UKC

I'm going to Sheffield this weekend and we'll be staying with my girlfriend's mum. I hadn't planned on climbing since my girlfriend isn't a climber (never climbed outdoors, climbed indoors with me a handful of times). She knows how much I enjoy my climbing though so she's suggested we climb, either at The Foundry or outdoors. It seems a crime to drive up to Sheffield from London just to climb at yet another indoor wall, I pull enough plastic as it is!

Thing is, I have no trad gear (or experience) so trad isn't an option, plus my girlfriend only knows how to belay a top rope climber. So that leaves bouldering. I've never really bouldered outdoors aside from a couple of problems on Sandstone, but my best sport grade outdoors was a F6b while my strongest indoor problem was V3 while I expect to onsight V1, maybe V2 on a good day. I'm looking for some easy bouldering for the two of us to check out, nothing highball or bold. I might be able to borrow a bouldering mat from a friend but there's a good chance I won't even have that. If it's a generally nice area for walking around that would be a bonus, so we could boulder for a bit and then walk for a few hours after. Forgive my ignorance, I'm totally inexperience to climbing in the Peaks, I'd just much rather get into the real outdoors and mess around on some grit rather than go to another indoor wall. What areas would suit me, and where could I find topographies for them?

Cheers!

In reply to cb_6:

Burbage South. Nice spot for a walk, loads of low grade problems. Happy days.

In reply to cb_6: Burbage is a good venue for soloing routes which are in the main not very high. The outlook is pleasant and access is easy.

By the way it's incorrect to call it "The Peaks",it's "The Peak", named after a tribe of ancient inhabitants and not a reference to multiple summits.

In reply to GridNorth:

Noted. Thank you both, I'll check Burbage out.

In reply to cb_6:
I'd suggest the Southern end of Stanage.
Apparent North, Hamper's Hang and round the corner towards the Cowper Stone. There are lots of nice problems and short solos there, many with quite friendly landings, and it's a lovely place. Likely to be a fair few people around if it's nice at the weekend, which is bad if you're looking for solitude, but could be good if you need an extra mat and a spotter.

A wander along the Froggatt/Curbar escarpment could be good too. There are lots of nice secluded buttresses in the trees as well as the popular bits of the two crags.

Alternatively, if you're up for combining a good walk with a few bits of climbing, you could get up onto Derwent Edge where Dovestones Tor is the big crag, but there are lots of other little crags, blocks and boulders too. Back Tor and Howshaw Tor could provide some fun little climbs, and there are pretty spectacular views from up there. Long-ish walk in from Cutthroat Bridge or Ladybower, shorter but steeper walk from Fairholmes or Strines.

Do you have maps and/or guide book(s)?

In reply to cb_6:

Burbage boulders is a great shout. Also Cratcliff tor is really nice. Or possibly stanage plantation but the first 2 probably have a greater range of easy stuff. No need for guidebooks just go and have fun

Can also second the walk from Cutthroat bridge with some high but easy boulder problems/scrambles up the various tors (they are about 8m high and probably go at about mod)

In reply to deepsoup:

OS maps but no guide books. Since others had recommended Burbage South I've found some topography for the boulders around there.