UKH

I popped into  Darlton Quarry late afternoon Sunday for a quick climb with some of my family. We were chatting to the team already there - the chap (hello if you are reading this!) - said they had been approached earlier by someone in some sort of buggy, who said he represented the owners and that climbing was banned, they had put up signs, and they were going to start prosecuting people for climbing there. The climber said this guy wasn't particularly angry at them and said he would leave them to it that day. I asked whether the guy in the buggy had said who he worked for and he hadn't, but one of the other climbers said she had noticed on his hard hat it said Tarmac, which makes sense. 

Anyway, I thought it was worth passing along now, rather than waiting for the next BMC Peak Area meeting.

In reply to TobyA:

Hopefully, it's just someone complying with their formal Mines and Quarries Act obligations and nothing will come of it - I'm not sure what sort of prosecution he thought was an option.

To be honest, I'd be more bothered by a threat to Goddard's! 

In reply to Dave Garnett:

I also thought "prosecution" might have been over egging the pudding rather - being told to clear off is one thing, but like you say I'm not really sure what the prosecution could be over! 

In reply to TobyA:

"Trespassers will be prosecuted".

No, they won't, because it's not a criminal offence

In reply to TobyA:

On a separate note, the new cafe owners come across to Garage Buttress to introduce themselves to us "climbers". They said climbers were very welcome to use the toilet facilities without having to buy anything (it's an outside building) from them. They were very supporting of climbing and they knew their Windy ledge history, very nice people. He said that he was very positive climbing was allowed in the quarries behind his cafe, I assume that's Goddard Quarry? I assume he wanted to trump up business but at the time he seemed to be well aware that climbers don't like spending money... 

In reply to Ramon Marin:

Nice! Yep - I went in there a couple of weeks ago with one of my kids and my partner - they've got a little local historical and geological display as well as the café space. Didn't know about the POWs who had worked the quarries in WWII, one Italian POW had "enjoyed" it so much he kept coming back to Stoney after the war to visit his friends (presumably his ex captors! ). The food was nice and not particularly expensive and you can see Garage Buttress across the road, if you are waiting for the sun to come onto/go off your route. 

In reply to TobyA:

Back in the early 80,s I was a driller and blaster in that quarry. One day when we “fired” a round, Dirty Derek who was climbing on garage buttress was so shocked by the blast noise, he fell off.

In reply to Philb1950:

We continue to fall off at Garage Buttress quite regularly, but now its only because the holds break.

In reply to TobyA:

Thanks Toby. I've added a note to the RAD entry.

In reply to Access BMC (England):

I've posted basically the same in the Rock Climbing UK facebook group as lots of people read that too. One comment there was that another party was approached by what they presume was the same guy last year. So the commenter suggested he was just a local busybody, or at least nothing seems to come from him telling people they shouldn't be climbing there. I'm not trying to suggest that this means it doesn't matter, but more that - perhaps like Dave said up top - they are going through the necessary motions of making it very clear to climbers they don't want us there, and if we hurt ourselves that's not their fault.

In reply to TobyA:

I believe, but can't confirm, that it is a small security firm who employ to someone to wander randomly around the company's quarries and ask climbers to leave. If climbers behave themselves nothing happens (not that there is much that could). It is all part of the owners efforts at avoiding liability (and quite right, we know what we are doing has it's dangers!) in the event of an accident. 

Treat him with respect and leave quietly if asked! Plenty more routes within walking distance.

In reply to TobyA:

l had a quiet laugh. That part of the quarry complex in that area is a pile  of choss anyway , maybe he was protecting you from yourself!

Is it really worth bothering with the access in that specific area. 

In reply to TobyA:he lives under the balcony and regularly does this and is just a busy body and has absolutely nothing to do with tge quarry owners so just be Poland take no notice of him