"Abseiling"

[Marmot]

What is it with people thinking that abseiling is a sport?!

"Did u go abseiling this weekend?" - No! I went bloody climbing, abseiling is just a means of getting down off a climb!

Why would they think that its a sport? wheres the skill? wheres the challenge?

Oh look at me i can pay this rope out - arent i clever

Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!

[Ollie]

Indeed. It can be fun/scary the first few times, and for the young'uns there's probably some achievement in doing it, but after that.... what's the point?

Ollie

[timmygowalkies]

I've got to agree with you. The first time I ever abseiled it felt amazing but after you've done it a few times you lose the thrill from it.
Tim

[Hillwalker]

As an outdoor leader I often get asked to take groups abseiling, which always fills me with despair.

I detest the way people will want to just sample a single aspect of our sport and use it like an Alton Towers thrill.

I always try to insist that if they want to abseil down, they have to climb up first!!! They do it and almost always enjoy it, understand the purpose of it and see it in its place as part of the total sport.

I am just a miserable old git really!

[David]

I have to say first, I am not a climber; so I probably don't have the 'taste' for the finest parts of climbing. However, I have climbed quite a lot, and abseiled quite a lot, and I still enjoy abseiling. I would always prefer to climb rather than abseil for fun, but I would still enjoy to abseil if it was the only thing offered for some reason. I appreciate that there isn't really the same skill in abseiling, but is it so bad just to enjoy something simple like that???

[insane_climber]

i know its a skill involeved in climbeing being a climber my self but i think the BMC and needle sports recognise it as a seperat sport. if it is its a sport for thoes that are scared to climb