long as you are attached to a couple it would be fine. I'm pretty sure a single stake would happily take a heavy persons weight. The bottom is a bit on the smooth side, but once off of the bottom 4ft it gets better. Just take your time.

In reply to 99ster:

Thanks!

In reply to PaulJepson:

Good to know that there are plenty of stakes. Will take helmets! Thanks.

In reply to guffers_hump: Thanks for the advice. I climb on Southern Sandstone quite a bit and I’m hoping that it can’t be any smoother than that

In reply to Sara G:

Agree with other posters. I would say there is a fair bit of loose rock on top, so depending on how you set your rope, movement could and can bring stuff down. Helmets a given.

Have fun.

Chris

In reply to Sara G:

It is useful to take a short length of rope, 10m or so should allow you to equalise off 2 stakes with the krab for the top rope just over the lip. As others have said the loose rock is laying on the top, not so much on the routes themselves.

In reply to cwarby: Thanks for that info. I’ll be sure to keep the kids sitting well away from the crag and to wear helmets.

In reply to nikoid: Thanks. I’ll take a length of static rope for the set up and make sure that the krab is hanging over the lip. Can you lower climbers back down there? (With Southern Sandstone you have to top out in order to protect the rock so that’s what I’m more used to with top-roping). 

In reply to Sara G:

Yep, you're OK lowering off, with the krab over the lip you won't be grinding grooves. If you want to do your bit protecting the rock probably more important to make sure everyone cleans their shoes😀.

In reply to Sara G:

It's probably worth bearing in mind that - depending on weather, time of day, etc - there can sometimes be quite a few non-climbing people in the general vicinity of the top of the crag. There are several footpaths up there, plus a golf course, so it can be a popular area for walking - or indeed just 'hanging out' on a warm summer evening. On my last visit there was a small group of about ten sitting around by the line of stakes at the top, enjoying the view and the odd beverage, while a couple of their number casually lobbed small rocks over the edge.

If there are no other climbers present I'd be inclined to station whichever of your charges aren't actually climbing at some vantage point within sight of the area at the top - probably up the path where it skirts the righthand end of the crag - to let you know if anybody turns up. I'd also make your rigging as tamper-proof as possible - eg rigging rope hitched directly to stakes with no tempting karabiners to fiddle with. Maybe a bit OTT - or maybe not.

In reply to Ian Parsons: Thanks. I do get a bit paranoid when there are non-climbers wandering around anchors, especially when there’s beer involved. Good advice.

In reply to Sara G:

Worth bearing in mind there's a drop beneath the crag.