Recent developments, poor behaviour by some climbers and the rise in popularity of this excellent site have caused concerns for the owners of this Nature Reserve. Negotiations are underway to protect access to this nationally important climbing site, but some new restrictions could be imposed.
Climbing has taken place here since at least the 1950s, and today there is a great mixture of some long traditional routes as well as some of the longest and best quality accessible sports routes in the Midlands. However the site is also a Nature Reserve (managed jointly by the Montgomery and Shropshire Wildlife Trusts) and has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1953. This means that some activities (called “Operations Likley to Damage the Special Interest”) need formal consent from Natural England, and that carrying out these activities without formal consent can be illegal under the Wildlife & Countryside Act. This is quite a comprehensive list and includes such things as spreading fertiliser, burning vegetation, but also includes activities such as carrying out engineering works such as drilling (including bolts!), modification or clearance of loose rock or grading rockfaces.
Click here to read the full article on the BMC website.