Since it's looking like the Salisbury Crags will be indefinitely closed, I have started to wonder:
a) How illegal is it to climb at the crags? Can they do anything other than tell you to leave the premises? From my knowledge, trespassing is only a civil offense, so all they can basically do is ask you not to climb there again?
b) How risky is the rockfall situation compared to other crags in the UK? Is it possible that the risk of rockfall is disproportionately exaggerated since there is more data for a crag that is in the middle of the city and frequently walked by tourists? I have met people who have recounted stories of witnessing fridge-sized boulders falling off various rock faces in the UK.
From going on walks along the Radical Road, I know that the crag is incredibly easy to access even with the fence in the way (the fence does not extend all the way and is easily walked around if you're willing to climb through some bushes). This made me wonder why, as climbers, we don't just boulder at the crag. I believe this would be a very valid form of protest against the recent decision to bolt a fence to the classic and historically significant rock face, especially since they have stated that with regular maintenance it should be possible for the crag to remain open. From the 2021 risk assessment, they stated: "Removal of rockfall hazards by regular scaling is a feasible option, but this would have to be repeated on a regular timescale." What are people's thoughts?
Post edited at 16:43