Quarries are usually depressing holes in the ground,
but Millstone is the exception. With smooth walls,
soaring grooves and inspiring crack-lines, it is the
greatest of all the gritstone quarries. The cracks here
span most widths from tips to fist, though luckily
there are no dreaded off-widths. Many of the routes
were originally done as aid climbs up spidery cracks,
the repeated placing of pegs widened them enough
to allow access to thin fingers and pointed toes and
also to provide protection from wires. Fortunately the
climbing here is not just about cracks, there are also
many fine corners and aretes formed by the careful
quarrying of the various bays. The section from
Green Death
to the Keyhole Caves could hardly have
been better designed even if a climber had been in
charge of the quarrying.
It is worth pointing out that some of the exits can be
dangerous where weathering had started to erode
the rock before it was exposed by the quarry-men.
These 'chest-of-drawers' finishes require care; it is
a good idea to place an extra runner or two below
the top-out and ensure the second is on-the-ball.
Wearing helmets here is a good idea too.
Approach
Also See map on page 329
There is an extensive Pay and Display car park (often
with in-situ ice-cream van at weekends) just to the
east of the Surprise View (a bend on the A625 with
a sudden vista of the Hope Valley). Tracks lead out
of the northwest corner of this over a ridge into the
right-hand end of quarry.
Conditions
Although the quarry forms a series of bays it is
often less sheltered than you might expect, the wind
manages to sneak into even the deepest corners
though some of the northern bays, and the Keyhole
Caves, can be slightly less blowy. The sun arrives on
most of the crag in the afternoon but the North Bay is
shady until late afternoon in the summer and can be
useful in hot weather. The walls dry quickly but tend
to be green in winter.
Southern Crags
Chatsworth Area
Derwent Edges
Millstone Area
BurbageValley
Stanage
Ladybower Area
Sheffield Area
Over Owler Tor
p.330
Millstone
A6187
About 500m
Lawrencefield
p.356
GPS
53.31721
-1.62312
scan for
map
333
Millstone
The Embankment
p.348
About 100m
North Bay
p.334
Cioch Bay
p.338
Great Slab
p.340
Twikker Area
p.342
Green Death
p.344
London Wall
p.350
Keyhole Cave
p.352
Great North Road
p.346
Hells Bells
p.354
Over
Owler
Tor
From
Surprise
View car
park
