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The relative fragility of Northumberland’s sandstone crags makes the issues of ethics and style particularly important. Compared with the rest of the UK, Northumberland remains a bastion of traditional climbing. How did this happen and why should we protect it?
==Good Practice==
#Clean your shoes before you climb. Sand and mud on the soles of shoes accelerate wear and polishes the holds.
#Do not climb on damp or wet sandstone. Sandstone when wet is substantially weaker, liable to breaking and erodes much more quickly.
#Where possible clean off any chalk and tick marks. Brush problems gently. Whacking with a rag works well to remove chalk or tick marks and can be gentler than brushing.
#Bouldering is a very intense activity that can focus erosion on a small number of rocks. Avoid running laps on problems'''.''' If you cannot do a problem in good style and quickly, then leave it until you are stronger.
#Avoid top/bottom-roping and shunting on sandstone crags. They are practices that focus erosion on the crux of climbs. If you must top-rope, avoid running laps on the same climb. Use a static rope for the anchor with an edge protector and ensure it is set so the active rope is not running over the edge.
#Avoid placing protection that will damage the rock. Pegs and bolts have no place in our crags. Sandstone flakes are delicate and easily broken by cams. The end result can be broken rock not to mention broken bones.
#It is a rare occurrence, but graffiti does still appear from time to time, this and chipping new, or enlarging existing holds should be challenged if seen.
#Although stating the obvious, dry-tooling on sandstone is potentially disastrous and is a complete No-No.
#If it is necessary to belay to a tree, tie the belay rope round the tree as low as possible to minimise leverage.
#Do not camp, bivouac, light fires, barbecues or stoves near or at the Crags in Northumberland.
#If you have a dog(s) at the crag ensure it is under control. And note that not everyone loves a dog.
== Ethics and Style ==
This article was originally written by Steve Blake and has been edited for brevity, the full version is [https://thenmc.exposure.co/ethics-and-style available here.]
This article was originally written by Steve Blake and has been edited for brevity, the full version is [https://thenmc.exposure.co/ethics-and-style available here.]
Mountaineers and rock climbers have long been prone to gaze at their navels and think deeply about their activities, this inevitably leads to discussion and debate about ''how'' we do what we do, as well as ''why'' we do what we do.
Mountaineers and rock climbers have long been prone to gaze at their navels and think deeply about their activities, this inevitably leads to discussion and debate about ''how'' we do what we do, as well as ''why'' we do what we do.
These were:
These were:
* We climb the mountains (and rocks)
*We climb the mountains (and rocks)
* Test your skill
*Test your skill
* Test your nerve
*Test your nerve
* Love the mountains (and rocks)
*Love the mountains (and rocks)
'''I would argue that in Northumberland’s case it is appropriate, if not essential, that we move the last, (Love the mountains and rocks), to the top of the list.''' If we do indeed love the rocks then it is incumbent on us to look after them. This is particularly relevant on our fragile sandstone crags, where some styles of climbing accelerate erosion. Top-roping, shunting and running endless bouldering laps or attempts can seriously damage vulnerable climbs. This doesn’t apply to ''all'' routes and problems, and indeed there are both routes and problems that are incredibly durable, but bizarrely the most vulnerable bits of rock and crags seem to attract far too much attention.
'''I would argue that in Northumberland’s case it is appropriate, if not essential, that we move the last, (Love the mountains and rocks), to the top of the list.''' If we do indeed love the rocks then it is incumbent on us to look after them. This is particularly relevant on our fragile sandstone crags, where some styles of climbing accelerate erosion. Top-roping, shunting and running endless bouldering laps or attempts can seriously damage vulnerable climbs. This doesn’t apply to ''all'' routes and problems, and indeed there are both routes and problems that are incredibly durable, but bizarrely the most vulnerable bits of rock and crags seem to attract far too much attention.
WHENEVER WE VISIT ONE OF OUR LOCAL SANDSTONE CRAGS WE HAVE AN IMPACT. IT IS ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMONSTRATE AND PROMOTE BEST PRACTICE IN NORTHUMBERLAND.
WHENEVER WE VISIT ONE OF OUR LOCAL SANDSTONE CRAGS WE HAVE AN IMPACT. IT IS ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DEMONSTRATE AND PROMOTE BEST PRACTICE IN NORTHUMBERLAND.