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Staffordshire
Climbing: Level 1 Abseiling: Level 2
Cannock Wood, Staffordshire, WS15 4JJ. Nigel Theaker 01543 682278
Website: www.beaudesert.org
This is a large Scout campsite with two facilities, one for climbing and one for abseiling. The climbing wall is outdoors on the end of a building, but it has a partial roof and so is protected. It is in a fenced off area and consists of wooden panels with bolt-on holds. The floor is concrete, and there is ladder access to set up ropes. The wall is to be extended and improved as time and funds allow. At the moment it is worth using if you are camping at the site; certainly good enough for a beginner session.
Beaudesert Wall 
Beaudesert Quarry
Abseiling: The quarry is a 5 minute walk from the main office hidden in the woods. The top area is fenced off (handlines are used to guide young people along the top away from the edge; you need to set these up yourself). The anchors are very large trees, and take off areas are worn so that it is obvious where they are. This is a very easy location to set up and operate if you are a Level 2 instructor or above, and this is the GA qualification required.
Beaudesert Park have SPA qualified staff and are also willing if approached to run GA Level 1 and 2 courses as they have a local MIC who is able to train and assess for these. If you are in this area nad looking for a course, please contact the warden or the GA (see contacts page).
Level 2
Address: Kibblestone Scout Camp, Oulton, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8TD. Tel: 01785 813407 Fax: 817631
email: kibblestone@staffs-scouts.demon.co.uk website:www.staffs-scouts.demon.co.uk
This is a large and attractive scout site which has a small crag in the grounds near the entrance. This is an old quarried face and is vertical, so one part is being adapted for climbing by drilling anchors for bolt-on holds to be put in place. Its main use currently is for abseiling. There is a belay system set up at the top, and in addition very large trees.
The Guide Association Level 2 Award wil be accepted at the site, and whilst currently site instructors have Scout qualifications, the warden is very well up to date with the Guide climbing scheme and in future it is likely that the site's own instructors will have Guide qualifications.
Level 3
Unit 1, Buxton Road, Longnor, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 ONZ
T: 01298 83149 F: 01298 83846 Ken Weston - Centre Manager
This is a Leek College/Local Authority site and can be used by the Guide Association. Qualifications of the centre's own instructors have not been checked, and Leaders should ask for SPA qualified staff in the meantime. Unfortunately the centre won't accept any qualification less than SPA, and you need to take a copy of your certificate.
The wall is fairly small and basic, consisting of a plywood surface with bolt on holds made by another climbing wall, the Rope Race in Manchester. There is a scaffold bar at the top for you to pass your own rope over (tracer ropes in place), so you do need to bring a rope.
Males and
females aged 7 years upwards. Opens: Mon, Wed, Fri 10.00am-9.30pm. Tues,
Thurs 10.00am-4.00pm.
From a local paper:
'With ninety different climbs of graded difficulty, Upper Limits is fully equipped with a top roped safety system. Its network of "caves," hidden behind a climbing wall, leads to an abseil tower and will be accessible to cavers with disabilities.
Rock climbing,
archery, indoor caving.
Activities available for most groups of people.
Level 1
Greengore Lane, Walton on the Hill, Stafford, ST17 0LD.
Contact: Abdy Simmons (Wall Manager) 01283 840887 or 07753 796230
This site has a very good indoor climbing wall. The wall is perhaps 4m high and has several in situ ropes. It is a well maintained facility with sections of wall suitable for several levels.
Level 1
The Compa
Kinver
Staffordshire
DY7 6HR
Tel: 01384873586
Fax:
Warden@kinvercamp.org.uk
: http://www.kinvercamp.org.uk
This site has a new and very impressive tower, built in 2004 by 'Vertigo'.The tower includes a zipwire as well as an adjacent crate challenge(please note that these are not covered by this award so any queries to HQ), climbing faces and abseiling .
The site has GGUK Level 1 qualified instructors, and you may take your group there with this qualification.Please note that the L1 does not qualify you to take zipwires of crate challenge (or any other high wire activity).
Sherratt's Wood Scout Camp
Morrilow Heath
Leigh
Staffordshire
Tel: 01889 505556 or Rod Mills 01785 246717
http://uk.geocities.com/sherrattswood/old/index.htm
Thsi iste has a new tower, about 25 feet high with inside access and climbing on a purpose built surface on one side. There are scaffold bar belays.
We await more information about instruction and qualifications.
SPA
Windgather rocks stand on the border of Staffs and Derbyshire. They face west on a ridge (hence the name) and provide a number of routes in easy grades, ideal for groups.
Rather surprisingly we have been asked whether these rocks are suitable as a Level 2 venue. They are not. Belays are sparse and tricky to arrange in places, and a minimum SPA is required to teach here.
