Dave Carnegie
Dan Varian
The Gruffalo
Northumbrian Mountaineering Club
Carnegie Collection
Hammer and Sickle Photo: Mark Savage
A series of downloadable PDF guides to new bouldering venues , problems, highballs and routes in Northumberland, including: The Stell
Whiteheugh
Raven’s Crag
Caller Crag , Corby’s and Edlingham
Greensheen Hill
Parkside Wood
The Maiden Chambers Area
St Cuthbert’s Cave
The Bowden Area
The Wanneys Group
Beanly Moor and Hunterheugh
Blakey’s Bloc
Cockenheugh
Kyloe Out
Rothley
The Ravensheugh Area
Banno Crags
Titlington and the Turban
South Yardhope
Brady’s Crag
Coquet View
Shitlington
The Lost World
Lookwide
Howlerhirst
High Crag
NMC Northumbrian Mountaineering Club
Hepburn South — A Bouldering Guide
...Northumberland Bouldering
Introduction... TECHNICAL NOTES
BOULDERING GRADES
The location of each crag is indicated by its Grid Reference.
It is true to say that there are only two grades, the problems and routes you can do, and those you can’t. To the keen boulderer however it soon becomes apparent that this can be sub divided into the problems you can do and your mates can’t, and vice versa! Grading boulder problems (and some routes) is an almost impossible task. The table below is a rough comparison of the common systems in use. Visitors to the County will probably find that, until they get used to the style of the problems and the intricacies of climbing on the County’s various Sandstones, the accuracy of the table will be questionable. Grades are an art rather than a science, and while FONT UK TECH V GRADE difficulty is central to bouldering , it is easily confused with qualiGRADE GRADE ty. The pursuit of which is an equally rewarding endeavour. 3 4c VB The various grading systems are well understood, and like grades are an ongoing source of debate regarding their respective merits. 4 5a In these PDF guides we have retained the Font grades introduced V0 in the last guidebook and their use is now established and un4+ 5b derstood.
Maps The County is covered by seven Ordnance Survey Explorer (1:25,000) maps. Sheets 339 (Kelso), 340 (Holy Island), OL16 (The Cheviot Hills), 332 (Alnwick and Amble), OL42 (Kielder Water), 325 (Morpeth) and OL43 (Hadrian’s Wall). The majority of the crags lie on sheets 340 and 332.
General On occasions the problems are referenced to routes that are not described in the climbing guide, or in the second edition bouldering guide. You may need these guides or to ask a local climber help you locate the problems.
Sit Starts Most problems are written up as standing starts off one mat only! Generally sit starts are added at the end of a description where they add either to the difficulty, or quality. Only rarely will a sit start be separately named.
Rules It has long been understood in Northumberland that if a twig is found on a ‘good’ foothold, then the foothold is out of bounds. The same applies to bedding planes , ledges and footholds in contact with the ground. Usually these are out of bounds. The previous guide wisely suggested that if you are wondering if the foothold is in, then it probably is not!
Further Information The NMC website has a variety of resources relating to climbing in the County. If you have this PDF you’ve probably found it already. Otherwise go to: www.thenmc.org.uk
Highballs
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The height of many crags in the County demands a highball approach. Mats can reduce the consequences when highballing goes wrong, but there comes a point when they look very small. Many of these ‘problems’ would have been considered small routes not long back, (though some in this new series are not so small) and occasionally are compounded with bad landings. Falling off them should not be treated casually. While highballs are self-evident, many shorter problems have bad landings and need careful padding and spotting. Be careful!
5+
New Problems Descriptions of new problems and routes should be sent to newroutes @thenmc.org.uk. A description, grade, date and name of first ascensionist should be included. A photo with a line marking the route would also help.
Bob Smith
V1 5c
6a 6a+
V2 6a
V3
6b 6b+ 6c
V4 6b
V5
6c+ 7a
V6
Steve Blake
7a+
Dutch Courage
7b
Shitlington
7b+
V8
7c
V9
7c+
V10
Photo: Alec Burns
Greensheen Slopers Traverse
8a
Greensheen Hill
8a+
Photo: Steve Blake
8b
6c
7a
V7
V11 V12
7b
V13
8b 8b+
V14
8c
V15
8c+
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Introduction...
...Northumberland Bouldering 3. Be gentle with brushwork, and minimal with your chalk. Climbing indoors, we can brush the holds to our hearts content; outdoors, the effect can be catastrophic.
SUSTAINABILITY The quality and durability of Sandstone in Northumberland varies significantly both on and between crags. Iron hard rock with a case hardened patina can coexist with a super soft cheesy substance soft enough to be shaped by hand. Sadly there is much evidence that the tough patina when worn away reveals a soft inner that rapidly erodes. There are many examples, but Vienna at Bowden Doors is probably the most famous example, which in its current deplorable state is a much easier and sad shadow of the original .
4. Poor footwork also impacts, so clean your shoes before you begin an attempt. Modern shoes allow a huge amount of force to be exerted through the feet, eg twisting on smears has a grinding effect that speeds up erosion. Be aware, use good footwork and tread lightly. 5. Don’t use the problems for training. Running laps may look cool, but do it indoors on plastic, not on the rock. 6. Take your junk home, don’t light fires, don’t leave gates open. If you must, learn how to shit in the woods. Do not be generally antisocial.
Over the last thirty years the popularity of Rock Climbing and Bouldering has accelerated and there is much similar evidence of our impact on the crags. Routes and problems on Sandstone, especially on fragile and well-used Sandstone, are a finite resource and need careful and sensitive protection if they are to survive. It is worth repeating that you should not climb on sandstone when there is any evidence of dampness. The rock becomes significantly weaker losing its bonding when damp, and is susceptible to accelerated erosion and breakage. Once a break occurs, or the outer patina is penetrated, then the effects of erosion are exponential.
David Murray On Barnaby Rudge The Good Book Section, The Stell. Alec Burns collection
Vienna Bowden Doors
Many magnificent routes in Northumberland have escaped significant damage, principally because the habit of top roping hard routes has not been adopted as readily as elsewhere. Bouldering however, is a particularly intensive game which can see a team cycling through repeated attempts on a problem, brushing and ragging between each effort. The impact of this can be seen on relatively recent problems on which holds are already bleaching out, and this is on rock thought of as hard. We are the stewards of these places. There are many things we can do to minimise our direct impact on them: 1. Everyone should acknowledge and understand the fragility of the medium and learn to walk away if there is any suggestion of dampness and the rock is not in condition. 2. Set yourself a realistic number of attempts at a problem, if you can’t do it, leave it until you can do it without beating it into submission. We need to have enough humility to understand that the rock’s needs are more important than our egos. Learn to walk away and come back when you’re capable.
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Introduction...
Hepburn South The crag is on CRoW land.
...Hepburn South OS Map Sheet 332 : GR NU 079236 Altitude: 250m Aspect: West Facing
The Hepburn Escarpment The Queen Bee Area
Parking Area GR:
P
NU 0715 2478
Approach: 20 Minutes
The Main Area Hepburn
The Plateau Northern Soul Area
To Chillingham, Old Bewick and Wooler The Cist
Ruin Gate
Berthele’s Stone
Boggy
The Gruffalo
History These boulders were first discovered by Steve Blake and Bob Smith in 2012, some speculative nosing around first revealed the Viewpoint Area, bushwhacking right they then stumbled across the Burma the fine Burma Road block. Steve after a number of attempts managed Burma Road with it’s shredding mono. It was apparent that there was (And still is) a lot of rock in the trees. While poking around in the vegetation Steve stumbled across the Rift, a natural crevasse that seems perma dry and did . The crack of the Fascist, on a later visit Dave Murray spanned out and left to establish Mao Tse Lunge. Inevitably Dan Varian got into the game and added several very fingery and hard problems to the wall, Hammer and Sickle being the hardest.
P
P
Approach and Aspect From the A1 take the minor road signed to Chillingham Castle six miles North of Alnwick, through the hamlet of North Charlton. Continue across the moor for 5.9 miles. Look West for a distinct track that crosses the moor past a small ruin. (The track is less distinct near the road GR NU 0842 24793. 55.516921 –1.808148). Follow the track , crossing a stream after 150m, and the ruin on the left after 600m. The track rises gently and divides , take the main (left hand) track. 200m further on, a prominent track has been cut through the heather on the right. Follow this to the fence, turn right and follow this in turn to an orange tape marker. The path down through the trees will bring you out at ‘The Peculiar Bloc’. About 20 minutes from the car. The crag faces West and much of it is sheltered by trees. The Central Sector, will include Berthele’s Stone and Northern Soul areas, and will be covered by another supplement.
To the A1 North Charlton Jct
Cairn
Marker Post Yellow Cord
Viewpoint Rock Area
The Rift & Tasty Slab Area
N
KEY Bouldering Areas/Sectors Vehicle/Quad tracks Footpaths/Tracks/Stumping Woodland
Further right Bob figured out how to climb the unusual cowl of the Peculiar Block and the left side of the slabby, difficult arête left of the Tasty Slab. Dan Varian dealt with the right side of the arete, and Steve Blake stretched himself up the steep slab on the right with an exciting exit. Steve cleaned and climbed two lines on the superb ‘Tasty Slab’. The was completely moss covered when discovered. Cleaning revealed three obvious lines on this big piece of rock. The right hand one Russian Cake was rapidly dispatched. Palm Sugar was much more difficult, with some technical slab climbing required to unlock the traverse and reach the higher holds. The obvious direct start on the nubbins proved too difficult for Steve, and was eventually completed by Dan after a number of attempts at a mere 7b+ (Time may prove it a little harder!) Dave Carnegie a keen explorer of the escarpment , added the difficult Gruffalo to the fine arête in the quarry below The Viewpoint, a fine problem well worth seeking out .There remains considerable scope for further development, these trees hide a wealth of opportunity for the enthusiastic developer and will reward exploration.
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1KM
N
Moor
Rift Drop In Viewpoint Blocs Boggy
Felled Log
The Rift Tasty Slab Burma Road
The Gruffalo
The Rift & Tasty Slab Area
Forestry (Usual) Car Park
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Hepburn South…
...Tasty Slab The Brighton Rock Bloc
1. Brothel Creepers. 6c. BS. SS. The left hand side of the blunt arête using some nubbins for the left hand.
Hepburn South…
...Tasty Slab
The Tasty Slab
2. Audrey. 7b+. SS. DV. The right hand side of the arête. 3. Brighton Rock. 7a . SB. The centre of the short, steep slab is taken via a pocket low down , the thin slash, and then the prominent nubbin to an exciting finish.
Bob Smith Brothel Creepers 1 The Rift
To the Plateau
The Arete
The Mantle Block
The Top Wall
The Sleeping Man
The Tasty Slab The Mantis
The Mantle. 5+ SB. The obvious mantle onto the ledge then slab.
Palm Sugar. 7a. SB. Sweet! The first line on the slab. Climb easily to the ledge and make a tenuous U shaped traverse left to the nubbins, finishing direct. The crack on the left, alas, is not ‘in’.
Tricepatops. 7c+. DV. Sit start. Using an obvious pocket . Finish direct. The Mantis The Mantis. 6c. SB. Traverse the sloping top right to left. The Gyrus Block. There are three lines:
4. Russian Cake. 5+/6a. SB. Sprint up the RH side of the slab.
2. The Gyrus. 5+ SB. Standing Start. The centre line.
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3. Higher Mental Function. 6a. SC. Sit start from undercuts on the right hand line.
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3.
1. The Left Frontal. 5. SC. Standing Start
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The slab is approximately 100m South of the Rift, at the same level. The slab and the wall to it’s right are the main features. But there are worthwhile problems on several adjacent boulders. The slab itself is highball territory!
2. Purple Nurples. 7b+. DV. A direct start to Palm Sugar using some painful nipples.
Try Hard. 7a DV. Standing start. The mantle left of the ‘The Mantle’s’ ledge.
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1. Delicatessen. 7b+ DV. This climbs the vertical wall via the slot and some nubbins and creases to join Palm Sugar up which it finishes.
The Mantle Bloc
The Gyrus Block
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The Tasty Slab Area
Brighton Rock Block
The Gyrus Block
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Steve Blake Collection
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2
The Mantis Block
5.
Areet Arete.6b+ BS. A short distance to the right,
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Hepburn South… The Top Wall
...Top Wall
Hepburn South…
...Top Wall The author
This pleasant wall is above and right of the Tasty Slab.
Losing his head on Palm Sugar
Go right from the Tasty Slab, passing a couple of mossy walls. Then head (crawl) up a subtle rake. The wall should be in view.
Tasty Slab Photo: Ian Murray.
If the ferns aren’t established you can walk out by continuing left of the wall then up through the scrub to the fence.
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1. Wishing You Were. 6b. BS. Sit start. The centre of the wall via the scoop . 2. The blunt nose a metre or so right. 6c. SB. (I can’t recall if this was done from the sit…..) It’s the mantle above that’s memorable!
You should be here! The Rift
To the Plateau
The Arete
The Mantle Block
The Top Wall The Gyrus Block
The Tasty Slab
The Sleeping Man The Mantis
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Hepburn South…
...The Sleeping Man
Hepburn South…
...The Sleeping Man Dan Varian on Star Power 8b+ Mark Savage Photography
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The Sleeping Man Block This is the first block to the right of the descent path adjacent to the Rift. It has three problems. 1.
Nice 6c. DV. Sit start the arête.
2. 5+ Arête. DV. Climb the arête on its left hand side. 3. Northumbleau. 7c+ . DV. A ‘low’ standing start, with right hand in the big undercut and right hand in the side-pull, head straight up the wall. 4. The Peculiar Block. 6b+. BS. The unusual feature, next to the path. Sit start on the left, traverse the break right and pull up and over onto the arête.
Bob Smith On The Fascist Steve Blake Collection 4
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Hepburn South‌
Hepburn South‌
...The Rift
...The Rift
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3
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The Rift An unusual feature that is near perma dry, being protected from the elements by the outer wall , slope and trees above The wall was stumbled upon by Steve Blake and Bob Smith when they first discovered the Southern blocs. Since then Dan Varian has established a series of difficult problems. All have sit starts underneath the lower overhang. Problematic to photograph, the wall is not as shown here Banana shaped, but flat and overhanging with an undercut base and capping lip.
David Murray on Mao Tse Lunge. 7a+. Photo: Ian Murray
1. Mao Tse Lunge. 7a+. DM. Sit start. Gain the good pocket and make a long span up and left to the hold on the shoulder. 2.
Yellow Line. 7a+. DV. Sit start. Use a pocket (probably the obvious one) and use this to gain the break.
3. Worr Horse. 7b+. DV. Sit start. Sit Start under the roof right of the crack. Head left along the lip to the crack, use this and a pocket on the left to reach the thin break. Pull over to finish at the big break. 4.
Worr Horse Eliminate 7c+ DV. Sit start. Once reached only use the crack or holds to the right of it.
5. Hammer and Sickle. 8a. DV. Sit start. Pull out via the obvious (but probably very small) pocket, with a huge move to the jug below the roof. (Traversing the thin break rightwards into the Fascist makes for an 8a+. (DV.)) 6. The Fascist. 5+ SB. Sit start. The only really obvious hold on the wall is the long diagonal crack. Follow this to top out using the slopers way up and right. 7. Shaping the Barrel. 7c. DV. Sit start. Start 2m right of the easy crack/flakes. Make an awkward move to gain the good edge with the LH. from here a big move to the juggy break leads to finishing up the flakes/ breaks.
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Hepburn South…
…The Viewpoint
Hepburn South…
… Burma Road
Liposuction.
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The Burma Road Block
Gurning for Britain Steve Blake on The Mantis Photo: Alec Burns
The Burma Road Block This is last block, approximately 100m left of the rift, at about the same elevation. It has four problems.
Liposuction. 6b+ SS. BS.
1.
This lip traverse is approximately 40m North of the Rift, just below the path.
2. Burma Road. 7a+/7b?. SB. Sit start. The obvious left leaning groove, is awkward to start and finishes via a painful mono at the top. The pocket on Blue Suede Shoes is out!
Above is a flat wall with an undercut base. A number of open projects await the enthusiast.
The Viewpoint Block
The Flakes. 6c. BS. The thin flakes at the left hand side of the block..
3. Blue Suede Shoes. 6b+. BS. Use the pocket and flake above to get established on the wall and reach the top. 4.
Teddy Boy. 6a. BS. The right hand weakness.
The Viewpoint Bloc This boulder offers fine views across Glendale. It has a plethora of holds. Three obvious problems are described, though endless eliminates are possible. (Up and right of these rocks is an isolated boulder, as yet unclimbed. As are the rocks directly below it.) 1.
The Undecided. 6b+. Historic. Sit start pick your crimps and climb the wall to a mantle finish.
2.
The Unrepentant. 6b. Historic. Sit start. The corner line to another mantle finish.
3.
The Undertow. 6b.
Historic. Sit start. The wall right of the corner to the final mantle.
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If you have approached from the track below, the Viewpoint will be the first blocks you encounter. As you approach on the path a fallen tree blocks the way. Just after this, but before the blocs is a tree with some duck tape on the trunk. A feint path goes right from here to the Burma Road Bloc.
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Hepburn South…
… The Gruffalo
Hepburn South…
… The Gruffalo Mike Mullins The Gruffalo Photo: Dave Carnegie
Gurning for Britain Steve Blake on The Mantis Below and to the North of the Viewpoint blocks is a quarry, home to the fine highball arête taken by The Gruffalo. There is no path (as yet) down from The Viewpoint, but the problem is well worth seeking out. 1. The Gruffalo. 7c. DC. Standing start up the right side of the arête. The thin crack , pockets and arête lead to a reach for the horizontal break. Go left around the arête to finish. Liposuction. 6b+ SS. BS. This lip traverse is approximately 40m North of the Rift, just below the path. Above is a flat wall with an undercut base. A number of open projects await the enthusiast.
2. Jimmy Nae Pals. 6b+. DC. Sit start. Directly behind the Gruffalo is a free standing boulder. This problem takes the undercut arête facing The Gruffalo, pulling out left to finish. 3. Ben’s Prow. 6c. BB. Sit start. This takes the blunt prow up and right of The Gruffalo. It eases after the start. Traverse off Left or Right. Viewpoint Blocs
To Burma Road To the Plateau
Duck Tape Tree
Jimmny Nae Pals Fallen Tree
1 The Gruffalo
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Fraser Gibson Photo: Dave Carnegie
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