UKH

For those who haven't yet seen the FaceBook page:

YatFest 2017 – Our chance to give something back to the crags who give us so much. Put the date in your diary – the weekend of the 1st and 2nd April 17; volunteer, climb and celebrate this fantastic venue. You’ll even get some freebies from local sponsors and access to free workshops from local climbing coaches in exchange for your time.

The crags at Symonds Yat East are owned by the Forestry Commission who allow climbing year round to professional and recreational climbers alike on hundreds of routes. These crags are great natural features but the reality is that they also need some looking after; YatFest 17 is an initiative by local climbers to offer some TLC and to help ensure safe and trouble free access to the area for all users, climbers and non-climbers alike.

We’re not asking for a whole weekend, just as much as you can offer, even if that is just picking up litter at the base or top of the crags; non-climbers are welcome! We’ll be replacing in-situ threads and lower offs, checking and replacing pegs, managing loose rock and rampant ivy as well as picking up litter and ensuring paths do not cross sensitive areas (there are some very rare plants here), so don’t forget your climbing gear and helmets!!

In reply to Sven:

Cool. If the weather isn’t too bad, why the hell not.
It’s been a while since I participated in a Crag Cleanup and been to SY.
Two birds-one stone.
There’s a FaceBook page?

In reply to Mark Edwards:

Hi Mark, you can find the FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1180725438648898/

We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you at the weekend.

Sven

In reply to Sven:

Good effort on organising this Sven, I spotted it over on FB the other day and meant to send you and the organisers a message to get a post up on site...then promptly forgot...

I went to Symonds Yat for the first time a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed the evening I had there. Looked like people had already been putting a bit of time/effort into giving the base of the crag some TLC, good effort to all involved. Unfortunately I can't make the weekend itself but I'm sure it'll be a good'un.

If anyone out there fancies contributing a Symonds Yat destination article to the site drop me a line.

In reply to Sven:

All the best for this, we gave it a "heads up" at last nights BMC SW area meeting, sorry I can't make it (Junior Open Comps that weekend).

In reply to Sven:

Hi Sven. Would like to have helped with this; unfortunately, I'm working both days this weekend. Hope you get lots of helpers and it all goes well. Brian.

Thanks to all that have volunteered for this or offered support, I'm pleased to say that we had an amazing event with 65 volunteers on the first day and 26 on the second. This enabled us to pick up over 20 bin bags of rubbish from all over the site (not due to climbers!), replace all the in-situ threads and lower offs, removed ivy and other invasive plants on existing climbing routes and climbed, checked and cleaned over 100 routes!

The crag is in now in fantastic condition with much more light and air on the routes, hopefully with many climbers to follow.

We're already making arrangements for next year's event, so if you're interest please do get in touch. We're planning more of the same next time around, focusing on the Longstone and with a BBQ, band and overnight camp to boot!

Regards,

Sven

In reply to Sven:

Hi Sven. I was looking at doing Awopbopaloobop Awambamboom on Monday. Did this see any Cleaning action if so how's it looking?