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Ok this is an evolution from this thread http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=564375 asking about places to go abseiling in Wiltshire.
I said:
Dave_88 then said:
I replied:
So which counties of the UK have no climbing? In fact I'd be very happy to extend it to the British Isles if any Irish climbers want to chip in with any of their counties which are crappy places to live if you are a climber.
So is Wiltshire really one; and what others are there? We can happily argue over what constitutes climbing; no buildings allowed I don't think but quarries are obviously fine.
I said:
> I'm sure Ian Parnell claims that Wiltshire is the only County in the UK with nowhere to go climbing in it...
Dave_88 then said:
> Surely Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, Surrey and many more are completely devoid of climbing opportunities?
I replied:
> You'd think so but maybe they all have some alarming choss pit esoterica that just about counts as climbing to rock-starved locals?
So which counties of the UK have no climbing? In fact I'd be very happy to extend it to the British Isles if any Irish climbers want to chip in with any of their counties which are crappy places to live if you are a climber.
So is Wiltshire really one; and what others are there? We can happily argue over what constitutes climbing; no buildings allowed I don't think but quarries are obviously fine.
In reply to TobyA:
depends if you count man-made structures (not climbing walls obviously) If you do I'd say none.
depends if you count man-made structures (not climbing walls obviously) If you do I'd say none.
In reply to TobyA: I haven't done a search but Lincolnshire springs to mind...
In reply to TobyA: Norfolk springs to mine
In reply to Nicholas Livesey:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=12366 !
> (In reply to TobyA) I haven't done a search but Lincolnshire springs to mind...
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=12366 !
In reply to TonyB:
Take your tools (and almost certainly a sense of desperation and self-loathing) by the looks of it http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3841
> Hampshire
Take your tools (and almost certainly a sense of desperation and self-loathing) by the looks of it http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3841
In reply to ripper:
As the saying goes: Norfolk 'n' good.
> (In reply to TobyA) Norfolk springs to mine
As the saying goes: Norfolk 'n' good.
In reply to TobyA:
or drive the few miles to Dorset and go to Swanage.
> Take your tools (and almost certainly a sense of desperation and self-loathing) by the looks of it http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3841
or drive the few miles to Dorset and go to Swanage.
In reply to TobyA:
20 mins from us Toby, you'd have to be really desperate to go there!
Saying that, have seen a few people taking their chances dry tooling/ top roping it with various degrees of failure, not a pleasant place.
20 mins from us Toby, you'd have to be really desperate to go there!
Saying that, have seen a few people taking their chances dry tooling/ top roping it with various degrees of failure, not a pleasant place.
In reply to willexodus:
Sorry: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=16771
> (In reply to TobyA)
>
> Northamptonshire
>
> Northamptonshire
Sorry: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=16771
In reply to Bulls Crack: Artificial, sorry - don't think that counts.
Surrey has a scramble recorded up a chalk gully. That's a much more complex debate I feel. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3707
Surrey has a scramble recorded up a chalk gully. That's a much more complex debate I feel. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3707
In reply to TobyA:
Are we counting tooling chalk? If so I'm pretty sure every county has something to climb, including Wiltshire.
Are we counting tooling chalk? If so I'm pretty sure every county has something to climb, including Wiltshire.
In reply to SteveoS:
Nope, plenty of chalk cliff climbing (and a police caution ) on offer there
i doubt i would get away with doing that at Bluewater these days.
Nope, plenty of chalk cliff climbing (and a police caution ) on offer there
i doubt i would get away with doing that at Bluewater these days.
In reply to John Rushby:
Only bridges recorded in the UKC database John. So I think you better name the chalk pits where people have climbed, even if you don't name the climbers.
> Nope, plenty of chalk cliff climbing (and a police caution ) on offer there
Only bridges recorded in the UKC database John. So I think you better name the chalk pits where people have climbed, even if you don't name the climbers.
In reply to John Rushby:
oh and Derbyshire.
Some people who have never been north of Wakefield reckon it has good climbing but us wise ones in the People's Republic of Yorkshire know better*
This excludes the nits and bobs that sneak into South Yorkshire.
oh and Derbyshire.
Some people who have never been north of Wakefield reckon it has good climbing but us wise ones in the People's Republic of Yorkshire know better*
This excludes the nits and bobs that sneak into South Yorkshire.
In reply to TobyA:
Loads of chalk around Essex and the bomb lobbers and sloppy signallers barracks south of London.
Climbed quite a bit of it ad hoc with a few lurkers on here
Maybe i should do the Chossfax Southern Shite guidebook.
btw - got any warthogs for sale?
I feel like a meth addict lurking around walls and Ice Factor asking if anyone has warthogs for sale
Loads of chalk around Essex and the bomb lobbers and sloppy signallers barracks south of London.
Climbed quite a bit of it ad hoc with a few lurkers on here
Maybe i should do the Chossfax Southern Shite guidebook.
btw - got any warthogs for sale?
I feel like a meth addict lurking around walls and Ice Factor asking if anyone has warthogs for sale
In reply to TobyA:
I absolutely love the fact that this is in the UK Climbing database, there's photos and grades and comments and everything. Brilliant.
> (In reply to Bulls Crack) Artificial, sorry - don't think that counts.
>
> Surrey has a scramble recorded up a chalk gully. That's a much more complex debate I feel. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3707
>
> Surrey has a scramble recorded up a chalk gully. That's a much more complex debate I feel. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3707
I absolutely love the fact that this is in the UK Climbing database, there's photos and grades and comments and everything. Brilliant.
In reply to TobyA:
North Lincolnshire
(UKC only seems to recognise ceremonial counties though)
It does apparently have some bouldering
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=10530
North Lincolnshire
(UKC only seems to recognise ceremonial counties though)
It does apparently have some bouldering
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=10530
In reply to TobyA: Man-made but there is some http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3088!
In reply to willexodus:
I grew up learning to climb at Finedon Pits. It may not have been pretty, but it started a passion.
> (In reply to TobyA)
>
> Northamptonshire
>
> Northamptonshire
I grew up learning to climb at Finedon Pits. It may not have been pretty, but it started a passion.
In reply to petegunn: And winter "climbing" it would appear! http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=18755
In reply to jjclarke70: Nah, there's loads of climbing in Suffolk JJ!
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=191865
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=191865
In reply to TobyA: salisbury also has chalk quarries.
In reply to TobyA:
Warwickshire?
Warwickshire?
In reply to TobyA:
People often make the analogy between climbing and drug addiction. This thread reminds me of the time, as a student many years ago, I tried to make a spliff out of carpet fluff containing tiny bits of weed gathered from an unhoovered carpet.
> (In reply to petegunn) And winter "climbing" it would appear! http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=18755
People often make the analogy between climbing and drug addiction. This thread reminds me of the time, as a student many years ago, I tried to make a spliff out of carpet fluff containing tiny bits of weed gathered from an unhoovered carpet.
In reply to Trevers:
Hertfordshire has climbing. Chalk, conglomerate and puddingstone.
> (In reply to Jon Stewart)
>
> Hertfordshire
>
> Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire has climbing. Chalk, conglomerate and puddingstone.
In reply to Bingers:
Nice. I started on some derelict farm buildings near Pitsford reservoir.
> (In reply to willexodus)
> [...]
>
> I grew up learning to climb at Finedon Pits. It may not have been pretty, but it started a passion.
> [...]
>
> I grew up learning to climb at Finedon Pits. It may not have been pretty, but it started a passion.
Nice. I started on some derelict farm buildings near Pitsford reservoir.
In reply to TobyA: Wiltshire has one of the most famous set of boulders in the world. What ARE you on about? No climbing... Bah...
In reply to Tom Last:
Anything in the UKC database (or a guidebook?)?
What is puddingstone by the way? Sounds great, although probably not as a climbing medium.
> Hertfordshire has climbing. Chalk, conglomerate and puddingstone.
Anything in the UKC database (or a guidebook?)?
What is puddingstone by the way? Sounds great, although probably not as a climbing medium.
In reply to frankcp87:
And also in Lincs... Find a large haystack and get your ice gear out! Ladies and Gents, I give you Baildering! Just like climbing on shit ice. A quickdraw on the binding strings make for a very dodgy lead, just don't take a leader fall - perfect for winter training then!
Our favourite route was name... Comes The Farmer!
> (In reply to jjclarke70) Nah, there's loads of climbing in Suffolk JJ!
>
> http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=191865
>
> http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=191865
And also in Lincs... Find a large haystack and get your ice gear out! Ladies and Gents, I give you Baildering! Just like climbing on shit ice. A quickdraw on the binding strings make for a very dodgy lead, just don't take a leader fall - perfect for winter training then!
Our favourite route was name... Comes The Farmer!
In reply to Tony the Blade:
Lincs has greetwell quarry. I've never climbed there, but it was a favourite venue for war games and naughtyness as a child of the 70s. I refuse to believe it has anything remotely worth tying on for.
There's also buildering in the arboretum, but i don't think we should count that.
Lincs has greetwell quarry. I've never climbed there, but it was a favourite venue for war games and naughtyness as a child of the 70s. I refuse to believe it has anything remotely worth tying on for.
There's also buildering in the arboretum, but i don't think we should count that.
In reply to TobyA:
Wiltshire has possibilities in and around Box Quarry Caves, and has the excellent Avebury and Stonehenge bouldering parks.
People from Oxfordshire seem to bemoan their lack of rock a lot.
Wiltshire has possibilities in and around Box Quarry Caves, and has the excellent Avebury and Stonehenge bouldering parks.
People from Oxfordshire seem to bemoan their lack of rock a lot.
In reply to TobyA:
I was looking at these gullies on a snowy day the winter before last. They actually looked quite good. In fact, I was underequipped for an attempt on this magnificent face, as I only had wellies and a packet of crisps. I shall return one day, with full winter gear, to be laughed at by 10000 kids, probably trundling snowmen down at me.
> (In reply to Bulls Crack) Artificial, sorry - don't think that counts.
>
> Surrey has a scramble recorded up a chalk gully. That's a much more complex debate I feel. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3707
>
> Surrey has a scramble recorded up a chalk gully. That's a much more complex debate I feel. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3707
I was looking at these gullies on a snowy day the winter before last. They actually looked quite good. In fact, I was underequipped for an attempt on this magnificent face, as I only had wellies and a packet of crisps. I shall return one day, with full winter gear, to be laughed at by 10000 kids, probably trundling snowmen down at me.
In reply to TobyA: I've climbed on chalk in Hertfordshire (near Ivinghoe) & also in Buckinghamshire (not sure, maybe Pitstone in the old quarries). I also climbed a little (scrambling woulc be more accurate) on some crumbly, sandstone seacliffs at Walton on the Naze, Essex when on a geology field trip (sorry sir, but I thought I could see some fossils up there.....)
In reply to TobyA:
Hi Toby, no nothing worth recording really - except the puddingstone, allegedly. As with most southeastern counties, the chalk outcrops are scattered here and there in small pockets. The conglomerate is in Ware (and probably elsewhere) and is only bouldering height and very, very loose (think Hastings sandstone only worse) - I had a go for about five minutes and stopped before I brought the whole lot down!
The puddingstone is apparently the best of the lot. I think it's another sort of conglomerate. It was alluded to on here some years ago as being very secretive, on private land in woods, near the the M25 around St Albans and apparently of reasonably good quality rock the length of short routes. I moved to Cornwall shortly after hearing about it, so never tried too hard to find it - but anyway, it's a bit of a needle in a haystack.
Hi Toby, no nothing worth recording really - except the puddingstone, allegedly. As with most southeastern counties, the chalk outcrops are scattered here and there in small pockets. The conglomerate is in Ware (and probably elsewhere) and is only bouldering height and very, very loose (think Hastings sandstone only worse) - I had a go for about five minutes and stopped before I brought the whole lot down!
The puddingstone is apparently the best of the lot. I think it's another sort of conglomerate. It was alluded to on here some years ago as being very secretive, on private land in woods, near the the M25 around St Albans and apparently of reasonably good quality rock the length of short routes. I moved to Cornwall shortly after hearing about it, so never tried too hard to find it - but anyway, it's a bit of a needle in a haystack.
In reply to Toby
For a photo of some of the best rock that Buckinghamshire can offer, see
http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/File%3AHertfordshire%20Puddingstone%2C%20Lee%...
(I think I have climbed this as a teenager, probably after a few beers in the nearby Cock & Rabbit)
For a photo of some of the best rock that Buckinghamshire can offer, see
http://www.geolocation.ws/v/W/File%3AHertfordshire%20Puddingstone%2C%20Lee%...
(I think I have climbed this as a teenager, probably after a few beers in the nearby Cock & Rabbit)
In reply to TobyA: I was going co suggest the West Midlands but...
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=16365
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=16365
In reply to TonyB:
A long time ago when I was young and there was a very hard snowy winter, I took my dad ice/snow climbing in a quarry near Southampton.
> (In reply to TobyA)
>
> Hampshire
>
> Hampshire
A long time ago when I was young and there was a very hard snowy winter, I took my dad ice/snow climbing in a quarry near Southampton.
In reply to Tom Last:
Tell me more! I'd love to find where this 'secret' rock is.
Can anyone tell me where the St Albans Puddingstone is?
Tell me more! I'd love to find where this 'secret' rock is.
Can anyone tell me where the St Albans Puddingstone is?
In reply to TobyA: Cambs and Beds
In reply to TobyA: Warwickshire has one rock, on private property
In reply to knighty:
You and me both, it'd make Christmas visits a little more interesting.
I'm not sure if the St Albans bit was originally quoted, or if I worked that out. I think they said it was in woodland less than a mile from the M25 and looking at maps St Albans area seemed most likely. Let me know if you find out
> (In reply to Tom Last)
>
> Tell me more! I'd love to find where this 'secret' rock is.
>
>
>
> Tell me more! I'd love to find where this 'secret' rock is.
>
>
You and me both, it'd make Christmas visits a little more interesting.
I'm not sure if the St Albans bit was originally quoted, or if I worked that out. I think they said it was in woodland less than a mile from the M25 and looking at maps St Albans area seemed most likely. Let me know if you find out
In reply to maxsmith:
Cambridgeshire has climbing at Cherry Hinton chalk quarry, had a couple of interesting days there!
> (In reply to TobyA) Cambs
Cambridgeshire has climbing at Cherry Hinton chalk quarry, had a couple of interesting days there!
In reply to Tom Last: I stand corrected! what a fine crag..
In reply to TobyA: Reminds me of an old article in Rock & Ice by John Sherman (I think?), about his quest to climb a technical rock climb in every state of USA. He managed to tick Florida if I remember correctly but was frustrated by some other southern state (Louisiana perhaps?)
In reply to TobyA:
Wiltshire has a fair bit of climbing, just that it is almost universally banned or utterly awful! Some interesting bouldering near Amesbury, some tottering quarries near the A419 and alledgedly some climbing in a cutting near Marlborough and there is always the Sarson stones near the Marlborough gallops.
Wiltshire has a fair bit of climbing, just that it is almost universally banned or utterly awful! Some interesting bouldering near Amesbury, some tottering quarries near the A419 and alledgedly some climbing in a cutting near Marlborough and there is always the Sarson stones near the Marlborough gallops.
In reply to maxsmith: Theres dry tooling in Bedfordshire on the chalk, not the best but still there. Look around Kensworth Quarry or around Totternhoe if its still there
In reply to ebygomm:
landfill
> (In reply to TobyA)
>
> North Lincolnshire
>
> (UKC only seems to recognise ceremonial counties though)
>
> It does apparently have some bouldering
>
> http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=10530
I think this is now buried under>
> North Lincolnshire
>
> (UKC only seems to recognise ceremonial counties though)
>
> It does apparently have some bouldering
>
> http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=10530
landfill
In reply to maxsmith:
In a lower league all of its own!
> (In reply to Tom Last) I stand corrected! what a fine crag..
In a lower league all of its own!
In reply to Tony the Blade: Apart from some dodgy limestone at Ludlow, I learned to climb on bales. Getting used to loose blocks from an early age.
In reply to Bulls Crack: It is?
In reply to Fat Bumbly2:
Where would that be then? Wenlock Edge isn't too far and that's rather nice limestone.
> Apart from some dodgy limestone at Ludlow
Where would that be then? Wenlock Edge isn't too far and that's rather nice limestone.
In reply to TobyA: I can think of a few chalk pits towards pewsey. There's possibly some frozen turf oppurtunities as well, but provably don't come in often.
Bouldering at avebury!
Bouldering at avebury!
In reply to TobyA:
Nice? Its geologically famous for being, well, not nice isn't it?
> (In reply to Fat Bumbly2)
> [...]
>
> Where would that be then? Wenlock Edge isn't too far and that's rather nice limestone.
> [...]
>
> Where would that be then? Wenlock Edge isn't too far and that's rather nice limestone.
Nice? Its geologically famous for being, well, not nice isn't it?
In reply to Bulls Crack:
Its got several entries on the database
> (In reply to Babika)
> [...]
>
> No - a veritable climbers playground!
> [...]
>
> No - a veritable climbers playground!
Its got several entries on the database
In reply to Bulls Crack: No, below the castle. Same hill as Wenlock Edge which is part of a limestone ridge (split by rivers) running from Wellingtonn to the south of Radnorshire. Lots of quarries but some of the worst rock imaginable. Ippikins is the good bit.
In reply to Bulls Crack: Well I enjoyed the routes I did there and don't remember them being loose at all.
In comparison to Worcestershire sandstone it's about as good as it gets!
In comparison to Worcestershire sandstone it's about as good as it gets!
In reply to TobyA: This crag is near Purley, technically now in Greater London but really it's Surrey. There is one described route, Sandinista' done by the late great Dave Cook which takes the crack up the prow of this buttress, it's about 100ft high and I think it was given HVS but may never have been led. I certainly wouldn't lead it without an abseil clean first.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=126315
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=126315
In reply to TobyA:
As a child growing up in north Wiltshire in the 70s, I found some caves at the top of a wooded hill side just before you get to Slaughterford, coming from Biddestone, above the lovely Bibrook river. I remember bridging on actual rock. I'm looking at the 1:25000 OS map of the area that I used at the time, on which I measured distances with bits of string, or by rolling a coin.
As a child growing up in north Wiltshire in the 70s, I found some caves at the top of a wooded hill side just before you get to Slaughterford, coming from Biddestone, above the lovely Bibrook river. I remember bridging on actual rock. I'm looking at the 1:25000 OS map of the area that I used at the time, on which I measured distances with bits of string, or by rolling a coin.
In reply to TobyA: Suffolk, as mentioned ! The UKC Logbook does record an artificial [?outside] climb in Felixstowe. Live here, I am afraid. Its very good for quiet roads for cycling, and undulating running trails though. Artificial, I know, but there is The Cragg at Stowmarket Leisure Centre.
In reply to jwi:
No way Louisiana was ever going to defeat the Verm.
http://www.seclimbers.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11...
No way Louisiana was ever going to defeat the Verm.
http://www.seclimbers.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11...
Some great chalk pits in Hampshire if you have some axes and big kahunas!
In reply to Mike Peacock:
No, it was not at that location. It is 40 years ago, so I can't really remember what it looked like, but it was something like that, I think, with a vertical cleft we could go right into. It was at the top of a steeply wooded hillside. Looking at the map, there is a quarry round about where I think we were, on sheet ST87, GR 845738, so it was probably that.
No, it was not at that location. It is 40 years ago, so I can't really remember what it looked like, but it was something like that, I think, with a vertical cleft we could go right into. It was at the top of a steeply wooded hillside. Looking at the map, there is a quarry round about where I think we were, on sheet ST87, GR 845738, so it was probably that.
In reply to TobyA:
Another vote for Rutland.
But didn't uppingham produce quite a good climber back in the 80s?
Another vote for Rutland.
But didn't uppingham produce quite a good climber back in the 80s?
In reply to Tim Davies: You mean Mike? Or his kid brother?
In reply to SGD: Who has awarded a star to Turners Hill summit?
In reply to knighty:
Fancy going on a hunt for this secret Herts rock? Where are you based?
I've climbed on the conglomerate in Ware and it's like trying to climb a cassarole, not worth the trip.
But this puddingstone sounds interesting and that picture proves there is some solid-ish rock in the county.
Fancy going on a hunt for this secret Herts rock? Where are you based?
I've climbed on the conglomerate in Ware and it's like trying to climb a cassarole, not worth the trip.
But this puddingstone sounds interesting and that picture proves there is some solid-ish rock in the county.
In reply to TobyA: There is some solid reef limestone with micro Karst features on Cumnor and Wytham hills outside Oxford, but though there are lots of little bits that outcrop I am unaware of any that are more than waist high. If anyone knows of any, please post, because the rock looks quite good.
In reply to davidoldfart:
Then dig down, excavate the base
> (In reply to TobyA) There is some solid reef limestone with micro Karst features on Cumnor and Wytham hills outside Oxford, but though there are lots of little bits that outcrop I am unaware of any that are more than waist high.
Then dig down, excavate the base
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