© Mick Ryan
Spearheaded by longtime climber Mick Johnston who re-discovered the quarry on some winter bushwhacking whilst recuperating after a bad ground fall off Llanberis slate, Mick was soon joined by friends: Nez McCallum, Matt Troilett, Jerry Peel, Dave Barton, Roy Healy and Mark Radtke (Radtke is an honoury Lancastrian).
© Joel Pixley
Together they set to work and have established seven routes at the Roost, from E4 to E7, up this steep 20m quarried wall that is hidden in the woods on a hillside. Unusually for a gritstone quarry this wall overhangs by about 5 metres.
Pride of place goes to Matt Troilett's The Cartel E7 6c and Fascination Street E7 6c that both climb the centre of the wall by thin cracks then bold face climbing.
Most of the climbs rely on a mix of pegs and natural gear for protection and finish at bolted lower offs. The lower offs were necessary as the top of the wall backs onto private gardens and the owners of the houses said that didn't want disturbing by climbers belaying at the top of the crag.
Jordan Buys paid a visit in October and onsighted most of the routes. For the two E7's he chose a ground up approach and managed The Cartel E7 6c with only one fall, but took a few more attempts and several long falls to complete the probably harder Fascination Street E7 6c.
EXCLUSIVE UKC DESTINATION ARTICLE
If you fancy a trip to The Roost we have just published a destination article with directions and a full topo of the cliff. You can read it here: Hard Cracks: The Roost, Hebden Bridge by Mick Johnston & Ellie Johnston
VIDEO: A Trip to the Roost by Nez McCallum: featuring Matt Troilett on the first ascent of Fascination Street E7 6c
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