UKC

Met the keeper at healaugh crag few weeks ago. He approached us and asked if we could do anything to help - he is increasingly having to ask people to take care / stick to paths during the nesting / rearing season. It is I think open access land  but in both the interest of the keeper and the birds and indeed our own interest could the message go out to take care on these moorland crags. The keeper was a very conciliatory and was keen to protect all the birds - not just the grouse.We had a pretty informative chat.

Would it be better if the approach only stated using the track and chimney flue as the only access rather than the parking north of the bridge and traipsing across the moor to the crags? There is a rough trod to follow but it definitely goes through more open ground.

Yes, This is the approach that was agreed many years ago and still makes sense. I’ve edited the introduction here https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/healaugh_crag_willas-1091/

Thanks Steve 👍

Thank you!

The actual approach preferred by the keeper was NOT that outlined in Steve Crowe's guide i.e Surrender bridge - Old Gang Mines - up the flue. Although he didn't particularly mind this approach, he preferred people to follow the track to the north which heads up Pin Seat and then taking the left turn at the track by the 2nd set of butts which contours round to the crag
 

I'm slightly conflicted by this.

Sounds like the keeper was a decent guy and that you had a positive chat. However, that area has always seemed to me to be an example of the bad side of moor management i.e. heavily/extensively burned with very low biodiversity.

As a climber visiting there I'm happy to comply with reasonable requests but in terms of protecting wildlife, we definitely aren't the real problem, especially not with the kind of traffic Healaugh gets.

Totally agreed.

Plenty of ecological, animal welfare ( including killing birds for sport) and social issues wrapped up in this.

However the keeper did report significant numbers of climbers, on occasions, disturbing ground nesting birds on their approach to the crag---

It's all relative I suppose, if he's never seen anyone then sees 4 people on consecutive weekends that could seem significant. I just looked at the logs and the most logged route has 104 accents across 44 years! Although obviously not everyone logs on UKC.

It's a nice wee crag but the last time I was there it felt quite desolate with fresh burning right up to the crag.

Anyway, keep up the good work, it costs us nothing to be polite and as my old man always says 'you catch more flies with honey than hen shit'.  

This is the way I originally approached the crag via the shooting butts and is certainly a reasonable route. It’s a long time since I was asked to recommend the track and Flue approach.

Visited this crag last Thur on the solstice - the estate track and flue seemed straightforward navigation if a bit of a grind. Amazingly met another team up there so had some good banter. Lovely boulders - bit scrittly and bit high in places - would be “popular” if in the Peak.

Yes the patchwork of burning  as far as the eye can see - a very managed environment which could look so different. Your father was obviously a wise man! Thanks.