UKH

I'm thinking of developing Ravelston quarry over the next few years to make it a more useable drytooling venue. It's basically overgrown, rarely ever used, and a bit shite just now. Apart from a good clean up and maybe placing a few bolts/anchors, what's the thinking around chipping holds for axes, and even bolting on small resin holds, to create a few training lines..? There are a couple of natural DT lines there already but it's largely un featured, so would really need holds to be created. There's also a nice big dead tree for ice climbing training...

I'd be keen to help out if you need a hand. Not done anything in the way of DT before but happy to bounce around on a rope with a brush for a few hours.

If you use Facebook then it might be worth mentioning this on the Scottish Winter Climbing Conditions group as you might get some volunteers to develop the crag especially with access at New Tyle being problematic whilst the quarrying work is going on. 

I'd love to see this happen.  There's been some chat of cleaning up the quarry amongst the Edinburgh university mountaineering club for a while now, a post to their Facebook group would probably get you a few keen volunteers.

I'm happy to help as well! Just let me know when are you thinking to go and I will try to do my best.

Carlos

Speak to some folk who have developed locations for tooling, there are several groups on FB. As for creating routes, drilling is the generally accepted practice, resin holds wont last 5 minutes, are unreliable and ugly. 

I live right down the road from ravelston forest so I dont mind lending a hand if you need help. I cant DT for shit but hey its a good a place as ever to learn! 

PS. last time i went down there to check out that quarry it was hideously overgrown with bracken at the bottom and full of glass and who knows what, typical city quarry sans crap graffiti though!

It was tried before...

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/winter_climbing/what_happened_to_the_plan...

Maybe get in touch with those posters

I assume you refer to this place? 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/author.php?id=1730

In my opinion it should be developed as a sports crag. Presumably you'd need permission from the council before bolting it.

Could I suggest another venue? Have you ever had a look at the quarry on the back side of Traprain Law? 

From what I remember of Ravelston it's either vertical or slightly overhanging and any routes you manufactured on it are likely to be about 4 grades harder than the grade you currently lead. The stuff at Traprain is off vertical and so more akin to "real" mixed climbing. In fact if we ever get a hard winter again it would be worth visiting to get some real routes done.

You got beaten to it...

Traprain Law

I have no idea regarding the suitability or either venue for tooling (something to discuss with local climbers and MCofS) but as a general comment there’s not much point in tooling if it’s much less than vertical. The idea is to develop strength, power and endurance and for that you need generally vertical to overhanging terrain. Anything at a gentler angle tends to get pretty easy pretty quickly with practice. Also overhanging terrain is safer for falling off with tools, assuming the rock and bolts are sound.