UKC

Climbs 290
Rocktype Grit (quarried)
Altitude 331m a.s.l
Faces W

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In condition? Leaving the axes at home for a winter ascent of Embankment 2...the way it should be done. © Alex Messenger

Crag features

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 arêtes 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 notes

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 loop sudden vista of the Hope Valley). Tracks lead out of the northwest corner of this over a ridge into the right-hand end of the quarry.

a new 10m arête E3 sounds nice - but 3 stars? really? and with 3 pegs, haven't seen them but must be fairly safe and very hard.. was it soloed o/s or after inspection and the pegs being put in? will be interested to see
nickcanute - 07/Oct/15
i absolutley love this crag, also a black diamond c4 (blue) left on the crag, its jammed.
coreybennett - 22/Apr/14
Put some new cord on the coventry street peg. Hard to tell whether the peg itself is in any fit state.
remus - 29/Sep/12
Aren't these two routes the same... Embankment 2 Eliminate (Right Hand Crack Only) E1 5c Compromise E1 5b
slacky - 28/Mar/11
Thanks, route updated. You can always send route updates for this sort of thing if you want.
Ropeboy - 27/May/10
The grade for Embankment 1 P2 is wrong, should be E2 5c. Happy to moderate this crag if you have too much on your hands Ropeboy.
Jonny2vests - 27/May/10
Cheers Dan, recently took over moderating this crag, along with a couple of others, and there is a substanial back log, as you are aware, that takes time to bring up to date.
Ropeboy - 26/Sep/08
"Ropeboy" please can you keep the crag upto date. Dan
Dan Lane - 26/Sep/08
Absolutely beautiful and inspiring crag. However, be warned all of the routes are desperate and very difficult. Easy access from the car park where there is usually plenty of parking. Mr. T took me up and I fell off everything, he subsequently humped up most of the routes. Not the best place for a shandy drinking southerner like myself to enjoy the pleasures of grit.
JoHNY - 08/Jul/04
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