Climbing is a major activity on National Trust land, and the Trust makes an important contribution to the provision of sites nationally. Conflicts between climbing, nature conservation and safety can normally be controlled or managed through seasonal climbing arrangements and the promotion of good practice. Climbing guidebooks record these arrangements, including those sites of a sensitive nature.

It is important to differentiate between the different styles of climbing: traditional adventure, sport, group and commercial, and their associated locations, pressures and participants.

The essential difference between sport and traditional is that sport climbing crags are equipped with fixed bolts while traditional crags, in the main, are not. Group climbing normally involves people under instruction. Commercial climbing also involves groups but is carried out for profit.

Guiding principles

1. Climbing is welcomed on National Trust land, subject to any local restrictions.

2. There should be a presumption against large scale, intense, commercial use, and particularly that which restricts informal and small group climbing, unless under National Trust control and regular review.

3. At sensitive sites of particular importance for wildlife there should be close liaison with climbers and climbing groups.

4. Seasonal or temporary restrictions may be necessary to protect wildlife or other visitors and should be reviewed regularly. Fixed restrictions are usually only necessary in exceptional circumstances.

Good practice
Regular liaison with climbers and other land managers should be developed and maintained, eg establish a discussion forum with the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), local clubs and other interested parties and meet regularly to agree issues as outlined below.

• Lake District Mountaineering Liaison Group.
• North Wales Mountaineering Liaison Group.
• Pembrokeshire Coast Cliff Climbing Liaison Group.
• West Penwith Environmental Liaison Group.
• Gower Annual Climbing Liaison Group.

Promote BMC codes of practice.

• BMC Regional Access Database.
• Group use guidelines for the Peak District, Lake District and Dartmoor.
• Tread Lightly - see references.

Compile an inventory of important wildlife sites in the main climbing areas (including non-National Trust sites), eg for cliff or crag flora, gully flora, breeding birds, saxicolous lichens, seals, geological interest etc, in collaboration with any discussion forum.

• Green Guide to Climbing in Cornwall.
• BMC Bird Nesting Restrictions produced nationally and annually

Monitoring systems should be introduced only where necessary, in conjunction with climbers, and undertaken with a regular, long term commitment.

Provide information on climbs, including reasons for restrictions, particularly to guidebook editors, to manage the use of sites appropriately.

Contribute articles to the climbing press on interest and value of climbing sites.

Promote National Trust Byelaws through liaison, guidebooks (60 for England and Wales), climbing literature etc, emphasising no 'gardening' (vegetation removal) on National Trust cliffs.

Licences and permits may be introduced as a last resort for commercial groups as a means of controlling numbers in heavily used, damaged and vulnerable areas.
Dancing Ledge, Wessex.
Carneddau, Wales

In cases of erosion and/or disturbance on sensitive tops and descents contact the BMC to discuss lower-off or abseil bolts.

Restrict use of sensitive gullies for descents by roping off usually only as a last resort and with signed alternatives.

Implement or continue voluntary seasonal bans on bird cliffs. Recruit volunteer climbers to assist with this if possible.
Cheddar Gorge, Wessex

Consider requests to clear overgrown, invasive or encroaching vegetation, with a particular consideration towards safety, and where compatible with conservation and land management considerations.

Discourage climbing on rocks above car parks and roads to minimise the need for rock safety works.

Monitoring suggestions
Record numbers of climbers and walkers at selected sites/times. Photographic record of selected faces, descents and tops. Key breeding birds (eg Red Data Book spp).

Trends

• Increasing.
• BMC membership: 1990 - 26,000, 1995 - 33,000, 2000 - 50,000.
• Up to 150,000 climbers in the UK.
• 60,000 copies of climbing magazines sold each month.
• There has been an increase in group use, in the use of climbing walls and in the distinction between adventure (traditional) and sport (bolted) climbing.

Possible impacts

• 'Gardening' of ledges and crevices and the removal of vegetation from rock faces.
• Assistance with botanical cliff survey walk. Lizard, Hasting.
• Assistance with vegetation clearance in areas difficult to access. Rhododendron on Lundy
• Erosion on approaches, crag bases, descents and tops.
• Provision of advice on cliff stability and dangers.
• Disturbance to birds, eg peregrine, chough, seabirds, raven, ring ouzel.
• The undertaking of bird ringing projects. Peregrine in the Lake District, chough in Pembrokeshire.
• The presence of climbers can help deter egg thieves. Helsby, Cheshire.
• Unsightly tat left in the rocks.
• Placing of fixed equipment, bolts, pegs, stakes.
• Safety concerns: rockfall and danger to other visitors. Consequent need to stabilise loose rocks and screes with modification of natural habitat.
• Benefits to the local economy. Mountaineering in Wales is estimated to provide 1,250 jobs and contribute £22m to the economy.

Contacts and liaison

British Mountaineering Council (BMC)
177-179 Burton Road,
West Didsbury,
Manchester
M20 2BB

Tel: 0161 445 4747
Web site: www.thebmc.co.uk

The BMC is the national representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers in England and Wales. The BMC promotes the freedom of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers to enjoy their activities and through a democratic representative structure it:

• negotiates access improvements and promotes cliff and mountain conservation;
• promotes and advises on good practice, facilities, training and equipment;
• supports events and specialist programmes including youth and excellence;
• provides services and information for members.

Mountaineering Council of Ireland
House of Sport,
Longmile Road,
Dublin 12,
Republic of Ireland

Tel: +353-1-4507376
Web site: www.mountaineering.ie

The Council promotes walking, mountaineering, climbing and the protection of mountain environments. The Council has approximately 100 clubs and membership of about 3,000.

Mountain Leader Training Board
Capel Curig,
Betws-y-Coed,
Gwynedd
LL24 0ET

Tel: 01690 720314

The advancement for the public benefit of education and training in the skills required for the conduct of safe mountain walking.

Adventure for All
c/o The Stackpole Centre,
Stackpole,
Near Pembroke,
Pembrokeshire,
SA71 5DQ

Tel: 01646 661425
Web site: www.bluedome.co.uk

Adventure for All is a formally constituted association of leading residential outdoor activity centres which are primarily for people with special needs.

Legislation, codes and agreements
The Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 sets out a duty of care to people who come onto land by invitation of the owner or occupier or who are permitted to be there. The Act provides that this duty does not impose any duty or obligation on an owner or occupier to a visitor who willingly accepts risks. This is a statutory enactment of the common law principle Volenti non fit injura - a willing person cannot be injured (in law).

The BMC promotes a participation statement: 'The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.'

Climbers, mountain walkers and scramblers know that rocks by their very nature are dangerous and voluntarily accept the risks of their sport or recreation. If a climber or walker is injured in an accident any claim against the owner or occupier should be defeated by the defence that the injured person willingly accepted the risks.

Even where an owner or occupier has been negligent, the plaintiff may have contributed to the accident by his or her own behaviour. Contributory negligence on the part of the plaintiff will reduce the amount of damages to which he or she is entitled.

A quarry, whether being worked or not, is deemed to be a statutory nuisance and, if it is accessible from a highway or public place, should be provided with an efficient and properly maintained barrier to prevent persons accidentally falling into it. Similarly the entrance or shaft to an abandoned mine should be efficiently closed off and the closure properly maintained.

However, these duties of the owners of mines and quarries are duties to the public; they do not affect the basic law regarding persons who are allowed into a disused quarry for climbing. Such climbers accept the risks involved.

(Source - BMC/CLA publication on Occupiers' Liability)

References

British Mountaineering Council - 'Summit' and 'High' magazines.

British Mountaineering Council - annual report.

Barlow, J. & Thomas, M. (1998). Mending Our Ways - the quality approach to managing upland paths. British Upland Footpath Trust, Manchester.

British Mountaineering Council (1988). Tread Lightly: Conserving Britain's Mountains and Crags. British Mountaineering Council, Manchester.

British Mountaineering Council (1993). Protecting and Meeting the Costs of Access to Cliffs and Crags. British Mountaineering Council, Manchester.

British Mountaineering Council/Country Landowners' Association (1993). Occupiers' Liability: Advice for Owners and Occupiers of Land. British Mountaineering Council, Manchester.

British Mountaineering Council (undated). The Peak Group Book - Good Practice Advice for Groups of Climbers in the Peak District. British Mountaineering Council, Manchester.

British Mountaineering Council (annual). Bird Nesting Restrictions. British Mountaineering Council, Manchester.

Bunce, R. (1983). Is Climbing Killing Off Lakeland's Plant Life? Lakescene, December 1983.

Bunce, R. (1985). Impact Assessment of Cliff Vegetation in the Lake District. Report produced for Adventure and Environmental Awareness Group, Coniston, Cumbria.

Lake District National Park Authority (1998). Climbing Group Use of Lakeland Crags. Lake District National Park Authority, Kendal.