UKH

Not doing the climbing community any favours 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-55982164

Again, no opinion, but:

Avon and Somerset Police area commander Mike Prior said: "Climbing the Gorge in near darkness is extremely unwise under any circumstances.

Goodness knows how he'd feel about a proper alpine start?

Awkward!  

I may be jumping the gun here but it seems hard to believe that these were climbers - or at least climbers with any idea of what they were doing and where they were doing it. It immediately seems odd that they were within reach of a Fire Service rescue platform - ie less than the length of a normal climbing rope from the ground - and still required assistance.

The reports suggest that they were brought down from the clifftop above Subsidiary/Canadian Wall, ie on the north side across the road from the parking area under Wind Rock's west face. There's an easy 15m sport route which finishes at a normal lower-off - not the sort of place where one would expect two climbers to get stuck - and the old eponymous Severe that goes to the top; but at about 20m, with some small trees at the top and an easy descent down the back, one would hope that climbers would be able to get themselves down, even at night. There's no mention of injury. It seems more likely that these were people walking on the various paths that weave around between the tiers on that side of the gorge who got a bit lost, found themselves at the top of a cliff some way above the road and had no idea where to go to get down; by contrast a climber who's just climbed up something tends to have a rather better idea of the surrounding terrain.

I hope so, anyway; it would be rather embarrassing otherwise!

It would be good if it were a couple of misplaced walkers,  but it does sound like climbers in the report.  Complete with 3rd person waiting for them in the gorge having all driven there in 1 car.

Wonder if they will log the climb on UKC.....

Indeed - although of the various sources yielded by a search for 'Cheddar Gorge rescue' it's only the BBC, as far as I can see, who actually refer to 'climbers'; others go with the less specific 'people'. The Weston Mercury reports that they got into difficulty 'after scaling the cliff', but later quotes a Cheddar Fire Station spokesman advising people “When walking the gorge, please plan your walk in advance and stick to recognised footpaths and allow plenty of time to avoid nightfall." Who knows?

I bet the Cheddar Official Climbing Coordinator is livid. I expect they had permission from the cleaning lady though.

The COCC ?

Well they did "cocc" it up.

It’s never good when Cheddar and the COCC are linked. 

The news have no idea how to report these things. The last accident in Bristol, the report stated ‘they were climbing a route in the Avon gorge, where holds are fastened on to the rock in a challenging manner’...

The one thing that always bugs me, when press state "climbers", is that often it was in fact not climbers at all.

My point is, (and I'm not saying it's necessarily the case in this article), is that so many times, climbers are getting the brunt end for something that actual climbers had nothing to do with.

Shame the press cant be made to re write the article with a "Sorry, we were wrong, they weren't climbers", with a view to minimizing any potential impact this could have with locals / access etc. 

Since 'climbers' can't agree on a definition of 'climber', you can't expect the press to.

I mean they are definitely climbers just not very good ones. Would having a colourful set of quick draws make them climbers? They are pioneering NTLDS (night time lockdown solo)

dnf - dumb nerks fined

Has the route setter been properly trained?