UKH

Hello!

Relativley new to climbing, but there is currently a route near me that hasnt been given love due to it being a place where people use to go drink etc. I was just wondering what gear would be needed to basically sit on the rope and clean a route? Ive got a gri gri 2 but was just wondering if people add a back up to it? like a micro traxion? and how would this gear be set up with a gri gri?

Cheers!

What I would do is roughly as follows to as simply as possible ab a route and clean it, sometimes other methods may need to be employed.

Rig a solid anchor and a fix a single rope. Use Gri Gri to descend. Use rope protectors to cover any areas where the rope might rub on rock. Re-directs may be used if the route traverses or has lots of features where the rope might rub and subsequently be damaged. Using a wire brush to clean. When cleaning tie a knot in the rope below the GriGri or wrap the rope around the thigh. Anytime the rope is not held it should be backed up below the GriGri. Continue to lower down the route cleaning in sections.

Hope this is somewhat helpful. 

Matt

as per Matts instructions for rigging etc, tie a knot (big OH will do) underneath the gri gri whenever stopped.

the wire brush is ok if the rock is hard but depends on rock, don't use one of softish sandstone.

take a selection of brushes (from plastic washing up brush) through to wire. You may have to dig out some earthy bits so a nutkey (can damage) or wooden spike

make sure its not an SSSI or you are not trashing any rare stuff/nesting birds ....

wear old clothes, gardening gloves might help as well

you back up the grigri buy tying  a knot below it (or not, I often don't... but better to tie the knot).

depending on the top (sharp, good anchors way to the side), you might need some rope protectors (sharp edges and/or broken glass)... and perhaps trad gear/QD/another rope to act as a directional (keep you on the line)...

And then you need gear to clean the line. with hard rock like granite, steel brushes are not uncommon, but softer rock like grit or sandstone.... only nylon brushes.

A big brush you use to clean your patio might be good... nut key to clean cracks... and of a lot of loose dirt or dry moss, a leaf blower is actually really nice. the latter is not mandatory by any means, the next rain will take care of such issues...

A big tub of black paint.

Some form of bought or made bosun's chair if it's a long route/cleaning for hours is handty to take the pressure off the harness. 

Is there a particular reason you wish to clean the route, being new to climbing? If it's in Northumberland as you yourself are then it's likely sandstone and easy to damage. I'm not trying to dissuade you of course, but there must be thousands of other climbable routes that would be time better spent learning about the rock before embarking on cleaning up another that won't likely see any attention, even after cleaning. 

Echo using a softer brush on softer rock and being careful not to remove rare plants. Also, don't waste your time cleaning all the rock. Just clean the holds/essential bits. I'd recommend some eyewear, as the lichen and soil can really get in your eyes.

Depends what you mean by green too. 

Algae is fairly normal on shaded damp crags

or do you mean grass, bushes, ferns and trees?

Its in Jesmond Dene quarry; when I cant get into northumberland, I boulder in jesmond dene. I think its better say Im new to trad rather than climbing, but it just seems like a shame that there is a wall with routes there, that has been forgotten about. It might even get climbed once after (if) I clean it; but just seems worth it at atm.

Obviously never done it before and will get proper advice so I dont damage it. It's a not a nice place atm and just seems like a little bit of love would help people who can't get out into northumerland.

Might be way over my head but wont know till I'm up there, I guess!

Cheers for the reply!

Fair enough, thank you for the considered reply too I can appreciate why my post might have gotten a couple of dislikes but I was genuinely interested in the reasoning given the face value information we had, and wondered why no one else had asked. Good luck with it though, and thank you for being willing to put in some effort! 

Just wanted to say thank you to all the responses! Noting everything down!

Just be careful about removing tons of ivy (I see in the pictures that the top of some of the crag is covered in the stuff). It's an important habitat for lots of animals and shouldn't be interfered with during peak nesting season (so only really should be trimmed September to February, and with great care of disturbing any nests or bat roosts). 

Surely the colour depends on the rock type? it needs to be strongly contrasting so you can clearly see where you've done and what you haven't. And don't even bother with that goes on pink dries white stuff when in Dover etc, just go for a good bright pink right off the bat

youtube.com/watch?v=nVrdXUHvsF0&

Also in Jesmond Dene the ivy holds a lot of the loose crap at the top together. I’d actually suggest cleaning routes there isn’t smart, there’s a reason people stopped doing them.

If it looks sketch, I’ll back off. Not going alone so even if one of use says it’s not good, we won’t clean! 
 

cheers!

Patio knife useful if there is cracks to excavate.