UKC

Following on from Fiend's thread.
I'll start,
Docky Dam, Rochdale

The Ent

In reply to Enty:

Pittington Scar, Durham.

In reply to Enty:

Stubbins boulders, stubbins, Lancs

In reply to Enty:

Stanage, there's always too many people there!

In reply to CENSORED: i was thinking about posting that!

In reply to Enty:

Docky Dam is one of the worst places I've ever been to as well and I've been to some horrible crags

In reply to Anni:

They must be bad if I have never found them. I thought I knew every piece of rock in Lancashire.

The Ent

In reply to Enty:

St, St, St, Stannington Ruffs.
I win.

the bantham hand

rem

In reply to Enty:

Some things in south-east Wales are unspeakably bad.

In reply to Enty:

Denham quary.

somehow I can't switch off to all the graffiti and the scrap heap which is ment to be a pool.

In reply to The Lemming:
Come on Lemming, I'm talking really bad. I have had a few good eveings at Denham. (no jokes about dogging please!)

The Ent

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Taffs Wells West. Makes satire obsolete.

In reply to Enty:

Sorry?

They do what there?

Still does not make up for the crap surroundings.

In reply to Enty: caldbeck moore quarry

In reply to Enty:

Finedon Slab's: Read the description and weep.

http://www.leicesterclimbs.f9.co.uk/FinedonI.htm

(I think this topic has been done fairly recently)

In reply to Enty:

Pontesford Rocks

In reply to Enty: Cadshaw quarries. There are routes there but life will always be too short...

T.

In reply to Enty:

Gollum's Cave - like the fireplace of an abandoned squat, but without the homely feel.

In reply to Tony Buckley: And thinking about it a little more, climbing there might be one way to make it shorter still.

T.

In reply to Enty:

On a parr with Docky Dam is Pittington, nr Durham

The Staiths, below the Weirmouth Bridge in Sunderland

And last of all Crag Gate, between Penrith and Carlisle. Climbing was OK, but the felled/fallen conifer trees, bogland and the 'is that it?' feeling when you eventually find the crag.

Any one else had the pleasure of climbing at these venues?

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Agreed. Just ludicrous that it's in any guidebook. And my memory is that there's even worse than that.

In reply to Enty: mam tor

In reply to Enty: In the cornweall guidebook there is a route. .. about E4 or so, first ten feet unportected, leader would fall onto a large rusty spike ... just one route but thats baaaaad !

Dave

In reply to g taylor:

yup, but does anyone really call that a crag? It's just a famous well-positioned dangerous adventure by all accounts (I've never had the guts to do it)

In reply to dave frost:

Hang on, Dave, we're not talking about bad as in dangerous, but bad in every way, including - mostly - the quality of rock, the setting, and the danger. The worthiness of the danger always being proportional to the quality of the rock and the route.

In reply to Removed User:
I'll second Fiends opinion, Finedon isn't a crag and therefore doesn't count

In answer to the original post, easy: Chudleigh - one of the few crags I visited once and swore I'd never return to.

In reply to Enty:

Another vote for Cadshaw Quarries (not the Small Q, which has nice bouldering, or the natural edge which is cute). It really, really mings.

Also, try Billinge Hill Quarry (Blackburn). Deeply uninspiring in 'usual' conditions. Denham Quarry is good, leave off!

In reply to Enty:

I feel I must nominate Woodhouse Scar. If it were relocated elsewhere it would no doubt be lovely. However, like The Lemming, I can't switch off from the graffiti, needles, small-mammal-killing children and geneal ambience of the place.
On the plus side, it does have a multicultural ethos, as you can have your gear stolen by youths of all races.

In reply to Enty:

Whilst not a fan of disused quarries in general, Denahm's not bad at all -- and its only about 4 miles from my house!

I've been to worse -- much worse -- and not all are in Lancashire.

I'll nominate Binnie Craig near Livingston for starters -- nice location but utterly crap rock - a total waste of time.

Hopefully the Black Hole (aka Armathwaite Quarry) will have regained its cloak of vegetation and returned to its previous state as the village rubbish tip! It actually had the odd half decent route, but mainly north east facing, shrouded in trees, and perpetually dark and dank.

In reply to Enty: Coming from Yorkshire, I shouldn't slag off GOR (TM, copyright Yorkshire Mountaineering Club) but I have to nominate Calverley Quarry as one of the worst crags.

I actually went twice just to confirm how bad it was, but then it was only a couple of miles from home (that's my excuse).

If you can actually find this place, you're unlucky!

In reply to The Lemming: I agree, Denham, not to mention the loose rubble, rotten rock and kids throwing cans off the top.

In reply to Enty: I once looked at the crag at Parbold near Wigan, it's just down a track from the top of the hill. I didn't return to climb their, it looked pretty bad. Would be interested to know if anyone has had a go though.

In reply to Enty:

Court Knowe Quarry in Glasgow gets my vote. In over ten 10 years of climbing I've never heard of anyone actually climbing there apart from the one time I went. Infact until this thread I'd forgotten it existed!

Still the the database says it's got enjoyable routes!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/databases/crags/craginfo.html?id=1619

In reply to Enty:

There's some absolute pants crags on the Mendips, heaven knows why Crocker thought fit to include some in the guide - Curious Holes Quarry for example must have only been added due to one amusing route name, it is a non-curious hole.
As are Ashwick Grove and one or two others nearby. Morlais Quarries in Merthyr is horrible too IMO.

In reply to Enty:

Becca Banks Crag

Of the crags I've been to this one is the worste... but as it's 10 minutes away from my house I just keep going back for more!!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/databases/crags/craginfo.html?id=1294

In reply to Enty:

Crag above the station hebden bridge
Crowden great Quarry
The newer bits of Giggleswick South

In reply to Enty:

The Brek merseyside

In reply to Enty: Have you ever climbed at Docky Dam, I only live a couple of miles away and run past it on a regular basis, I have never seen anyone climbing on it and have never had the inclination myself.

In reply to Ridge:

I think you underplay its attractions. You omitted to mention the dog-turds, broken WKD bottles, slime, etc

In reply to steve barnbrook:

Ah, I must have been so distracted by the major attractions that I overlooked these minor gems...

In reply to Beaver:
Translation: I am posh and live in Aberford...

In reply to Thurg:

Pontesford? Why? A nice crag in a lovely setting with solid rock. It used to be fairly quiet, too. Hardly in the same league as Pittington or Stannington. I remember my visit to Pittington in 1993, vividly. We got the bus from Durham carrying bags piled with gear. Whilst my mates started getting ready, I decided to boulder around the botom of our chosen route. Two ultra-solid looking jugs gave way simultaneously and I fell flat on my back from about 3 inches up. We caught the next bus home...

In reply to balti boy:

I'll second that. The only good thing about it is that if you fall off you will be cushioned by the huge mounds of dog shit everywhere

In reply to Ridge: Haha.... very good Mr. Ridge!! If I was posh and lived in Aberford I would now sue your ass off. Unfortunately I live in Woodlesford and am less posh so don't have the means to pay the court costs

In reply to thread:

Always wondered why one of the mags doesn't run an article on, say, the bottom ten crags in the UK. We all know that Stanage, the Pass etc are good - what we need is a list of crags to *avoid*!

In reply to Wingnut:

We don't because most gash crags are gash because they are loose or vegetated or both.

Putting people off these places won't improve matters. Traffic will clean the rotues up and possible make the venue a little better.

In reply to JamieAyres:

Twynion Gwyniau is much worse than Morlais. There are worthwile route there. Umm.. Cefn Coed. Penrhiwceiber. Trebanog. Ponty Common boulders. All shit.

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer:
I'm still not convinced that more traffic would improve Finedon. Or indeed Ivy Scar Rock.

In reply to Enty:

Cummingston, Moray. The holds are all covered in sand and within two feet of leaving the ground you have a nice grinding effect going on behind your contact lenses and can barely keep your eyes open.

In reply to Wingnut:

Don't know, never been there ... But more traffic certainly would improve many routes on some of the Mendip crags.

In reply to Thurg:

How on earth do you reach that conclusion? The climbing may not be the best but its more than adequate and anyone who doesn't enjoy the surroundings just has no soul IMO.

The worst would surely have to be some hole in the ground quarry full of rubbish and abandoned cars rather than a nice little crag in pleasant rural surroundings?

In reply to StuartM:
>>

I remeber the visit well. We should have made a pact, sealed with blood on that day, vowing to never return.

In reply to StuartM:


You must have had hangover, Stu. Chudleigh has some really nice routes. OK, the classics like Wogs and Sarcophagus are polished beyond all reason, but Machete wall, the Spider and Combined Ops are great.

Not even in the same league as Cotton Bank, undoubtedly the worst crag in Staffordshire.

In reply to JamieAyres:


Sorry I have to disagree

It doesn't have much int the way of well protected easy routes, but I can certainly remeber quite a few inspiring lines that I couldn't even get off the floor on

In reply to Enty: Hoghton Bottoms, dont go, its a nice walk, but the bridge is a better climb!

Stu

In reply to JamieAyres: I've only been to Morlais once but I didn't think it was that bad, just in serious need of sand-blasting.

In reply to timjones:

Furry muff.

I always seem to go to places like Morlais and Llangattock in the winter and find them miserable and uninspiring.

Probably not giving them a fair chance tho'..

There's some rubbish crags on Merthyr Common too, but only ever flown over them.

In reply to Anni: One day you will appreciate the joy of a good sitstart. And the fact that compared to the rest of the UK Muchalls is not great, but compared to what else is available in the area, it is pretty good. Half a dozen of the problems are gems.

In reply to Papillon:

no way, that crag is ok. Done loads of routes there, including the E5 arete!

Try central quarry on A675 on the way down to wilton from the M65 if you want some real lancashire shite. Even the most hardened esoterica fan would not bother. Parbold is only on the dge of bad compared to some of the other bests lancashire has to offer.

In reply to Enty: Blacknor North on Portland.

the majority of it starts with horrible crumbly stuff.

In reply to Enty:
Cligga Head in Cornwall.

You approach over a horrible little industrial estate, cross the end of a manky looking airstrip, fight your way past an army of scallies on trail bikes careering around the abandoned mine workings to catch your first glimpse of the sea... An enormous, rotting zawn full of rubbish, terrifying rock and burnt our cars. When we finally found our route (Queen Jane a 2 star Diff, allegedly) we had to descend on granite so rotten you could pull it apart like sand. The climbing was crap, the gear indifferent, and the belay consisted of 3 rusty old bits of ironmongery shoved into the aforementioned rotten granite.

Funnily enough we didn't do any other routes there and quickly ran off to Pentire, which was much nicer.

In reply to JR: Fair enough I'll give it a go someday. It was quite a muggy day when I checked it out so maybe that gave me a bad impression. Is it in the Lancs guidebook (big un)?

In reply to remtherockclimber:

That is a fine climb - a great experience leading to a true summit.

In reply to Enty:

I have yet to find a crag where you can't enjoy yourself - even Mixenden

In reply to TN:

you beat me to Stannington Ruffs.....it's my nearest crag....walking distance....the shame!

In reply to Enty:

Hag Wood

Andy

In reply to Enty:

As a Lancastrian (well, Mancunian) it pains me to say that the top contenders for the thread title are all Lancs quarries. Utter tripe - morbid, industrial and full of effin' rhodedendrons. Gives me the creeps.

In reply to Enty: Probably not on the badness scale that some of the previously mentioned crags are but Dunlichity, just outside Inverness, is a great pile of chossy shite.

In reply to Greenbanks:

Most Lanc's quarries are good to reasonable, the odd poor one, but there is always something to make the visit worthwhile,

The only exception so far being Docky Dam! Worth a visit just so you can say you have been! I did a route on the right wall just so I did not have to go back.

It's a fair sized quarry, but only has 7 (?) routes, the first ascentionists even joke about this place 'WHAT, you've been to Docky Dam' then laugh at each other and shake head in disbelief!

In reply to craig h:

Maybe. Just torch those rhodedendrons...!

In reply to Enty:

I never thought Pittington Quarry was that bad. If you live in Durham, it is the best of a bad bunch. More to the point, I was not aware that it ever made it to a guide book (except as a minor crag with no route descriptions) can someone prove me wrong?

Hag Wood is, IMHO, a half decent crag. If you really like VS cracks, you might even class it as a good crag.

No, for real, top class crud you want to go to Eston Nab or Marske Quarry

Y.

In reply to wcdave:

Dunlichity, just outside Inverness, is a great pile of chossy shite.

I would not say that, but I totally agree with you.

In reply to Yrmenlaf:

It has always been a minor crag, but that is a very loose description of the place; as it’s a tottering pile of rock.

When you compare it to the other crags in the area like The Cove, Cleadon, Houghton Grave Yard, Kepier Crag, A1 road bridge at Lumley (classic venue if up that way, always dry + good pub), even Jesmond Dene is better IMHO

In reply to craig h:

I've done Cleadon, Kepier is OK for bouldering, Not into buildering. HOughton is attractive, but havn't got out there. Jesomond Dene I have not climbed.

Castle Eden Dene is the other Durham esoteric crag. It is in the 1980's guide. I climbed there once.

Nice walks, tho'

Y.

In reply to Yrmenlaf:

Castle Eden is not bad either, there is lots of good wandering round that area, plus you have The Wainstones, Scugdale and the Slipstones close by!

I do enjoy it when I have to work up there, lots to do and see.

In reply to craig h:

Oh, yes. Now I have a car, Durham is good for climbing. When I depended on buses or walking, it was not.

I will stick by my defence of Hag Wood

Y.

In reply to Papillon:


No its in cheshire sandstone. Out of print.

In reply to craig h:

I was wondering if anyone would mention the Durham Denes but I suppose so few people have ever visited them. Some of them are OK but there are several contenders for the "Worst UK Crag" award amongst the rest of them.

In reply to Enty:

Apart from the Lancs quarries, another good contender would be one of the Leicestershire crags

In reply to Yrmenlaf:

Yep. It was in the narrow guidebook that we used to take out with us from DUMC in 1992-4. I think it was called 'Rock Climbing in the North of England" or "....North East of England" - it had a pale brown spine and an odd, heavy print. I think it was printed in the eighties, but maybe 1990.

As for the best of a bad bunch, IMO that would be Causey Quarry, with Kepier good fun for a bouldering hour. Goldsborough, Wainstones, Corbys etc. all good if you could snag a lift off somebody, but Causey if you were on the bus or hitching.

In reply to Snorkers McPorkers:

The 1980 Wilson / Kenyon brown guide has eight lines of text, which admits that "a number of climbs have been climbed"

I know that Mike Sweeting did a few of them, but I don't know that they made a guidbook (unless you have a later reprint of the 1980's guide)

Y.

How about Stanage......
......On a bank holiday?

In reply to Yrmenlaf:

Unfortunately it was the University club guide, so I only borrowed it and can't check. That said, I have a clear memory of a VS being described in whichever book we were using, as that was what we had set out to do that day.

There was another, older-looking guidebook that we used to use, also with a brown spine, but more of a standard guidebook size - perhaps it was in this one.

I still think it's a contender though!!

In reply to Snorkers McPorkers:

The real disappointment is Westerton Quarry

I went there (with my 1980s guide in my pocket) to check out these starred 25 foot VS 4c's

Couldn't find the crag

So I spoke to a nice gentleman pricking out his pansies who informed me that it had been filled in as landfill 10 years ago.

So that probably wins hands down as the worst crag in a guidebook.

Y.

In reply to Greenbanks:

Must agree with Greenbanks here. Though there are some excellent climbs in Leics, Pocketgate quarry near Woodhouse Eaves is pretty naff, not least because over protective zealots from the local golf club say that climbing is forbidden because there are some 'very old fossils' !!!!!??????? in the rock. I'm going to stick to limestone where the fossils are not old at all, apparently.

In reply to ianl.whitfield:

The most depressing for me must be Stone Farm, a crag that has basically been climbed to death & a good indication of what all the Sandstone crags might well become if not looked after better.

Ian

In reply to Enty:

Anything on grit!!! wahahahahaha!!!!!!

In reply to Yrmenlaf:

There was a dolomite crag near Brassington/Harborough that had a 150 foot ridge which sounded quite pleasant, in the very first guide to Peak limestone (the little blue book by, I think, Graham West). The entire ridge was blown up by the landowner subsequently...

I think part of Yellowslacks suffered a similar fate?

In reply to StuartM:

"In answer to the original post, easy: Chudleigh - one of the few crags I visited once and swore I'd never return to. "

Obviously you only tried the polished trade routes then.

Combined Ops
Stalagtite
Inkermans Groove
Machete Wall
The Fly

All quality stared routes! And tats jus to mention a few.

In reply to Enty:

Bulls Hollow on a misty damp winter's day.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I dont care how good the rock is, a but rusty pole up my delicate little botty isnt worth it, no sir ! ma mans delicate botty is his own private kingdom !

(thats balckadder, the highwayman )

Dave

In reply to craig h:
Pittington Nr Durham, I libe near there and didn't even think you could call that a crag??

In reply to Yrmenlaf: I'm looking for people to climb with and live in Durham area... any offers?

In reply to gilldando:

Are you really the late Gill Dando? Shouldn't someone tell Barry Bulsara? Or Woolsack?

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


A rich vein indeed of bad crags. It's the combination of lifeless post-industrial blight and truly awful rock that really sets this region apart. The Rust Curtain at Sirhowy would be my top nomination. Its only mitigating property is its proximity to parking which means it may be contemplated and rejected quite efficiently.

The Breck in Merseyside is a bit naff.

In reply to Trangia:

At least Bull's Hollow has solid rock (in places...). My worst on southern sandstone is Ramslye Farm - tiny, low, green and greasy, with soft sandy rock and always a real bushwhack through the nettles to get there.

In reply to hutchm:
yeah my responses to those jokes are about as tired as the gags themselves now, lol

In reply to jgaventa:
My worst on southern sandstone is Ramslye Farm - tiny, low, green and greasy, with soft sandy rock and always a real bushwhack through the nettles to get there.


I had gorgotten that little gem! I agree with you about the stinging nettles, great on a summer's day when you are wearing shorts!

In reply to craig h: The Staithes used to be fantastic, back in the early 80's, before the council decided to re-point everything. Many (and I mean many) a good session down there.

In reply to GraemeA at home:

That would explain a lot! Worked on the Weirmouth Bridge for about 6 weeks in the mid 90’s. after a few aborted attempts to find anything suitable to climb on, or anything which vaguely matched the guide book descriptions; we discovered The Cove and Cleadon Crags.

Many a happy evening spent at The Cove, trying to keep your feet/bum dry in heavy seas or high tides. Amazed how quickly this place can change due to the amount of pebbles deposited or removed during very rough seas. Walked past it once, due to it almost being completely full of pebbles, a few months later the crag was about 2.5m higher

In reply to craig h: The nearly vert sandstone walls near the bridge were ace. Good fingery stuff, 20+ ft high in many places, all solo with no pads. The concrete slabs were also good, there was the dead easy angle slabs then there was the steeper ones further away from the bridge. One excellent route was Kipper E1 5b/c which was Millstonesque (ie pegged so it was free climbable). There were also some slabs on the main level that hard some pretty hard stuff.

Me, Richie Patta, Mick Gardener. Iam Weetman, Callum Philips and all the Bede lads used to hang out there lots.

In reply to Enty:

Whilst helping to research the original North of England Guide (I was a sales rep and my area just happened to include theLakes, Eden Valley and Northern Pennines - so would regularly diappear for the odd hour's explore whilst out on the road -- no mobile phones or pagers in those days -- couldn't get away with it nowadays) I've visited a number that could warrant that description. Fortunately few of the really bad ones were named or included -- but have since been re-discovered as bouldering / sport venues.

Some daft soul will doubtless come across some of the rejects, thinking they've found Crag X -- only to scratch the surface and wish they'd not bothered.

In reply to Enty:

Avon Gorge?

Polished and no gear and a bloody motorway at the bottom!


Maybe it was just me, it was raining after all...

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Isn't everything in SE wales unspeakably bad? (that being the inland area the gower is quite nice)

In reply to Trangia:

Done that and it doesn't even come near some of the truely unmentionable horrors lurking under bridges in myrther....

In reply to 2pints:

Find the right routes, learn to place gear that doesn't have bouncing lables saying put no2 nut here and you get good routes on solid limestone that have seen a bit too much trafic. If you think thats a cr@p crag you haven't seen real garbage.

In reply to Enty:

Balmashanner Quarry. Literally a dump. There was an old pram lying amongst the rubbish, wouldn't have been suprised if there was still a baby in it. It's that sort of place.

In reply to Enty:
Got to be Grinshill, Shropshire. The bit with the routes, not the bouldering. I hacked through a steaming amazonian jungle for about an hour looking for it, and eventually realised I'd passed it three times! Pulling off some of the moss revealed alleged rock. Maybe with axes and crampons!

Some of the above suggestions are odd - Pontesford is fine and Blacknor North is great! What about Slings shot, Reptile Smile, Downtown Julie Brown etc?

In reply to DaveHK:

Thats a bit annoying, I'm off to uni up there. I was hoping it would be good...

In reply to A Longleat Boulderer: read up here for more info http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=207698

In reply to 2pints:

I second Avon Gorge for un-honourable mention, a polished maze above the worlds noisiest road.(great when roadworks shut road mind but thats hard too arrange).

I tend to agree with others that in terms of chos some of the minor mendip quarries are pretty scary. In one I spent an unhappy 30 minutes belaying a companion while house brick sized bouldere hurled past me every 20 seconds

In reply to nolo: Me too!!!