Wildcat Crags (aka Wild Cat)

Climbs 230
Rocktype Limestone
Altitude 132m a.s.l
Faces W

Abbing off at Wildcat..... © Dave Williams

Crag features

Classic traditional routes on highly featured butresses up to 50m high. Lots of cracks, grooves, ribs and aretes of good quality rock for the most part (some vegetated finishes). Most routes are VS and above, with a lot in the HVS to E2 range. Classics include Lynx (HS 4b,4a), Cataclysm (VS 4b,5a), Golden Yardstick (VS 4c,5a). Catastrophe Grooves (HVS 4c,5a), Sunset Creek (E1 5b), Grand Cleft (E2 5b) and The Catcuss Furballs Connection (E5 6b).

Approach notes

From various parking places in Matlock Bath head south past the Pavillion (Mining Museum), through the gardens and across the metal bridge. The main part of the crag is up and to the right.

Take care on descents and avoid entering the grounds of Willersley Castle when descending from Upper Tor.

To reach the Woodbank Tor area, follow a small path heading right from the main crag. It peters out at the point that the crags on the left disappear into the hillside, and you can see the weir directly below. Descend a wide earthy couloir, steep and loose near the bottom, to emerge at the foot of the crag.

http://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/images/documents/L/Lovers_Walk_Rockfall_final_report_June_2015.pdf

Update this Crag

Last updated on 10/May/2016

Access Advice

Please do not scramble down the bank between the A6 and the new bridge to avoid a longer walk. The righthand end of the crags is owned by Wesley (Methodist) Guild Holidays who are concerned about the public wandering around the private grounds near the castle. Please keep disturbance to a minimum - particularly around Upper Tor.

Last updated on 11/04/2016

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Guidebooks

Peak Limestone

Selected guidebook covering the best trad and sport limestone crags in the Peak District.

More info

More Guidebooks:
Peak District : Climbing (2008)
Peak SE Pokketz (2007)
On Peak Rock (2003)
Northern Limestone Route Database (2001)

Out of print:

Northern Limestone (2004)
Peak Limestone - Fax03 (1992)
Peak Limestone - South (1987)
Rock climbs in the Peak - Derwent valley (1981)

Update Guidebooks

Access back to normal now, the barrier across bridge has gone and lots of rock scattewred all along from bridge to path going to crag. Beware of loose block on Broken toe groove. 3 blocks came out today, from just below the bulge on the 2nd pitch, there is another which might drop as well soon. its just above where the others were. Paul Hy - 07/Sep/15
http://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/images/documents/L/Lovers_Walk_Rockfall_final_report_June_2015.pdf Lukem6 - 12/Jun/15
Please do not scramble down the bank between the A6 and the new bridge to avoid a longer walk. The righthand end of the crags is owned by Wesley (Methodist) Guild Holidays who are concerned about the public wandering around the private grounds near the castle. Please keep disturbance to a minimum - particularly around Upper Tor. Lukem6 - 14/Apr/15
What happened to Upper Tor? Liberty Cap etc? Bulls Crack - 13/Jul/14
crag log book could do with a bit of moderating Lukem6 - 30/Sep/13
I'd love to head back with a decent guide book. We did a decent multipitch route I reckon about a VS 4c enjoyed it. EDB4YLI55 - 19/Aug/13
awesome crag, if you want to know more go to http://gachieve.blogspot.com/ for crag review Lukem6 - 07/Jul/11
Had a great day here, must be one of the best crags in the country for the VS/HVS climber, loads of quality routes at these grades. The Ivanator - 03/May/11
I have an original.will photocopy if you wish.07717 472518 jonty7 - 27/Jul/10
Probably the noisiest crag I've ever been to, courtesy of a non-stop procession of bikers on the road below! Simon Caldwell - 20/Apr/09
I'm trying to locate a copy of the original (paperback)guide to the crag. Any suggestions please? haydn taylor - 22/Aug/06

Climbs at this crag

	Climb name		Grade
	New Bridge Buttress
2	Criminally Insane		7a+	2
3	Trick Psychlist		7c+	1
4	Strait Psychlist		7a+ *	7
5	Strait Jacket		7a *	51
6	Recoil		6b+ *	82
7	Shock Treatment		7a	26
8	Lunatic Asylum		HVS 5c	18
9	The Mentalist		7a+	15
10	Borstal Breakout	-	VS 4b	5
	Slippery Slabs
12	Pink Panther		VS 4c	5
13	Original Route		S	19
14	Slippery Slabs Direct	-	VS 4c *	33
15	Whisker	-	VS 4c *	14
16	Bobcat	-	VS 4b	9
17	Brew Eleven	-	VD	10
18	Zaza	-	HVS 5a	2
	Puma Buttress
20	Puma Arete		VS	7
21	Puma Direct	-	HVS 5a *	15
22	Puma Crack		VS	8
23	Another Time		E2 5b *	13
24	Tom Cat	-	HVS 4c *	7
25	Spectrum	-	VS 4c	2
	Coyote Buttress
27	New Exile		E1 5b	5
28	Cat Call	-	VS 4c *	30
29	The Traverse		E1 5c ***	7
30	Caterpillar's Crawl	-	HVS 5a *	16
31	Puss Moth	-	HVS 5a	4
32	Catacomb Direct	-	HVS 5a *	32
33	Catastrophe Grooves		HVS 5a **	246
34	White Room		HVS 5a *	22
35	Lyon Route		E1 5b *	66
36	Cat Cull		E2 5c *	1
37	Coyote Buttress		HVS 5a **	249
38	Derek's Dilemma		VS 5a *	206
39	Broken Toe Groove		VS 4c *	351
40	Jackdaw Grooves		VS 4b **	554
41	Nine Lives Wall		HVS 5a *	203
42	Catharsis Wall		HVS 5a	42
43	Cats Eye		S 4a	353
44	Budweisser Effect		HVS 4c	26
45	McPlumb Wall		HVS 4c *	78
46	Negative 'G'	-	HVS 5b *	5
47	Cougar Cleft		HS 4a	72
48	Tiger Route 1		VS 4c *	102

	Climb name		Grade
49	Tiger Route 2		VS 4c	18
50	Wandering Tiger		VS 5a *	3
51	Ripsnorter		VS 4b *	23
52	Steel Pulse		HVS 5a	4
53	Sourpuss		VS 4c *	80
54	Pupilla		VS 4c *	209
55	Cat Walk		HS 4a **	346
56	Still Waters		E1 5c	1
	High Crag
58	Manx		VS 4b *	255
59	Grand Prix		E1 5b *	6
60	Golden Yardstick		VS 5a ***	658
61	Golden Yardstick Direct		E1 5c *	4
62	Lobo		VS 4b *	207
63	Tut's Anomalous		E1 5b **	114
64	The Catcuss Furballs Connection		E5 6b *	5
65	Clash of Arms		E4 6b *	3
66	Mr Dog		E5 6b *
67	Stolen Jewel		E5 6b *	1
68	Great Cleft		E2 5c **	76
69	Lynx		HS 4b ***	622
70	Sphynx		VS 5a **	220
71	Climacteric		VS 5a **	170
72	Octopuss		HVS 5a	8
73	Cataclysm		HVS 5a ***	432
74	Metamorphosis		HVS 5b *	31
75	Timing X		E1 5b *	16
76	End Game		HVS 5a *	6
	Unsorted
78	Liberty Cap	-	E2 5c **	10
79	Great Crack		E2 5c **	26
80	Sunset Creek		E1 5b **	38
81	Go Go Grooves		HVS 5a **	27
82	Puma Passage	-	VS 4b *	20
83	Tiger Chimney	-	VD	6
84	Catacomb	-	VS 4c	18
85	Manky Meander	-	VS 4b	8
86	Felix Arete	-	HS 4a	7
87	Bird Lime Corner	-	MS *	4
88	The Ferreter	-	HS 4a *	2
89	Cracker Jack	-	HVD ***	17
90	Long Route	-	HS 4a	9
91	Wedge Buttress	-	S *	6
92	Mackering		VS 4c *	8
93	Tiger Tim		VS 4c	7
94	Blurb		HVS 5a *	4
95	Kit-E-Kat	-	VS	3
96	Coyote Crack	-	VS **	10

	Climb name		Grade
97	Green Cracks		VS	3
98	Terminal	-	E2 5c	2
99	Return of the Native	-	E4 6a	1
100	Down, Down to Hell and Say I Sent Thee Thither		E2 5c **	1
101	Blue Grass Special		HVS 5a *	5
102	Drop		D	1
103	Shoe		S 4b	1
104	Dodge		S 4c	1
105	After		VS 5b	1
106	Sooner or Later		HVS 5b *	1
107	Top Cat		VS 4c	9
108	Schoolboy Scoop	-	VD *	1
109	Overhang	-	MVS 4b *	5
110	Old Joe Clark		D	1
111	Ground Hog		VD	1
112	Shelter's End		VS 4b	1
113	Roof Groove	-	VD	2
114	Clang	-	VS 4b	1
115	Fisherman's Wall		VS 4b	1
116	Puma Chimney	-	VD	3
117	Chatti Chimney	-	HS 4a	3
118	Feline	-	HS	6
119	Diagonal		S	2
120	End Scoop		S	1
121	Leafy lane		E1 5b	2
122	Wall End Crack		S	1
123	Green Slab		VD	2
124	Broken Groove		S	1
125	Split Prow		S	1
126	Chocker Block		VD	3
127	Rib Wrecker		VS 4c	2
128	Curving Chimney		MVS 4a	1
129	High Bank Crack		VS 5a	2
130	Deep Chimney		HS 4b	2
131	Split Wall		MS	3
132	Slab Route		D	2
133	Jumper		VD	1
134	Zipper		S	1
135	Slow Feedback		E1 5b *	1
136	Banjo Flake		E1 5b *	4
137	Ukelele Wall		VS 4c	3
138	Molybdenum		E2 5c	4
139	Reality Clause		E2 5b	3
140	Koala		E1 5b	1
141	Shades of Grey		HVS 5a	3
142	Cool Cat	-	HVS	1
143	No Pulse		HVS 5a	1
144	Fragile Glass		HVS 5a	1

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