Unreasonable ban on climbing at Symonds Yat: climbers dismayed by ongoing climbing ban

Rock Climbing
01 Aug
3 min read

A climbers’ meeting this week expressed their opposition to the continued ban on climbing at Symonds Yat, Herefordshire, imposed by Forestry England.

The ban commenced when tree roots led to a minor cliff collapse in one place along these extensive cliffs. Forestry England claim that the ban is to protect climbers against further cliff collapses. However, climbing has been taking place at Symonds Yat for nearly a century, and climbers are well used to dealing with any potential cliff instability.

Climbers’ representative and South West Area Chair for the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) Colin Knowles said “This ban is completely ludicrous. The great majority of these cliffs are entirely safe to climb on, and safe approaches are available which do not cross the affected area.

“We put it on the record that we are not supporting the ban on climbing. As and when Forestry England undertake works to renew the capture fence, we will then advise climbers to stay away from the affected areas until the works are complete. We will provide advice through our climbers’ app [the Regional Access Database (RAD)] of the safe approaches and safe areas to climb, and strong advice on the ways not to approach and areas not to climb.”

The forested cliffs of Symonds Yat have been climbed for decades. Image: Ms Jane Campbell/Shutterstock

BMC Access & Conservation Officer Jon Fullwood says, “Symonds Yat is a popular and nationally important limestone trad crag in the Wye Valley, Herefordshire. The crag is on CROW access land climbing is a legal right under normal circumstances. The crag was closed temporarily by the landowner, Forestry England, in 2023 due to rockfall. They have now changed this to a de facto permanent ban on the basis of a geotechnical report that they are unwilling to share will us.

“Forestry England also withdrew, without adequate explanation or justification, an offer to partially open the crag which had been agreed with the BMC earlier in the year. The BMC see this as a disappointing and regrettable decision by a major public body landowner, which sets a terrible precedent for risk management practice elsewhere.

“As such, the BMC do not support this ban on climbing at Symonds Yat. Nevertheless, details of the restriction are shown on our Regional Access Database (RAD) so that climbers are aware of the landowner’s position and the change in legal access status. Efforts continue to push Forestry England for evidence and explanation, to negotiate a change to the position on access and to prioritise the work needed to open access across the whole crag.”

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