UKC

Dartmoor, home to the roughest rock in the country, has long been something of a bouldering backwater. Lacking the proximity to such large population centres as its northern counterparts, development has been slower and carried out by much smaller numbers of climbers. Within this article local legend Dave Henderson takes us through the area's development.

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Excellent read, thanks!

I’ve got many fond memories of printing out pages for javu, back when I started climbing in the early 2000s. It was such a great resource, both for the topos and the articles. 

Edit: I've just found the following photo of me paying homage to the brilliantly named Hound of the Basket Meals burger van in 2008

I've only had one day bouldering on Dartmoor back in 2006/07 and I can confirm that it is the possibly the roughest rock on earth. Maybe slightly less destructive than Hampi, though not by much! 

There's an article in this isn't there - where is the world's sharpest rock?!

Dartmoor is a given, as is Hampi. Bishop is pretty bad, or good - depending on what you're into. Gabbro is rough, as opposed to sharp, so that's out. I'm sure there's some grim limestone venues that feature small/sharp crimps, but the fact that Dartmoor is literally coated with razorblades means that it trumps anything with an isolated sharp hold here or there...

Sicily deserves a mention for incredibly sharp limestone, totally shredded skin after a week there. But Dartmoor will destroy the skin of the unwary in hours/minutes. 

Sliced the ends of my fingers attempting  https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/haytor-205/rhinoceros-26082

Needless to say I came flying off when all the 'thin flakes' slimy with my blood, and the cams in the undercut overlap all pulled!

Ive got a great close up of one of the problems in Coire Lagan - millions of tiny super sharp spikey needles puncturing the fingers, Ouchies!

Years since I’ve been but I remember Helman Tor in Cornwall being savage on the skin!

Bodmin granite is smooth in comparison.

Absolutely! And if you want any volunteers to travel the world trying different areas, give me a shout. I charge a reasonable rate 😉

I've not done Rhinoceros (E2 5c), but the one everyone used to say was another level of agony was Blood Lust (E4 6b). The comments seem to suggest that it's been tamed with crack gloves, but from the various stories I've heard it's like putting your hands into the mouth of an angry rottweiler.

Oddly, this makes me more curious to climb it...

I wouldn't wish to comment on who's got the sharper granite, Devon or Cornwall, for fear that the conclusion leads to civil war.

That said, the Cornish do put jam onto their scones first, which is madness...

Likewise much the same with https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/saddle_tor-1141/verdigris_cleft-18...

at nearby Saddle Tor. The first sentence says 'repulsive' and that is part of the attraction. However Rob, I'll pass on Bloodlust!

I don't want to start a skirmish, but it's not Cornwall or Devon broadly, Rob. It's Luxulyan. The rock even has its own name - Luxulyanite! Utterly savage. 

I like your style Tom - unity over division.

I didn't know about Luxulyan/Luxulyanite until today, but now I know my enemy!!

The only sensible way to enjoy a cream tea. You can pile far more clotted cream on to your scones if you put it on top of the jam...

Wise council, Rob. Luckily, nobody who ever wanders in seems to be able to find the crags, so you should be safe.  

I'd have to disagree Mark, the addition of jam first essentially creates a low friction layer, and the cream on top is therefore at risk of sliding off. 

You need to do it the other way round.  

(But then I do live on the right side of the Tamar...)

but surely the bits of fruit in the jam counteract the decreased fiction & help keep the cream in place?

Great article Dave, I grew up in Devon and climbed on the granite a lot, including with Dan and Sam Arkle at Coombshead Tor, before I moved up to the Peak. Like Rob I remember using your excellent Javu guide to navigate around the area which I was very grateful for, as was I when you picked up my lost wallet which I will never forget. Good times.   

It must be poor quality cream or jam east of the Tamar, I pile the cream high and it has always stayed in place...

The Cornish also put marmalade on their toast first with the butter on top of that… 🤔😃

Good to see you back and it’s a good read. 

I’ve missed your inimitable Javu news sections and SW news reports in magazines. Does anything happen these days?! 

Escaping onto Dartmoor with tatty printouts from javu saved my sanity many a time when my kids were little and we spent a lot of time at my in-laws near Tavistock. Bonehill and Hound Tor in particular stand out as having some of the best bouldering anywhere in the country.

One of the best days out I've had with my kids was at Hound Tor. What became my standard bouldering and soloing circuit there took a couple of hours. When my kids were old enough I took them up there to play. It's a perfect playground for little ones on a nice day, and I managed to sneak in all my favourite problems over the course of the day in between weaselling and hide and seek and cooking sausages on a camping stove.