The State of Scottish ClimbingYOUR COMMENTSThe debate on the future ethics of the sport in Scotland. Please take time to read the articles and the comments from and send your considered views on the new draft guidance to the MCofS, using the form at the foot of this page. YOUR COMMENTSSi O'Conor writes: There is always a temptation to bolt a line lacking in traditional protection, but we have to ask, is one line on an otherwise natural and pleasingly aesthetic crag, worth it. If however, the majority of climbing at the said venue lends itself to sport climbing, then it can be better justified. The problem is that being seen to be readily accepting of bolts to placed ad-hoc, will encourage a wheels-off stampede of random drilling that would be near on impossible to control. Common sense is a big factor here.
As some of you will be aware, I'm currently bolting two sea cliffs in the Hebrides. This is low key, the crag lends itself to the style and there are no objections to the process. As far as I'm concerned the crag, if owned by anyone, is owned by the local fishermen, crofters and families and thier deep traditions of natural archeology, landmarks and seabird ecology. If there was objection I would no more bolt the place than I would say, use Callanish for target practise with a Tornado. Bolting should be done with forethought rather than with a frenzied boggle eyed and ego driven desire. This project line also has the possibility of pushing the present day edge of what has been so far achieved in Scottish technical sport climbing, which is a further justification for a spectacular line.
The locals just consider me as 'the mad Irishman' and often come to gawp at the antics. It adds to the place in ways I would not have considered before.
In other close-by worlds and distant crags, some people chip holds so they can climb and claim a line, which only says to me, that they lack self-humility. It also shows they have no thought for the future, when more advances will be made, when an 18 year old star finds what could have been the new benchmark, was chipped or drilled 20 years ago, by a self obsessed moron. You have to consider the wider implications of the scars left by long ago rusted bolts, and consider them well. When I see the remaining 20mm bore sample holes left by archeologists and geologists left in otherwise perfect Hebridean Gniess it is as angering as when you hear about a sea-stac being bolted for exploration, rather than hire a climbing savi guide who could insert and extract them without leaving a footprint.
In Coire Lagan there is an independant face at 2200ft that would benefit from a few bolted lines as again, it gives no secure traditional protection. If I were to bolt it, well aware of the policies, there would be outcry, but it would be from people who arn't prepared to climb it traditionaly, who have, in all likelyhood, shyed passed the crag, shunning it as 'impossible' for 30 years. It's frustrating in that sense, they have no intention of climbing it, yet you find a style of ascent that suits the arena and they scream outrage. I have a dog who acts similarly with an old toy of his. Its crap and ignored until someone shows some interest in it, then it's his and you can't play with it.. This again is an area that would benefit from 8 bolted lines in the grade spectrum of F6c to F8b. without having to risk life and limb doing a string of E9s, but then, the same person who doesn't care about it, becuase you place a bolt, suddenly acts like you shot his wife....When in truth, you have opened up an outside crag, in a contained area, that adds to the value of climbing in the Coire, rather than detract from it.
I think if areas of action like this are dealt with sensibly, a consensus of agreement, that certain designated areas, can be bolted and others not. This would at least provide an outlet for those purely interested in sport climbing in Scotland and a place in which they can add lines at thier own discretion, so long as it can be positively ascertained that the line has purpose, does not diminish the properties of any nearby traditional route and adds a positivness to the overall climbing in that area. Like it or not, bolting will continue and reactionaries will object just as they objected to the use of other new equipment as it came into circulation through the 70s and 80s. Change is the only true constant. If we don't become accepting of this, we will become embittered beardie types, fantasizing about how good 'the old days' were, before it's our time.
Vaccination employs the art of introducing to the body, a small amount of the actual disease it is trying to combat. Maybe if there are accepted areas of sport climbing with mountain crags, [ if there is an accepted and applicable enviroment by an empowered majority] then we could do worse than to allow such venues, rather than hack off an entire limb which has, like it or not, become part of Scottish climbing, becuase we fear the next step in evolution.
I think the biggest fear I have with bolts is the ever growing influx of weekend climbers that have found climbing 'hip to do'. As advertising in the glossies constantly pushes the whizz and bang aspects of glorious adventure where nobody dies and wrap around shades are cool, the mis-informed starter almost expects a bolt belay in Point Five or on the Cioch. This flourish of openeness in climbing, is a healthy one, but our duty is to educate here, without wishing to sound condecending, as you would your own children. This is how ethical wisdom is upheld and without it, the cattle will stampede and trample a crop harvested over decades of those who have been involved in climbing as a lifestyle, not just a pastime. So do you shoot the cattle becuase they were ill-informed or would you look to your own failings as a guardian of Scottish climbing traditions. That is what is truly at stake here, the random thoughtless bolting of potentially traditional outcrops is simply just a by-product.
This from Colin Moody: I don't think I'm very keen on pegs and bolts (the last peg I placed was in 1979). But.
There are a number of in-situ belays which I would like to see replaced by stainless bolts in resin.
DIABEG BEN NEVIS GLENCOE There are many other routes such as Magic Crack and The Pin that have in-situ belays. People are going to continue abseiling, so why not make belays less visible, longer lasting and safer?
John Offord is short and to the point:
Nic Crawshaw says: The opinion that bolts eliminate any sense of adventure is nonsense as you could discover on many multi pitch monsters on the continent, however I would notbe comfortable with widespread retro bolting.
Some sense from Colin Moody re bolt belays, I'll second that.
From Chris McDaid:
Mike Pescod writes: Some aspects of climbing have been agreed upon by the entire climbing community to be unacceptable. Retro-bolting, outdoor/speed climbing competitions and aid climbing are examples. In these cases there is a small group of people that want to do what they think is good and will further advance and enhance the spectrum of climbing. However, the consensus of the wider climbing community is that all efforts should be made (by the MCofS, BMC and individuals) to discourage these people from doing these activities. Climbing is a diverse game but not all aspects of it are considered acceptable.
In the case of bolting Scottish winter climbs, there is a very small group of people that want to see it happen (and they have tried to force the issue on to everyone in an uncompromisingly aggressive way). However the consensus among the wider climbing community appears to be that it is not acceptable to bolt mountain crags. These few people should now gracefully accept this position and reconsider their actions. Bolting low level dry tooling venues is far more acceptable and, even though it is still a tiny minority of climbers that will participate, the consensus appears to be that there is a place for it.
The Scottish ethic of climbing has been hard won and, although it is not always stuck to rigidly, it stands as an ideal that is being adhered to more and more closely. The honesty of climbers in reporting their tactics, falls and aid is improving. This ethic is celebrated the world over and needs to be defended.
Bolting Scottish winter crags should not be allowed for the following reasons -
The bolting protagonists have shown their disregard for the climbing community by taking action before any discussion was possible. This is regrettable. It has been long established that bolting Scottish mountain crags is not acceptable. For this ethos to be changed a very strong argument must be put forward. So far, this has completely failed to happen.
Eric Christison writes: For me, respect for the mountains and other wild places should be one of the underlying principals upon which the MCofS bases it other policies. In many instances, such as opposition to the Shieldaig Hydro scheme, this is the case and so it seems extraordinary that when an issue that involves climbers directly affecting the nature of mountain environment this principal seems to have been forgotten.
I have read and carefully considered the arguments of those who wish to extend bolting into the mountains. I've been an active climber for over thirty years and as such, have much sympathy with their desire to climb at the highest standard that they can achieve. However our own ambitions must on occasions be tempered and modified by an appreciation of what we may be damaging in our quest to achieve our goals.
I cannot countenance the introduction of winter sports climbing into our mountain environment. A few minutes in Newtyle quarry should convince anyone that damage of this nature cannot be allowed to be wreaked in our wild places. The answer to whether summer sports climbing should be allowed in the mountains, or even rural roadside crags, is less clear cut. If sports climbing were restricted to middle and higher grade routes, say above f6a, and a few mountain crags were bolted in a manner that provided a safe but challenging environment then I would perhaps agree to that.
This is not the way things seem to be developing though. Lower grade sports climbs are now being created, seemingly to tempt the novice climber away from the indoor wall and onto real rock. Even now with the creation of very few of these venues we start to hear people say "I've bought the rock boots and quick draws and done all climbs on Benny Beg now I want another sports crag to climb on". For all I know someone may well be developing or retro bolting a new low grade sports venue this summer, if not I expect we'll see one next year and then perhaps another the year after. In a few years time I expect we will see mountain crags bolted, perhaps not by those who favour bolting now but by those in the next generation who are ignorant of the alternative because they have never experienced it. People argue that the experience of the past two decades has shown we are not on a slippery slope to indiscriminate bolting. Perhaps this was the case in the past but I believe the introduction of lower grade sports climbs has put Scottish climbing on the brink of change and must consider our attitudes and actions most carefully.
To me the proposed new bolting policy gives tacit approval to those who wish to manufacture winter sports climbs and low grade summer sports venues and I cannot agree with any policy that risks turning mountain crags into outdoor climbing walls. In fact we should formulate a policy that that does the opposite and protects our mountains and wild places.
Let's confine bolts to quarries and unprotectable crags less than 15 minutes walk from the road for Summer sports climbing. Let's keep bolted dry tooling inside quarries which offer no other utility to us or anyone else. Let's not bolt anything under F6a to ensure that beginners do experience the rewards of trad climbing ensuring that they can decide on whether they want clip bolts or place runners or do both.
Fester says: "The current policy of no bolts on mountains should remain in place"
Hear hear.....
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