UKC

Evening all!

Not that many are likely to care but after a quick visit to  Hagg Wood I’ve cleaned up Just a Carrot (E2 6a) to a claimable state.

The peg looks better than I would if I’d been out there for 30-40 years but I don’t plan to test it’s strength.

The wall of Pocket Hole Corner (S 4a) looks very clean already too. The vegetation isn’t too bad at present but if you have the tools to cut nettles back, bring it with you.

After 3 or 4 visits without ever climbing, I’m very surprised by the quality and style of the rock. It’s certainly worth a visit and deserves more attention.

Criminal Infusion (E2 5b) is also clean now and also happens to be a really great route. The moves are varied and the rock is good quality (after a little cleaning and brushing). In my opinion it would make a pretty serious trad lead. Holy Moses Direct (HVS 5a) is in a pretty good state, the bolts are still there and got me thinking whether someone was actually going for an independent line between the aforementioned route and Rack Crack (HS 4b)? 

Well done for this. I climbed there several times in the eighties and nineties and liked it. It's one of those places where anyone unable to cope with rock not as pristine and scoured as Stanage will probably blow a circuit. It's pretty good for mid-grade routes.

Hello Karl, sorry for the very slow response. I hope you’re well. I’m pretty inspired by the place, really looking forward to going back and hope it can get some more attention, it’s deserved in my opinion. Did you climb any new routes there? I’m just trying to piece together what was done when and by who and the 2 guides I’ve got don’t cover everything. 

Hi Emilio, 

There's quite a big historical section in the Stewart Wilson guide with many names and routes from 1962 through to 1985. At a glance I spotted 14 different names for the first ascents there.

Hi Emilio

No I didn't do anything new there but did note some gaps. One place you might want to check out is Leyburn Shawl (or rather the crag below the path!). Geoff Dawson and I did a couple of routes there in the eighties I think. Both about HVS but I don't have my notes to hand. Limestone typical of Swaledale/Wensleydale so you'll know what that entails. At the top we were belaying on the path itself and people were stepping over our ropes (not good!). I would think it would be a candidate for bolt lower-offs or even (shock horror!) developing as a sport venue? I think it's about 10/12m high and lots of potential. Would be pretty veggie this time of year I suspect?

Cheers, Karl

Thanks Pete, I’ll have a look when I get a chance. Do you recon 1985 was the last time a new route was climbed there?

Hello again, yeah there’s a lot of rock at Hagg Wood and a fair few routes but plenty still to go at. I’ve been around Leyburn a couple of times, again there’s a fair bit of rock, not particularly tall but some of it quite long. There’s some that faces North right next to the quarry and some dirt jumps. The most notable bit I remember was in the working quarry, a freestanding mound of good looking rock. It’ll probably never get climbed though. 

I think there’s argument for a fair few bolted lower offs in the area and like you said sport venues and even maybe some retro-bolting. Either that or routes sit there for 40 years and never see any attention. Which isn’t a bad thing but it seems pretty obvious not everyone fancies pulling off something (that wouldn’t be there had it been cleaned or seen some attention) and a trip to A&E over an old trad route. 

climbed there 10 years ago, I enjoyed the mid grade stuff we did, yes it was filthy but reminded me of how symonds yat used to be in the 80's. My partner was less enamored with the place.