UKC

Castle Rock, Gloucestershire

As the climbing walls are shut, there is another option!

For those of you that don't know about the crag at Cleeve Hill I have made a couple of topos and a video to inspire you.

Topos can be found here: https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oJsxrAgIfD8/WXJYnEz_DnI/AAAAAAAADnU/4j8s_guOlLcu...

and here: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kMRiBYLTlsM/WXJZeLFs9sI/AAAAAAAADnc/bxOTpztUn1Qf...

and I've made a short video of the crag here: youtube.com/watch?v=okKEiwhB_QY&

Enjoy! I may see you up there. At a 2 metre distance no doubt.

*Helmet is recommended as it's loose on top.

I used to climb there when I lived in Cheltenham - is a great little crag for an evening session. Easy to set up top ropes (no point leading routes as once you place gear you are at the top). Everything can be solo'd with a pad under you. Views are excellent and car park is by a pub. What more do you need! 

I can see this crag from my house.  The obvious lines are quite good but also very short.  There are also routes further along the escarpment but I wouldn't recommend them as they are so loose. I can cycle to the crag in about 45 minutes do a few routes and then cycle back down in less than 10  minutes so it's a good all round exercise.

I enjoyed the film as I haven't been up there for a couple of years. Although I have done every route dozens of times it's been a while so this film has encouraged me to pay a return visit

Al

Made a visit to cleeve hill for the first time this weekend just gone - didn't do any climbing, just had a little look around - these topos are really clear and the videos capture the place really well! It was massively windy when I went though - definitely a good idea to wait for a calm day I think

Thanks for sharing. I started my climbing at Castle Rock with school cadet force (plus the indoor wall in Tewksbury). This was over 30 years ago, I now work as an instructor in the Lakes.

I still have the guide produced by friends of mine who tragically were killed in the alps in 1987 (whilst still at school). James Collier and Roland Helps. 
 

At the time I was happy soloing all the routes there (age 16) - looking back that must have been the pinnacle of my climbing career!! I remember it being polished then, so must be like glass now?

In my guide there is also 2 girdle traverses- a lower one at 5c technical and a higher one at HVS.

I turned up at Cleeve Hill in the first new car I'd had in my life - an Alpha Sud - and some b*stard parked next to me in an equally new Ferrari!

Still went climbing, and I remember it being polished as well, that would be in 1981.

That video made it look better than the varnished turd it was in the 80s when I was a lad. You should do one on the Devil's Chimney - probably get that looking like the Old Man of Hoy! (Yes, I climbed the DC many a time in my teens... Very naughty.) 

I had 'a friend' who did a late evening ascent of DC many years ago. I seem to recall there being an old bolt on top (apparently). 

Yes I have to admit to climbing it quite a few times years ago before I knew better. The scary bit was climbing back down! I remember seeing the bolt on top but it was definitely not serviceable 25? years ago and probably never was. I once saw two people on top having a picnic.

I grew up in Leckhampton and the hill was our climbing area if we couldn’t get a lift to Cleeve hill (or didn’t want to bike there). We did numerous ‘first ascents’ all over the hill but one day a hill warden followed my mate home and told his parents it was dangerous (which it was of course). We then were banned from climbing there by parents (so soloed and bouldered instead!).

I was in Tivoli - sounds very familiar. How long ago? I never recalled any hill wardens. That said, it was​​​​ dangerous! 

I just discovered Leckhampton is in the database. Made me chuckle. I might try to find some old photos. 

Someone polished your car while you were there lucky you? Or did you mean the Ferrari?

Al

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157274013565983&id=710225...

Flipping heck, I used to live near there back in the 1970s and used to solo climb most of the obvious lines there. I had no idea I was climbing to that standard back then. Somewhere, I have a photo of me soloing what is an E1 in the snow, wearing EBs. 
 

Anyway, excellent topo, thank-you. It brings back very happy memories.

Recorded 1st ascents! Not much that hasnt been done below a very high tech grade. I recall seeing Ian Howells (spl?) there in the 60's

Can you email me those pics David? Awesome, love those old school photos!

I was talking about Leckhampton hill for the first ascents (not Castle rock) , if the ‘routes’ we did had been done already I would be surprised!

That's good drone video of Castle Rock and useful graded topos for climbers new to the place. It is possible to climb or traverse over just about every inch of the crag. It was very popular with Cheltenham climbers in the early 1970's when there was usually a good gathering every Tuesday evening, with a few pints downed in The Rising Sun pub afterwards. Does anything like that occur now?

Top roping using the many in-situ stakes that bristle above the crag was the norm, but when climbing at our prime regulars would cover the entire crag by soloing up a line, down-soloing the adjacent line, up the next one and so on right across the face. I'd better point out that down-soloing the 6a pitches around the central prow did require our very detailed knowledge of all the holds beforehand!  It's very steep and fingery climbing with some great one-finger pockets, but is exposed to wind and weather and, as has been mentioned, makes one very hot and sweaty when the sun is on it.

The winter alternative then was a very basic indoor climbing wall at Tewkesbury School made with protruding bricks (see my photos). The popularity of Castle Rock seems to have declined since The Warehouse climbing centre was opened in Gloucester in the mid 1990's. I too can see Castle Rock from my house, though it needs binoculars to spot any climbers there. I often walk the Cotswold Way or other footpaths crossing Cleeve Hill but it's rare nowadays to see anyone climbing; they're probably indoors at Gloucester, although I did once encounter Al Randall.

I'll be surprised if the "Ian Howells" that "Uphillnow" saw was the Ian (Pin) Howell of Mount Kenya fame. I climbed with Pin at various places in the world and I don't ever recall him mentioning visiting here, although he did travel about a lot and his work in radio communications may have involved visiting GCHQ in Cheltenham.

I remember how good Castle Rock was for maintaining climbing fitness when younger, but the last time I tried anything there I failed to get my now aged body very far above the ground!

That certainly sounds like the good old days Frank. I haven't seen any 'send trains' like that while I've been there. Once at Haresfield Beacon though from a local club. Seen lots soloing though but mostly top rope using the spikes.

 Down soloing the harder routes there sounds dicey! Suppose once you know where the holds are. The thing is, the rock is loose nowadays. On the right hand face mainly sound but I wouldn't want to take my chances on the left hand bit. I have done don't get me wrong but when I climb it now it makes me cringe when a (good) hold feels less secure. My favourite route is 'Dislocated' and that line is still quite secure apart from near the top. One nice jug just before topout feels a bit 'twitchy'.

Take the massive jug at the top of Piton Route ect (in that hard section), that is not far off coming down! Used it the other day and it wobbled.

I get the impression from talking to a few guys up there over the past couple of years that the routes are not what they used to be. Some completely changed from years ago.

How was the rock quality years ago?

What was your favourite line?

cheers

I first saw the crag 25 years ago - the angle iron stakes there now are the same ones.  Except for the ones that have disintegrated. 

Just been up there on my mountain bike this morning.  It was quite pleasant in the shade and there were two parties up there. I didn't feel the slightest temptation to climb though I do recall running into Frank Cannings up there some years ago.  I trust you are keeping well Frank.

Al

I guess the rock quality was better when it got regular traffic and I dont recall any personal near-misses with holds breaking off, but care was always needed especially in spring after winter icing had exfoliated the surface layer. We did joke that there was a crop of new routes to do every year! The prominent flake between "Piton Direct" and "Eliminate 1" always seemed a bit hollow but it's still there after 50 years. The path under the crag has eroded quite a lot so some hard moves are now further off the ground.

I always thought the best bit was around the central prow, the "Corner Direct" area, with good technical bouldering and traverse problems. I don't remember us ever using route names, although the Glos MC had published a guide in the 1960's.

This cliff gets around - I updated the guidebook by James Collier and Roland Helps, with their parents' permission,  for incorporation into the 1997 Wye Valley guidebook. Later the cliff took up residence, along with other Cotswold cliffs, in the 2010 Symonds Yat guide. Both published by The Climbers' Club.

I climbed there during the 10 years I lived in Cheltenham, with mates and alone. One day I turned up to find dozens of people milling around the base of the cliff. It was only when I saw the binoculars and heard the commentary behind me that I understood why they were there. 

I went to college there in the 80s but was more of a caver then. There were some small rift caves nearby that provided a couple of hours entertainment, including one manned by the worlds largest spider.