UKC

I often drive up the A1 to Darlington, as it's our nearest big town (I live on Catterick Gsn) and everytime I do, I pass what appears to be old quarry workings. They're just after the Piercebridge/Barton junction (B6275) and I've often though 'I wonder if it's climbable'. Today I saw a few people sitting around the base, couldn't make out if they were climbers, but it got me thinking.

Does anyone know anything about this quarry? Who owns it? Can you climb it?

Google maps link here:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=54.470197,-1.667863&hl=en&num=1&am...

In reply to NobbyClark:

The Cleveland MC have climbed most of the obvious lines. The crag is often banned despite being owned by a climber

In reply to Steve Crowe:

Cheers Steve. I've often wondered, I'm not climbed up here (desptite moving here last year...I'm a bad widdle boy) and am on the look out for some late summer/early autumn climbing. Hagg Wood sounds ok, but couldn't find it (seems to be at the top of the steep bank I looked at and though 'no way can it be up there') as does Downholme (to which a mate of mine is hopefully sorting access for me).

Is it worth climbing? And why on earth would the owner not permit climbing there?

In reply to NobbyClark:

As said, Barton Quarry, we were bouldering there back in the 1960s. The rock is amazing, made up of 100% crinoids. Good fingery problems galore,


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Cheers Chris, sounds like it might at least be worth stopping by.

What concerns me is that the owner doesn't allow climbing. What puzzles me is that he's a climber himself :s

In reply to Chris Craggs:
Blimey, I have blithely dismissed it hundreds of times, my parents live very near it, I have driven past it loads and never bothered to check it out - just assumed it was choss!

In reply to NobbyClark:

I think that they may have been actively removing stone recently.

In reply to Steve Crowe:

Possiility I suppose!

It's slipped a space on my list as I've had some info on access to Downholme today.

In reply to NobbyClark:

Sent you a message in your Hagg Wood thread.

Give me a shout, I know both the Hagg Wood and Downholme Quarry.

In reply to Steve Crowe:

Yes, the best routes are disappearing quick!

In reply to NobbyClark:

Just seen this thread - I used to boulder/traverse there a lot in the 80s (my Dad still lives nearby), but the bit I used to use was next to the exit slip road off the A1 (north-bound) - ie south of the more obvious quarry that you can see. Unfortunately a sycamore forest has grown up in there now and its all very dank and green - it used to be open grass, and was a good training venue.

The more obvious quarry next to the entry slip road was always supposedly banned (and for some reason I never tried to find out if it was actually enforced!) - I tried it recently and it was OK, though it doesn't have the long traverse lines that the other one had.

Rick

In reply to NobbyClark:

Drove past it again today after being away for a week or so, and I swear there's a lot more rock lying around on the floor.

Also found Downholme today; that should keep me busy for a while anyway!