UKC

Climbs 225
Rocktype Gritstone
Altitude 500m a.s.l
Faces S

View Stats

A gap in hill cloud at sunrise, allows the sun to light up the mist around West Nab, Meltham Moor. © Andy Hemingway

Crag features

The thing you need to know about West Nab is that it is bloody marvellous, only a visit can do it justice. It's loved not just for the wide range of 200+ boulder problems - mostly middle grades on natural gritstone blocks - but also its aspect and history. It's regarded by many as 'a special place' with ethereal magic. When it starts getting dark, stay and watch the sunset, it's a joy not to be missed. Iron Age Man lived locally, somebody never finished carving The Praying Monk, and in 1945 a Flying Fortress crashed here.

Highest point in West Yorkshire. If you can see anything higher it's either in Derbyshire or you're at the wrong crag. On a good day this could mean it's cool or dry when other venues are inhospitable, on a bad day it could be almost Arctic or you won't see the next problem for mist, never mind the next boulder.

The two sets of numbers refer to the BMC Over the Moors (OTM) guide 2012 and the Huddersfield Area guide 2002, now hard to get hold of. The Crag is on SSSI land, dogs not permitted.

PARKING UPDATE 2023 - parking is limited to a handful of cars due to boulders on the verge. BMC access reps have contacted the land owner and Kirklees Council, progress remains slow. Please park carefully leaving room for others and not blocking anyone.

Approach notes

Easy to find as the highest point to the right as the road climbs southwest out of Meltham to meet the A635 between Holmfirth and Greenfield. Two stiles mark footpaths up, one at the painted Cock Crowing Stone, the other about 1/4 mile up the road. Further parking south on the road in a large layby, longer walk in. The problems further right can be awkward to reach directly, possibly easier to walk along the top and drop down. 

No Access Issues

The BMC represent the wishes of climbers through the Peak District Local Access Forum. There is a year round dog ban and shooting restrictions may apply - please adhere to any on-site signing.

Had some difficulty in approaching the Archers Boulders, Painted Number Boulders, Slab and Arete Boulders. Does anyone know if the approach is from above the Azra Boulders or from the fence below? Guess it might be time of year with heather etc. Thanks!
mansfic - 19/Jun/21
Over The Moors problems listed as (OTM). Other problems are from the old Huddersfield Bouldering Guide Book, I have used that guide's sections to group the problems. A definitive guide was due to be prepared for http://www.kirkleesclimbing.co.uk/west_nab, but has yet to be produced.
Alex Thompson - 24/Mar/21
Lovely spot. Awkward listing for most problems. Do the first set of numbers relate to the unobtainable Huddersfield guide? But meaningless without some sort of description. Over The Moors is useful but there's far more listed with no clues as to what or where. Pretty please moderator?
steveriley - 12/Aug/20
The boulders and earth which were deposited in the laybys close to the Crowing Stone sometime between late afternoon Sunday 20 July 2020 and midday Monday 21 July 2020 are not the work of fly tippers but the landowner who objects to open access onto his land. He can't do anything about this but seeks to frustrate legitimate access. This a tactic that has been used by the Crowthers in Chew Valley and is now apparent along the whole stretch of the Isle Of Skye Road. West Nab is within the National Park and the actions of the landowner in digging up weathered gritstone boulders and depositing them on roadside areas that have been used as parking spots for decades should be addressed. I wonder if this would be allowed to happen if West Nab was in Derbyshire?
Twolittlepigs - 21/Jul/20
Worth noting that despite being on open access land, this is dog banned...
Fatneck - 11/Jul/19
It should say now completely 'paved'.
Al Doig - 06/Jan/13
The muddy pool beneath Access Denied is no completely 'paved'. I will try to upload a picture at some point.
Al Doig - 06/Jan/13
OTM is useful for identifying problems, but there's still plenty more to be found in the out of print Huddersfield Area guidebook.
Alex Thompson - 07/Oct/12
True moorland bouldering - quiet, peaceful, great views and fantastic variety of problems :-)
PD - 03/Apr/12
There's plenty more micro-problems just waiting to be sent! Haven't been able to include the old projects identified in the guidebook, certain that some of these have been completed by now.
Alex Thompson - 12/Oct/10
Login as Existing User to add your comments

Climbs at this crag

Name Grade Stars Type Logs Partner Ascents
Please Login or Register to log routes or add them to your wishlist
These climbs you have climbed clean.
These climbs you have climbed by seconding or top-roping.
These climbs you have Dogged.
These climbs you Did not Finish.
Climbs are waiting to be checked by a crag moderator, and may not be accurate. Climbs can't be verified by a crag moderator, and they need more information to confirm it. Climbs are no longer climbable.

Moderators Updates to this page are checked by UKC volunteers steveriley and Alex Thompson

Loading Notifications...