Restricted Access

The BMC has negotiated with the landowner and secured an access agreement, but this is dependent on the continuing responsible behavior of climbers.

Local cavers have an agreement with the landowner to manage recreation in the quarry through the Fairy Cave Management Committee. They have been extremely supportive of climber’s efforts to secure access and without their support it is unlikely we would have been successful. Mark Courtiour (BMC Access Rep) has been co-opted onto the Management Committee but the cavers have overall responsibility for recreational use of the quarry.

Maintaining our good relationship with the cavers is important, as is following a few simple points within our access agreement:

  • Take all of your litter and any you find away with you to dispose of responsibly.
  • Responsible parking is essential to maintain access - see the 'parking and approach' section below for more information.
  • The only people with permission to be within the fenced area are cavers and climbers. If you find other people in the quarry please ask them to leave.
  • Parts of the quarry could be unstable and potentially dangerous for the unaware. In particular young or inexperienced climbers should be closely supervised at all times.
  • The quarry forms part of a larger SSSI and European SAC (Special Area of Conservation). Natural England are monitoring the rare flora and fauna within the quarry so avoid removing any vegetation without checking with the local Access Rep or Access Officer first.

Descents:

Movement around the top of some areas of the quarry can be difficult and local climbers have established abseil descents from all popular areas. Please do not remove these fixtures. Most lower offs/abseil points have been renewed and stakes have been installed above Robs Crack and Lumbar Puncture/Epic Dural. As always with fixed equipment, be sure to thoroughly inspect all parts of an anchor before committing to using it.

  • The best abseil descent (easier to pull through) from the Robs Crack area is from a pair of stakes with wire strops and maillon situated above Who Needs Hair Anyway i.e. next to the Hawthorn bush on the crag edge about 50m left (facing out) of Robs Crack.
  • A strop and maillon have been added to the stake above Halfway to Kansas/Lumbar Puncture, another above Balch's Slide and another above Senile Taff Corner to facilitate abseiling.
  • All routes in the Glacis area have lower offs in place.
  • The Alpine Ridge can be ascended/descended as a relatively easy but exposed scramble.
38m.

Rockfax Description
One of Fairy Cave's finest. Sustained and with some run-outs above solid protection. Move up past overlaps onto the slab and some good cracks. Climb boldly leftwards to below the headwall. Move up onto this and finish up the well positioned thin crack. © Rockfax

UKC Logbook Description
Terrific stuff! Climb up to and through a distinctive, large, eye-shaped rockfall scar; then climb up and right to wide cracks (good gear). Move up boldly leftwards (crux) to below the headwall. Move up onto the headwall and place good wires (with some relief). Climb the line of the crack to the top, via some thoroughly absorbing, sustained 5b climbing.

FA. S.Franklin, D.Targett.

Ticklists

Fairy Cave Quarry Top 20 , Ultimate E3 ticklist , Memorable Climbs , Fairy cave hard stuff

Feedback

User Date Notes
badgerjockey 19 Jun, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Eddy added a tat and maillon an point near the top
βeta?
Show beta
βeta: Eddy added a tat and maillon an point near the top
Zhi Yuan 1 Aug, 2021 Show βeta
βeta: Wide cracks at the bottom full of mud and grass, thin crack on the headwall has some mud and grass
Show beta
βeta: Wide cracks at the bottom full of mud and grass, thin crack on the headwall has some mud and grass
luke43 10 Jun, 2020 Show βeta
βeta: Much more and better protected than I had expected
Show beta
βeta: Much more and better protected than I had expected

Logged Ascents

347 users have logged this

Guidebooks for Fairy Cave Quarry

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Voting
High E4
Mid E4
Low E4
High E3
Mid E3
Low E3
High E2
Mid E2
Low E2
Votes cast 54
High 6a
Mid 6a
Low 6a
High 5c
Mid 5c
Low 5c
High 5b
Mid 5b
Low 5b
Votes cast 66
Votes cast 64
Style of Ascent
Lead
Followed
Toproped
Alt Leads
Soloed
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
Flashed (β)
Redpoint
DNF
Dogged
Ground Up
Not Set
Route of Interest
Heaven And Earth Show (WW)

Grade: E3 5c ***
(Cheddar Gorge South)

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