[Closed] Snakes, ladders and tunnels. Anyone done it?

Yes, done this - a proper good day out. Your abseil, rope work and belay set up skills will need to be top notch. Chain not technically difficult just very, very strenuous, take some slings for lasooing and a few pear crabs. Make sure you back up the bolt at the tunnel top properly with a second nut/cam. Navigation difficult in places and it helps to have good knowledge of the quarry beforehand - although navigation is half the fun. Via Ferrata set up would be useful throughout on the sometimes VERY dodgy ladders, although if a ladder fails it probably won't help you. Would recommend to avoid the train track as the whole area is hugely unstable and liable to collapse any time soon. A risk to far in my book.

Don't forget this is private land owned by CEGB. Please don't bugger up hard won access for us climbers by taking on this route unless you're truly experienced enough to finish it safely. The last thing anyone needs is an accident in an area you're not supposed to be in resulting in bad press and loss of access for all. A word of warning, the whole quarry is pretty unstable and there are plenty of risks that are outside your control however skilled you are. Assume if you're considering this then you have prior knowledge of the quarry?

Saw a group making a right meal of the chain when I was showing some mates round last year. There was a group waiting behind them looking a bit less than pleased. I'm keen to do it before something changes that makes it impossible... As Agent says, the geology is somewhat unstable and the ladders are on their way out..

Would recommend to avoid the train track as the whole area is hugely unstable and liable to collapse any time soon

This +1.

Cheers guys. I am aware of all the issues listed above, esp the general dacay in the quarry and the access. I'm considering using an electron ladder or two for the chain pitch. And the bridge of death looks like a definate no no, that spoil tip looks like it really wants to be influenced by gravity.

Not done the chain climb, certainly not done the train tracks!

Those ladders are a minimum of 45 years old and most are considerably older than that.

My Mrs used to do the route with her kids when they were very young, but she's a very experienced climber.
She's extremely wary of all the metalwork now - it's deteriorating pretty quickly.

Have you tried the bomb store and the quarries on the other side of the valley?
Well worth a poke about, makes a great change.
The quarry pool behind the store is great for a lazy day swimming in the summer.

Should be down quite a lot next year - give us a shout if you fancy a spin.

[list]Wow, that looks quite committing. The metalwork looks really dodgy on the video. How are you protecting that. Via Ferrata stuff presumably no use, if the ladders failed? Or are you putting runners into the rock? That first bendy ladder looked spooky. How did the leader protect that? And as for the train tracks...ballsy stuff. Isn't the main danger there that the tracks fail in which case that runner (presumably?) half way along isn't going to be much use. How big is the drop below that? Do you have/need prussak loops to help if you fall there?

I would struggle to have faith in that ironwork. Hats of to you guys but take care!!!

Twenty odd years ago I was doing the G20 in Corscica and one of the sets of chains in the Cirque de la Soiltude had broken. This was high up and across a wet sloping slab with not ropes or protection. That was pretty windy although too!

I've had a play in the past but leave well alone now.

A mate climbs the chain quite regularly using a pair of ice axes 😐
I just stick to walking around and exploring the tunnels and upper levels.
Do the odd climb in Dali's Hole, but not for a year or two.

Love riding the zig zag track from the top, one if the best bits of trail anywhere for scenery.

I'd love to see someone ride down the main incline - sure it's doable but I don't have the nerve.

[i]*Yawn*[/i] been going there on rainy days for years and we're still alive. You just need a bit of common sense. We did protect that loose ladder with a toprope the first time, mind you.

What's really interesting is being able to hear the hum of the turbines when you're in the big holes.

Wow, that looks quite committing. The metalwork looks really dodgy on the video. How are you protecting that. Via Ferrata stuff presumably no use, if the ladders failed? Or are you putting runners into the rock? That first bendy ladder looked spooky. How did the leader protect that? And as for the train tracks...ballsy stuff. Isn't the main danger there that the tracks fail in which case that runner (presumably?) half way along isn't going to be much use. How big is the drop below that? Do you have/need prussak loops to help if you fall there?

You can't effectively protect most of the metalwork - well actually you can of sorts, but you'll probably spend all day rigging ropes rather than pressing on with the route which takes longer than you think particularly if you stop to explore the other areas and tunnels fully.

We did most ladders unprotected for ease of movement and speed. Via Feratta set up is useful to protect the ladder changeovers in mid air and to protect you if you loose footing on the more exposed ladders (e.g. the optional Great Ladder of Mordor) (although the strength of this protection depends of course on how solid the rungs you're clipping in to as you move up the ladder actually are). No use whatsoever if ladders actually fail though.

Drop from the train track is onto a 45deg loose scree slope and the hole beyond this (Twll Mawr) is huge - lets just say you wouldn't be coming back. Weight of the track falling would possibly destroy any anchors or protection you rig up and even if you were attached to a rope it's likely you'd be smashed onto the scree slope below. Track and surrounding ground looks in worse condition now than when the video was shot. Ladders generally feel not too bad, although some do wobble alarmingly, but the train track will almost certainly fail at some point soon (either that or the ground on each side will soon collapse). We avoided crossing as although we're happy to take a calculated risk where skill is the deciding factor, and although the actual crossing of the train track looks relatively easy, the train track's imminent failure and the drop below makes it pure Russian Roulette stuff.

Also best to check out how the chain is anchored after you've climbed it, otherwise it could put you off if you're of a nervous disposition 😉 All in all a very, very fun days explore but you need to know what you're doing.

Interesting stuff agent and thanks for that. Confirmed a lot of my thoughts/fears and the recognition that my cocones are not big enough. My exact thought was of the whole ladder coming away with any protection with it.

Having said that what a potential project to do a more extensive Honister on it!!!

very interesting, seen bits of that when I have been up there. Normally things like this normally make me want to dust off the ropes. But this one is a big no! Maybe I'm getting a little more risk averse these days but not one for me as said above skill vs risk is one thing dice rolling is not my game.

However I wished I had got the bike in and around there while I had the chance

Confirmed a lot of my thoughts/fears and the recognition that my cocones are not big enough.

To be honest though you can see plenty of very interesting stuff just wandering around and exploring without getting into anything too technical. Deep respect to the original quarrymen.