Crag features

Sandstone quarry with a number of clean faces up to around 20 metres high. About a dozen obvious lines and various eliminates exist with the best lines around English 5a to 5b. As with Southern Sandstone the prevailing ethic has been top-roping or soloing due to the nature of the rock (the rock is quite soft for usual climbing standards) and some of the top-outs. Therefore no leading must take place on the rock, your gear probably won't hold in any case. Ham Hill Quarry is a bolt free zone.

Belays can generally be arranged on substantial trees set back at the top of the faces for which a spare rope for use as an anchor line is essential. There is an almost certain risk of rockfall from above Ivy Buttress while setting a top belay and extreme care should be exercised by all users of the quarry at such a time. Even during climbing, belayers should stand well back; this situation alone recommends the use of helmets. It is recommended that belayers should tie onto some form of anchor, otherwise being dragged into the stinging nettles is a distinct possibility. A strategically placed boulder on the quarry floor is useful for this purpose and can be used for all routes on Main Wall, Ivy Wall and most of Impending Wall. For other areas twigs and small trees have to suffice.

There are also a few easy obvious boulder problems around the base of the quarry.

The rock around the quarry is called Ham Stone, a shelly limestone.