Southern Sandstone: guidelines

Posted by Alex Messenger on 09/07/2011

Southern Sandstone is the only climbable rock close to London and the crags are probably the most heavily used in the country.

Please make sure you read the code of practice before you get started.

You should also read the Eridge Rocks Nature Reserve Climbing Guidance 2008.

You may also find the following pages from the BMC Community site useful, which contain information and minutes of meetings for the two key BMC groups in the area:

Harrisons Rocks Management Group

Sandstone Volunteers Group

Please also check out the High Rocks Restoration Project and more.

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Changes to Southern Sandstone bolted anchors

24/09/2021

Following a review of bolted anchors on Southern Sandstone, the way we all use bolted anchors in the area is changing. Read on to make sure you're following the latest method.
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Southern Sandstone Access: what's changed with the end of lockdown 2?

02/12/2020

With England’s second lockdown ending this morning (2nd December) and a return to a tier system with climbing walls able to re-open, our request to temporarily avoid all southern sandstone crags is changing…
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Temporary restriction of climbing at Eridge Rocks

16/07/2020

The huge increase in climbers at Eridge Rocks since lockdown lifted has resulted in rapid wear to the fragile sandstone the makes up the crag. Unfortunately, this has now reached a tipping point where a temporary restriction is needed to give the crag a chance to recover before irreparable damage is caused. Read on to find out more about why this restriction is needed…
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Graham Adcock

17/04/2012

There are access issues at High Rocks. The current entry fee for climbers is £10 per day. An annual season ticket is available at £45. Local climbers work hard to maintain access, not helped by climbers (or anyone else) breaking in through the fence or walking through the front gate without purchasing a ticket from the lower bar beforehand.

If you have an opinion on this or any other sandstone issue, please come to the southern Sandstone Open Meeting (20th May 2012 - at Bowles Rocks TBC) and have your say.

If you disagree with the access conditions at High Rocks or at any other SS crag, please go somewhere else - poor behaviour has resulted in the current charges and restrictions at High Rocks and continues to do so.

There's an article on High Rocks here http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2624

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Anonymous User

07/06/2012

As well as following the guideline for this rock type, I would like to point out that we should be using a carpet at the bottom of the rocks to clean our feet. Dirty feet will quickly polish the rock or damage the outer crust of the rock. We should also use a rope protector at the top of the rocks as this will also protect the rock as well as the ropes.

If we go bouldrering please make sure that we dont use brushes on the rock as this also damages the outer crust of the rock. There are my bouldering problems in the area, a free guide can be found at http://www.mountain-trips.co.uk/boulder_menu.html

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