UKC

As the above title says I am looking for a tried and tested climb in the Peak District to take my daughter up. I have tried taking her to Stanage and Windgather and she had fun but the slabs I chose at Stanage were not the best for her and Windgather was too steep. I am looking for a slab. Grade probably Diff or Moderate. Holds need to be close together.

People may think this is a dead easy thing to find.........and tell me to just look around but until you actually try putting a 6 or 7 year old on the route it is difficult to tell if they will actually be able to do it. Therefore tried and tested places would greatly assist me here. I basically just want something she will enjoy and be able to get to the top of but something that would actually fit the description of a climb.

Thanks

In reply to Mark Grist:
I took my kids at that age to the Peak. Tricky bit is the spacing between breaks. I took mine to Baslow. Lots of easy climbs, short so not too scary and quick turnover to keep two interested.
There is a mod near a short wall with a wobbly rock... can't remember the name.

We then moved to Burbage North with a bit of confidence but had to ignore the guide and just find a line with breaks close enough.

Just looked it up ... Gully Wall and surrounding area...

In reply to Mark Grist:

Birchen Edge near Baslow has lots of good low level routes for nippers to have a crack at.

In reply to Mark Grist:
Try the slabs at Burbage south boulders... the first boulders you reach on the path are very good. Thee are several other good slabs in the area, especially the side of the sheep which is big for a 7 year old (body belay using a short rope). If you want a longer grit route Grotto Slab and Centurian Slab at Stanage work well. On a less good day Thor's cave and The Chimney on Chimney crag in the Manifold valley are good fun. The best places I know are high Moorland crags Dovestones in the, Chew is especially good (but a bit of a trek) . Harbourough rocks are good, Baslow (around Gully Walll... the rocking block route above)

More info on those burbage south boulders here as they are unlisted at present:

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/burbages_boulders.html

Our website has lots of unlisted mods and easy boulder problems that are good for kids.

In reply to An Exiled Northerner:

Birchen is terrible for todlers due to the hard starts (Gangplank aside).

In reply to Offwidth:

Also took my kids here and the main area is hard for snippets but way left at the end was a great mod/diff that they liked and a short corner further up and left... names escape me.

Just looked... Gangplank was perfect

In reply to Offwidth:
Dovestones is an interesting call. I live in Stockport so it is not too far. I have climbed up at Standing Stones and Wimberry a few times but have never been up to Dovestones so that may be worth a look.

In reply to Mark Grist:

It all depends on the child - some 7 year olds climb pretty hard...

Assuming they are beginners then Roaches Chalkstorm area or Froggatt Sunset or Tody's / Heather wall or Trapeze areas, getting a bit more experienced then Gardom's Apple Arete area. Birchen was a favourite at a younger age mainly because of the caves and den building potential but the starts are unreasonable for the short (solved with "combined tatics"). All these venues have good exploring and picnicing potential and are easy to top rope.

Harborough rock - small limestone crag in a rural location behind a cement factory but I can't recall the top rope ease here.

In reply to Mark Grist: I wouldn't bother with Birchens, it's not as good as it should be for beginners who are little kids. I took my neice to Windgather the first couple of times then Burbage, then Stanage. At Windgather there are even descent routes that would be good just to get her in the swing of things.

In reply to Mark Grist:

Harborough Rocks. It has a real family feel, easy walk in, easy escapes back down, short climbs and plenty of lower grade stuff.

My 8 yr old loves her climbing and enjoys grit but Harborough sort of crosses over between climbing and just a lovely day out. There's a factory near by but I don't think children give a monkeys about that!

In reply to duchessofmalfi:

She is very much a beginner. She has been inside 5 times or so and outside a couple but yes you are right I do occasionally see very young kids climbing pretty hard stuff, particularly for their height.

A few people have mentioned Harborough. Another place I have not been but I did cycle past it once on the High Peak Trail. It is probably a good place to visit with the bike as well to go for a short ride as well.

In reply to Mark Grist:

Harborough rocks

In reply to Mark Grist:

I'd give some thought about somewhere like Dovestones Edge for a first trip. Though some routes might be very suitable that long sweep into the valley if they look down might not be so great. Could be great for a second trip.

I think how a 7yo and an adult experience exposure are totally different things.

In reply to Mark Grist

Chee Dale Embankment.

If you look at the logbook for Chee Dale (and especially the Embankment) you'll think I'm barking mad. But Chee Dale is beautiful. It's fun with the railway tunnels. The river walk is great, so you can have a fun day.

As you look at the Embankment sector (immediately to the left) are some gritstone ramps. They actually hold the tunnel up. They are slabs. It isn't natural rock, but the holds are close together. There are spikes at the top for top roping. Our son got most of the way up when he was 4. I imagine a 7 year old, would find it easy.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151704181099690&set=a.1015060...

Someone will say that it's more inspiring to take kids to climb on natural rock, but I doubt a 7 year old will care.

In reply to Mark Grist:

Does she enjoy 'weaselling'? ie: Generally mucking about exploring, scrambing over/under/around boulders etc?

If so, you could do worse than combining a trip to Stanage Apparent North area and/or Burbage North with a visit to Higgar Tor. The crack of Doddle ( Doddle (S 4a) ) goes right through the crag, and has a kind of 'crossroads' within where another crack crosses, and at one point there's a nice climb up to emerge from a hole in the ground at the top of the crag.

Great fun. But be careful - if she enjoys it too much it could lead to an interest in caving. <shudder>

In reply to TonyB:

I actually tried going to Cheedale with her a couple of months ago. It did not go quite as well as I expected. The plan was to cycle along the path, go through a tunnel then walk to the river. She basically refused to go through the tunnel claiming she had seen a dragon in it and turned around.

That is 7 year olds for you.

In reply to Mark Grist:
next time pick up a sturdy stick and say "yeah, sometimes you have to clear them out" as you march in.

In reply to duchessofmalfi:
None of those grit suggestions are that good for toddlers... except Birchen caves ....we did the Troglodytes tour in the BMC Froggatt, Burbage and Stanage guides partly with kids in mind. The best place for tunnels and clefts is Higgar Tor

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/higgar_area.html

and more across the peak:

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/caving_topten.html

In reply to Mark Grist

If you do go to Dovestones use our webpages for the best bits on the far left (under East Dovestones in the link) the route names in magenta are not in Over the Moors but some were in earlier guides.

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/ravenstones&dovestones.html

Upper Chew Brook is also really good in places (Robs Rocks)

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/upperchewbrook.html

In the Windgather area the mod slab Nick Slab at Oldgate Nick is really good.

In reply to Mark Grist:

I understand. As a father of a nearly 6 year old boy, the obvious answer is "quick get our light sabers", but I appreciate that this won't work for anyone.

Do you know any other groups with kids? We are in a local climbing club and have been out with other families. it's a lot more fun for our son when there are other kids about. You'd be welcome to join us sometime.

Tony

In reply to TonyB:

Yes that is a good point. I am in the CC and they do have a family meet down in Cornwall which would be great (but the drive would be hell). I need something local as well for the day. What club are you in? None of my climbing friends have kids the same sort of age.

In reply to ultrabumbly:


Or 'use magic' if there's no stick handy. If they can believe in a dragon, their parents can use magic too.

In reply to Mark Grist:

I would suggest Yarncliffe, where the climbing is ideal. Steep slabs with holds and cracks.
Unfortunately it will be hogged by several 'outdoor groups' who put their topropes on all the routes to book them and then have all their gritty trainered people ab down the E1 wearing the few small holds off.
If you are out mid-week it is well worth a visit.

In reply to johncook:

Loose top... lower grade routes a bit awkward?

In reply to Mark Grist

I mentioned the big low angle slab on The Sheep on Burb S boulders earlier... just realised I meant the Whale.... copied the text here:

The problems are described left to right from the left arete of the big easy slab:

U2 2b The short left arete.
U4 3a* The slab left of the crack.
U0 2a The crack, which is also the most secure descent.
U4 2c** The slab right of the crack on good holds.
U8 4b* The middle of the slab has a hard start; good holds on the left and right are out of bounds.
U8 4a** Just right, climb the slab under the line of small flakes.
U9 4c* Climb the slab between the line of flakes and the arete without using either.
81z Whale Rib Indirect U7 4b**
The arete from a hard start on the left to avoid the initial bulge.