UKH

Hi, does anyone know what the rules are about lamping at the roaches? I want to get some sessions in on Ned Zeppelin (by the hut). Conditions were surprisingly good last weekend but I think I either need to attempt it at night or next autumn/winter for a chance to make good progress.

Lamping as in rabbits and lurchers?

I'm not a local, but I don't see why you shouldn't be climbing there at night. The buildings where people live aren't very close apart from the hut. If anyone is in the hut, I guess you shouldn't be effing and blinding while they are trying to sleep. 

We’re exploring stealth lamping this spring. The rabbits are clueless 

Disturbance to ground nesting birds at this time of year should be a consideration.

Is disturbance more likely at night? And I can't really imagine skylarks, etc nesting in amongst those trees and in a place very busy with human and dog traffic.

Yes, because birds like to rest too, and if they’re in your path rather than up a tree then they’re more likely to take flight. 
Whether or not there’s any in that area is a moot point really, there won’t ever be if we don’t give them a chance - and if the message that lamping during breeding season in moorland areas is ok, then the next person might not go to a popular on the beaten track location. Agree that humans and dogs should all be sticking to paths 👍🏻 As I said, it should be a consideration, not necessarily a deciding factor. Personally though, I wouldn’t be lamping as I’d rather any wildlife that is there gets a rest. Others may differ. 

Sunrise is at 5.48am there currently, and it's coldest at dawn. Why not just get up early and climb in the light?

Surely it’s currently cold enough at any time of day?  How cold does it need to be?

Are you kidding, the temperature is almost creeping into the double digits some days now.  Nobody could possibly climb on gritstone in the kind of roasting hot Spring weather we've been getting lately!  Ha ha.

This reminded me of - oh my god, 15 years ago! - Toru Nakajima just casually soloing Elm Street (f7C+) during his school holidays one (genuinely) hot and sweaty week in August 2009: https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/09/toru_nakajima_-_grit_e9-49092
(Sadly the video has disappeared.)

I wish that video was still up. It's one of the most impressive week's climbing ever on UK rock, and by a 15 year old visitor to the area.... in August....

There are no crag specific directions regards climbing with lights at the Roaches.

There is general advice around good practice on this subject here though - https://thebmc.co.uk/night-climbing-bouldering-lantern-sessions-tips

In this case the boulder you're asking about is within the boundary of the Whillans Memorial Hut, so disturbance to wildlife is perhaps low and arguably not dissimilar to people staying in the hut making use of the front garden after dark.

That said, this climb was first done on a fairly warm August afternoon so the necessity argument is not very strong.

Thanks for the link to Toru Nakajima, what an amazing list of routes and no repeats (in UKC logbooks) of his first ascent of Black Out.

Black Out (E9 6c)

Perhaps low in the immediacy however access from the parking is still required and covers a couple of hundred metres so is not directly comparable to someone already in residence at the hut using the frontage - never having been a night time visitor to the Roaches I’m not sure if this is something that is done with any regularity? I’d assume midges are a problem most evenings as we move in to the warmer months.