Dave Smith on Waltzing Matlilda at Foredale
A summary of moderate sports climbing venues in Yorkshire.
There are several blog’s for foreign bolt clipping on the YAC site.
However I have seen no mention of any local bolt clipping, while climbers from with similar grade profiles are regularly enjoying local bolted climbing YAC members seem to be missing out on some superb climbing on their own doorstep.
So here are some local venues for the moderate bolt clipper who is at home leading on an indoor wall & wants to progress to climbing outdoors.
Giggleswick
The original easy grade sports venue in Yorkshire, south facing, with over 100 bolted routes from F5 to mid F7’s.Very popular venue & often crowded.
Robin Proctor Scar
Another well established bolt venue. South facing but exposed to westerly winds, routes are longer & better quality than Giggleswick grades from F5 to F6c.
Some of the routes here are very good & well worth a visit.
Panorama Crag
South facing with 30 bolted routes from F5 to F7a, another crag well worth visiting.
Trow Gill
The climbs are in a sheltered gorge, it needs dry conditions. The south facing side has routes from 6a to mid 7’s. Another superb venue for the 6a man, the down side is that it can get midgy.
Trollers Gill
The nearest sport venue to York, well bolted with routes for 5 to 7c, unfortunately most of the easy routes are a waste of time. However there are several well bolted 6a+ routes that should be possible for many if you adopt a red point approach. Well worth a visit for people climbing 6a+ on a wall.
Castleburgh
Situated in the middle of Settle, you can’t miss this one its got a flag on top.
Routes from 5 to 7a+, south facing this is a good winter venue & well worth a visit although the best routes are in the 6c & above bracket.
Blue Scar
Another sensational sports venue, unfortunately this north facing crag is bird banned until 31st July & so at best there is a window of 6-8 weeks for climbing. With a lot of high quality routes from 6a to 7b it the weather is good in August/Sept this is a must visit venue for the moderate bolt clipper.
Foredale
Over 200 routes with more being added all the time, this is a major venue with quality routes from 3 to 7a+. Some routes are as good as the best trad climbs in the UK.
Make no mistake this is a major sports venue.
Up to date details of these crags can be found on the Leeds Wall downloads website & photos/blogs of many local bolted venues can be found on yorkclimbers.ning.com.
Happy clipping
i can vouch for the friendliness of foredale – its a nice venue, though too far for an evening sortie.
Not been to castleburg yet, but from what I'v heard theres still a fair bit of loose rock about so possibly not an ideal low grade/novice venue despite the availability of lower grades.
I still think Robin Proctors Scar sound like something your seedy old uncle offers to show you in the pub
All the above crags are much more suited for low grade novice climbers than some crags that YAC have visited recently such as Agden Rocher, peak Scar, Whitestones, Orgate Scar, Crimple Beck etc.
Trollers gill for instance would be ideal for an evening visit (close to Brimham)
In the last few days several bew routes have been put up at Foredale & the bird ban on Blue Scar is coming off early possibly on Friday 2nd July (Please check this on RAD before visiting the crag)
Get your facts right Guido!
We have never had a club trip to Agden (though a few individual members have been). Orgate Scar was a one-off trip over a year ago specifically advertised as "not for beginners". Peak Scar and Whitestone trips get similar warning attached (though are fine for beginners from a scrambling background, ie used to the possibility of loose rock). Crimple Beck is rubbish and we only go there when there's not enough daylight to go elsewhere.
How about organising a bolt-clipping trip for the club sometime?