UKH

Hi all,

With the awful weather until Saturday and good weather on Sunday does anyone have any recommendations for crags in the South West (Wye Valley, Cheddar, Brean, Portland) which will be dry enough to be climbable and won't be seeping too much.

Any kind of climbing/crag is acceptable, let me know your recommendations

Avon gorge. Drys out as fast as a carcass in a crematorium.

The Cuttings on Portland is often a good choice after a lot of rain.

Didn't realise it would be good considering it's limestone!

The Bouldering or Sport?

Uphill Quarry

Avon is fastest with Wintours not far behind.

That’s a rather nasty metaphor but perhaps a good epithet for the charmless Avon Gorge, which I never liked. ‘A carcass in a crematorium’!

The sport definitely and the bouldering as well, so I'm informed.

The Cuttings sport routes will seep eventually, but they were very dry last weekend and will probably be dry on Sunday. I'm hoping so anyway.

ive found some pathways down to the west side of portland to be very precarious/slippery in wet weather.  

Further afield (i.e. proper SW) there’s not a lot of seepage on most of the Culm and it usually dries quickly. Vicarage (up to HVS), or Lower Sharpnose (HVS+) would be good. 

The Cuttings sport climbing crag is on the east coast and the paths to The Cuttings are all fairly flat, unlike the west coast.

That is why I suggested The Cuttings to the OP and not a crag on the west coast.

I was trying to think of something which conveyed a certain efficiency and my brain was somewhat half awake. I take your point though. And the gorge is definitely not to everybody's taste, but in the depths of winter when all else is wet, it dries out quickly and stays vaguely warm, unlike for example which is like standing in the path of a snow cannon some days, with a constant gale and moisture blasting you. 

Hi

Daddyhole Upper Cliff

The main East Face and the routes on both sides of the Monolith stay dry in most conditions and dry very quickly after rain. Very sheltered from prevailing SW winds.

Chris

Wynd Cliff main, LH crag, R wing