UKC

A decade ago there was no climbing documented on the sea cliffs north of Filey. In recent years the wealth of crags along the 50 miles or so of this coastline have gradually given themselves to a broad mix of venues, each unique in character and each endowed with a handful of superb routes and problems.

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In reply to UKC Articles:

Anyone been to Filey Brigg recently? Just wondering what the bolts were looking like. Last entries on ukc seem to be around 2014. Cheers.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Not really a destination guide for punters, shame really.

In reply to craig h:

Indeed. The coastline hasn't had very many top draw easy routes and problems established and you're right that it's probably best to visit if you're operating font 6a / HVS and above. They might be there to be developed, but they'd need uncovering. I maybe should have explained that in the introduction. Sorry!

Other parts of the Moors are very good at the lower grades, so keep an eye out in the future for more on that.

 

In reply to craig h:

Not been there yet but Smugglers Terrace looks worth a visit for bumblies though probably not more than one.

Went to Filey once to climb the easy trad, it wasn't worth the journey.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

The journey to Filey is always worth it! Climbing there is just a bonus.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Good to see this article, and I'm excited about the new guide. I've tried to find the buttri (excellent use of the word) of Smuggler's Terrace a couple of times but have always struggled. I get to the yellow topped post on the clifftop and then descend, rapdily losing sight of everything and I've never found any climbable crags. Any clues about when to stop on the descent would be gratefully received.

I remember doing Central Crack at Stoupe in 2002/3. I'd seen the crag from the old railway line a few times and did it on one of my many trips to the coast to escape the world. It needed a bit of a clean at the top but was otherwise pretty climbable. I don't know if that was the FA, I assumed that it "must have" been climbed before, especially as lines had been done on the boulders. The bolts weren't in Fire Dance at that point because I droped a rope down it and had a quick shunt but didn't really get anywhere. I did consider the crag to be an ideal bolting project, but never did anything about it. And thank goodness for that.

 

 

In reply to craig h:

By the looks of it, Smuggler's is an easier venue, but I've never found it - however I've only looked twice, once in poor light and once when I only had an hour before having to leave. Smuggler's has a perfect campervan spot on the approach road:- bins, benches and a toilet that's open 365 days a year.

In reply to Frank the Husky:

anyone know when this new guide is being published? who by?

In reply to cczsy:

By "Mr Moors" himself, Franco. I don't know the publication date.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Inspired a trip to Boulby today. Not a bad spot. I have been to Smugglers a couple of times. Decent venue, plenty to go at vs/HVS. Some of the top outs leave a lot to be desired. 

In reply to Frank the Husky:

Keep heading NW for 450m, past the house on the left, to where the cliff path turns right (almost due N). Descend down an actual public footpath (roughly 984,017 on the map).

This is amazing! Thanks so much for the info - I knew someone must have climbed there before! I will amend the FA details. So Firedance must have been bolted 2002-2009, which makes sense, as the bolts look bomber. Very, very odd though. 

In reply to Franco Cookson:

Thanks. Is that 450m NW from the yellow topped post? I'll be there in the next few weeks anyway so I'll explore.

As for Central Crack, it would be excellent if I was the FA. I wouldn't have called it Central Crack though...I like less descriptive names. If there's a chance of chanig it I have a couple of better names up my sleeve...

It really is odd just to bolt the one line and no more, especially that that grade.

In reply to Frank the Husky:

Unless someone has moved the post - i popped that in to mark the descent!

It should be found by walking north west from the parking. You pass a red brick house on the left few a couple of hundred metres, then you pass a little bush on the left relative to the footpath. A slight downhill, and a second bush should have you next to the yellow-topped marker post. From here, its a walk down back in a southerly direction down reasonbly steep ground in between the trees. The path has always been easy to folllow - though i have not been to Smugglers for a good 2 years and maybe it was us keeping it in order!

Once the path levels out on the plateau you shouldn't be able to miss it. There's a mini guide with a bit of a topo if you've not already seen it?

http://davidwarburton-climbing.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/smugglers-terrace-min...

 

 

In reply to UKC Articles:

Not about to jump straight to a venue when I’ve so much to do everywhere, but I am even more excited for the guidebook and hope to explore these places in coming years. Would be happy to get involved in some cleaning and FA if there is options up to E2 as well!

In reply to UKC Articles:

I'm very excited about the prospect of a comprehensive guide to the area, but PLEASE invest in decent binding.

Everyone I know who bought the BetaGuides Bouldering Guide has a copy which has dropped to bits within a few weeks; some even before reaching the crag.

It seems such a shame to invest a lot of care and attention on the content just to have the guide spoiled by crap binding 

 

 

 

 

Awesome article!  Looks like you've been busy and done some good stuff - nice one.  Don't forget Bempton cliff though - you guys should repeat Mick Fowler's route:

NIGBEE - on 06 Apr 2006 In reply to Bogsy:

From the Lowe Alpine site about Bempton

Bempton

Bempton is a 400foot tottering pile of chalky limestone falling straight into the North sea. Mick Fowler had an exciting time approaching the cliff in his children’s dinghy and then battling for 5 pitches up guano covered rock.

The highlight of the day was Andy squirming horizontally out of a cave via a narrow slot. Shortly afterwards the roof of the cave collapsed trapping the ropes.

The pair extricated themselves eventually, reaching the top via a gentler corner system.

Andy’s advice: “There is really no excuse for climbing here. However, if you really can’t resist make sure you take plenty of wart-hog ice screws for protection, a good helmet and most important of all check that all your insurance policies are fully up to date.”

 

 

 

In reply to Paz:

I had a go at repeating Eastern Promise about fifteen years ago with my mate Budgie. We got the tides right, I had an email from Mick that gave enough information and we'd spent several weeks in Scotland mixed climbing. I'd even done a few lines on Mam Tor as it melted...nothing prepared me for Bempton.

We went down a fisherman's "path" (more like a hardcore scramble with polypropylene ropes for the vertical bits) to the platforms they fished from and made our way north from there. The cliffs are massive, terrifying and loose and after a pitch of stomach churningly awful climbing we retreated. The thought of going any further was sickening...maybe we weren't in the right spot, maybe we were, but the rest of the projected line looked awful and unjustifiable. It was also smelly and slimy and cold. And terrifying, mainly terrifying.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Always great to hear about Mick Fowlers adventures.

On the opposite end of the climbing spectrum, punter bouldering vids of Boulby

youtube.com/watch?v=w2qbl-xOQEQ&

youtube.com/watch?v=ny83RCKhRmo&

youtube.com/watch?v=wPPl9nd-aCk&

In reply to freemanTom:

 

bit of dab there 

back round.

 

In reply to Frank the Husky:

Nice one - good effort!  Great story, glad you both made it back unscathed.

Is the bottom of Bempton where the sea hammers it any good for coasteering or even a DWS traverse, or is it best left to the birds?

In reply to UKC Articles:

Can we have a destination guide for punter grades please, including family friendly stuff? 

Ta muchly.