UKH

Woodcroft Quarry has seen a renaissance in the past few years with the development of a number of new mid-grade sport routes. At the same time, unfortunately the Fly Wall and Woodcroft Quarry area have become a focal point for anti-social behaviour and access issues for climbers have arisen. Landowners and managers have been keen to limit access through the historical access point above the quarry to reduce this anti-social behaviour, which could have resulted in climbers having to take a much longer approach of scrambling down the ‘easy way down’ and then doubling back along the bottom of the cliff. The fast approach and convenience of both the trad and sport routes in this part of the crag are one of its greatest assets, (especially as the days draw longer and thoughts turn to evening cragging,) so we were keen to avoid this if possible.

A solution which will still allow climbers to use the access point above Woodcroft Quarry has hopefully been found. The fence at the top of the quarry has been repaired and a gate installed with a combination lock. The code for this lock is listed (and will be updated if required) on the RAD page for Wintour’s Leap (https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/RAD/View.aspx?id=744) and exit through the gate does not require any code. It is very important that climbers ensure the gate latched behind them any time they enter or exit – failure to do so could result in future access issues for this useful and convenient entrance point, so please be especially vigilant when using the gate.

Cheers
Rob Dyer (BMC Access & Conservation Officer)

Congratulations, Rob and all involved. An excellent outcome.

Good effort.

Result!

Well done, sounds like a sensible solution

Nice one, thanks for the hard yards to get to a solution.

You can also make a longer approach past the old chapel at the north end of the crag which is in fact a nice walk if you not in a rush and brings you out at north wall (surprisingly), plus there's a gate and path on the left side of the main road just below the rising sun pub which takes you below forbidden wall and straight to the base of fly wall.

Thanks for negotiating access though, much appreciated!

Thanks very much Rob for all your work with this, and for the posting announcing it and the update to RAD. 

For everyone, please can we try to make this work, so that we don't have a recurrence of some of the recent problems (which have included, amongst other things, deliberate attempts to kill or disturb the nesting peregrines).  It's important to remember that it remains a privately-owned quarry with no public right of access.  As Rob said, please can you ensure that the gate is latched behind you every time you enter or leave.  In addition, if there are any problems with the gate, please use one of the other entry points to Wintour's Leap (either of the Northern or Southern routes described by Dave Frost, or the Easy Way Down) and let me know about it - don't attempt to circumvent it or damage the fencing in any way.  Similarly, if you don't have and can't obtain the code, please use one of the other access routes. 

Cheers

Rick

BMC Wye Valley Access Rep

I was just wondering what was happening and then I saw this. Fantastic effort by everyone involved. Thank you.

Hi everyone

Having now been down and tried out the gate for the first time, I need to update the advice slightly.  Most importantly, you do need to use the code for both exit and entrance - the advice on RAD will changed shortly to reflect this.  It's not a problem, and a sign will appear somewhere on the path leading up into the quarry from below advising that there is no exit to Woodcroft on this route (walkers have occasionally ended up in the quarry by mistake while following the public footpath underneath Wintour's Leap).  

In addition, at the moment you actually need to use the code to lock the gate behind you as well - this is a glitch which will be fixed so you can just push it shut like a Yale lock (and I believe a spring will be placed so it swings shut by itself).  Nevertheless, please do take the extra few seconds to make sure it's locked behind you properly.

By the way, the gate in question is not the padlocked one by the main entrance - it's a few metres away closer to the quarry edge, and just off the main Offa's Dyke path.

Cheers

Rick

Champion.  Good effort.  That's the benefit of belonging to an umbrella organisation.