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CONSTITUTION.

  • 1. TITLE
    The title of the fund shall be the “Cumbria Bolt Fund”, hereafter called the CBF
     

  • 2. OBJECTIVE

    • a. The overall objectives of the CBF shall be to assist in ensuring that protection bolts on crags in Cumbria are safe and that the placement of bolts on crags in Cumbria will comply with generally accepted practice in the area determined by the climbing fraternity through the Lakes Area of the British Mountaineering Council

    • b. This will be achieved by: -

      • i. re-bolting and re-equipping routes with bolts placed according to current best practice. Retro-bolting will only be undertaken after the completion of due process as decided by the BMC Lakes Area.

      • ii. educating individuals in the placement of bolts to current best practice. Training will be offered to all potential new routers and re equippers.

      • iii. providing bolts to bolters primarily for old routes but also for new routing. This will ensure that funding for bolts and compliance with best practice is ensured. The current accepted practice is for the use of appropriate resin anchors for the rock type and environment.

      • iv. Setting up a database of routes and crags where bolts exist and their condition. This will enable the optimum targeting of bolt renewal and funding requirements.

      • v. Encouraging producers of guidebooks to indicate bolt quality in descriptions, such as date of last equipping.

      • vi. Coordinating, encouraging, and arranging to fundraise by individuals and from guidebook producers and other organizations to cover the cost of bolts and related items for the sustainable maintenance of bolted climbs.

    • c. Bolting activities by the CBF will only be on crags that are available for use by all climbers.
       

  • 3. MEMBERSHIP

    • a. The CBF has been formed under the auspices of the Lakes Area of the British Mountaineering Council.

    • b. Membership of the CBF is open to individuals who must have attended a workshop, organized by the CBF, which demonstrates good practice in bolt placement.
       

  • 4. MANAGEMENT

    • a. The CBF shall be managed and directed by an Executive Committee

    • b. The Executive Committee shall comprise:-

      • i. Chairman

      • ii. Secretary

      • iii. Treasurer

    • c. The funds held by the CBF will be used to acquire bolts as well as equipment for the placement of bolts. These will be under the control of the Executive Committee of the CBF.

    • d. The Executive Committee shall be elected annually from among the CBF membership and will be responsible for the correct management and control of any monies held by the CBF and for arranging the annual inspection of relevant accounts.

    • e. Accounts for the CBF will be prepared annually with an accounting date to 31 December.
       

  • 5. FUNDING

    • a. There shall be no fee for membership of CBF.

    • b. In the event of the termination of the CBF, the British Mountaineering Council will be responsible for any inescapable commitments and any surplus will be transferred to the British Mountaineering Council.

    • c. The CBF will endeavor to attract funding and grants as appropriate to cover the cost of bolting crags.

  • 6. THE CONSTITUTION

    Any changes to the Constitution must be agreed at General Meetings of the Lakes Area of the British Mountaineering Council.
     

  • 7. DEFINITIONS

    ​For the purposes of the CBF constitution, the following definitions will apply.

    • a. Retro-bolting.This is the placing of bolts on routes previously climbed without bolts.

    • b. Re-bolting.Replacing bolts on a route on a like for like basis.

    • c. Re-equipping. When replacing bolts on an existing route, it is often impractical to reuse the original drilled hole or drill a hole nearby. Sometimes holds fall off and changes the optimal clipping position. Re-equipping a route may require more bolts than on the original ascent. When the intention of the first ascensionist was to create a sport route with bolts and possibly a combination of manufactured and fixed gear, it is suggested that the route is fully re-equipped with bolts. Manufactured gear can include holes drilled to create a thread, drilled holes with a peg hammered in, and drilled slots to take a wired nut.
       

  • 8. LAKES Bolting Agreement

    The BMC Lakes area group and the CBF policy as agreed restricts bolting in Cumbria to quarries, Lakeland slate, and compact limestone and sandstone (St Bees and Coudy Rocks)

    ​Bolting will only be permitted on natural crags in exceptional circumstances after due process by the BMC Lakes area.
     

  • 9. Expansion on Objective 2.b.i.

    • a. Where no bolts were placed on the first ascent any new bolting would have to be approved by the recognized procedures. Retro-bolting historically important and classic routes is unlikely to be agreed.

      ​Guidebooks encouraged to use only UK trad grade. (FRCC already agrees.)

    • b. Isolated or occasional bolts. Same treatment as 9.1

    • c. Sports routes, fully bolted or relying mainly on fixed, drilled or manufactured placements.

      As stated above, when the intention of the first ascensionist was to create a sport route with bolts and possibly a combination of manufactured and fixed gear, it is suggested that the route is fully re-equipped with bolts to maintain the route to an acceptable modern standard.

      It is also proposed that the assumption, in this case, is that no " approval " is required from the first ascensionist.
       

  • 10. Guidebooks & Grading

    Guidebooks are encouraged to use the following (FRCC already agrees to this policy)

    • a. French grades for fully equipped sports routes.

    • b. English grades will only be used on unbolted routes*

    • c. A combined English and French grading system will be used on partially bolted routes e.g. in Hodge (and other climbing areas within the scope of the bolting policy) need special treatment. An ethical approach will be taken to such routes in order to maintain its historic style.

      *On natural crags (outside the bolting agreement) the use of combined Trad and Sports Grade above E5 is used.

      Some indication of bolt quality should be included in the description of all bolted routes, such as the date of last known equipping. (FRCC agrees) Unfortunately in most cases, this is also the date of the first ascent.
       

  • 11. Liability

    The Fund’s Executive Committee and Bolters do not accept responsibility for personal injury or death due to the failure of bolts. Training is given to bolters to current best practice. It is the responsibility of each climber to make a judgment on the quality and age of each bolt they clip and understand the BMC’s Participation Statement. 

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