NMC Northumbrian Mountaineering Club
High Crag — 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.
V1 5c
6a 6a+
V2 6a
V3
6b 6b+ 6c
V4 6b
V5
6c+ 7a
Steve Blake
7a+
Dutch Courage
7b
V6 6c
V7
7b+
V8
7c
V9
Greensheen Slopers Traverse
7c+
V10
Greensheen Hill
8a
Shitlington
Bob Smith
Photo: Alec Burns
7a
8a+ 8b
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...
...High Crag OS Map Sheet OL42 : GR NY 813 864
Crag Overview
rn
High Crag
Approach and Aspect
Ott to
N
32 0
Approach: 15 Minutes
B6
Aspect: South Facing
The crag is on CRoW land.
erb u
Altitude: 270m
Location Data
Approaching Bellingham from the south on the B6320, cross the bridge and turn left onto the minor road, ( Newcastleton, Kielder and Greenhaugh). Continue for several miles to a T junction at Lanehead. Turn right here for Greenhaugh. At the next junction (just before Greenhaugh) and turn right. Continue for 0.9 miles (1500m) , a gate with stock pens will appear on the right. Park here, or in the layby 300m West. (Note the North verge is boggy). Approaching from the north or east drive south through Bellingham and turn right just before the bridge.
Parking Lat Long: WGS 84
55.14332
-2.2330196
Having parked, strike out over the moor with the fence and wall on your right, crossing a stream at about 300m . A further 300m of undulating walking will bring you to a fence/wall junction, cross this and continue on a feint quad track for a further 400m. As you reach the crest the crag will appear on your left.
High Crag
Bellingham
Howlerhirst Quarry
The crag is South facing, in a superb position overlooking the North Tyne valley. It is however, very exposed to the elements!
B6
32 0
Howlerhirst
to
W
ar
k
CAUTION
Crag Detail
All of the harder problems rely on delicate flakes that will likely snap if they are used when wet. In order to preserve the problems in their original state, and to avoid scarring, do not go to this venue unless there has been at least a week of dry weather. The flakes need to be dry through, not just on the surface. It would be tragic to ruin the problems and the crag with unnecessary scarring. Please be patient. In particular, if the obvious top flake on Media Line snaps then whoever breaks it is likely to get hurt…...
N
P
Location Data Parking Lat Long (Layby): WGS 84 55.179658 –2.305616
History The crag was first visited long ago by Bob Smith, while exploring for new venues with his wife Linda. At that time there were other fish to fry and Bob catalogued the venue for the future. Some 20 years later he and Steve Blake established several short problems on the peripheral boulders while noting the obvious potential for hard highballs! Dan Varian became aware that there was a striking arête to be climbed somewhere in the County and his independent research eventually identified High Crag as its location. In 2014 he began working the arête and its overhanging left flank. Steve Blake eventually returned and in May 2015 climbed the right wall of the arête, ‘No County for Old Men’ a superb 7a+, But the main event, was and is, Dan’s soaring arête - Star Power. He relatively rapidly established the standing start version, but the sit was much more complex issue and had an exponential impact on the moves above. There were a lot of frustrating, close failures, but after a lot of effort and patience Dan eventually latched the final pocket high on the prow’s right side to complete the project and establish one of Northumberland’s finest problems. The same day Steve completed the left arête of the gully (Media Line), and then traversed the right wall , The Brachistocrone Solution.
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Crag GR: NY813864
High Crag
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The Introductory Bloc…
...High Crag
The West Wall…
...High Crag
The Introductory Bloc 1.
Star – Board 7b+ TB
Standing Start. Use the pocket and a crimp to gain the sloper above the left side of the roof. Continue up the left edge above. 2. The World’s Most Obsessive Fly Tipper Jump 7b+ DV. Definitely not a sit start! . Using the hold in the roof (left hand obviously!) jump up to the pocket. And continue up…. 3.
The Obsessive Fly Tipper 6c+/7a SB.
Standing Start. Worm up the groove and reach out to the pocket on the left and continue up the crack and wall above.
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4.
Computer Says Noooooo! 6c
DV.
Up the groove on the left of the wall then move right to larger holds and the top 5.
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Second Fiddle 8a+ DV.
Sit Start. Excellent! Small holds lead to the undercut flake, more small holds lead to the second undercut flake, which in turn allows the larger holds on the merely vertical section to be reached . 7c from the crimpy pocket and undercut standing.
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Dan Varian Getting high on Second Fiddle SS FA. 8a+ Steve Blake
The Obsessive Fly Tipper Micky Stainthorpe
Observant visitors will notice scattered around the crag, the remains of several computer monitors or portable TVs.
The World’s Most Obsessive Fly Tipper—Jump 7b+ Mark Savage Photography
Why and how they got there remains a mystery…. Most probably they have been used as targets by a heavily armed shepherd driven insane by the falling standards in One Man and His Dog, though Dan speculated they were the spoil of ‘The World’s Most Obsessive Fly Tipper’….. Whatever, they are incongruous and S having the potential to seriously confuse future Time Teams, the debris will gradually be removed. Tim Blake Star Board 7b+ 7b+ S Blake photo
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If you do encounter an angry bloke with a trailer load of TVs and a shotgun, best leave and let him have his fun!
Both problems on this wall are (obviously) highballs that need careful padding and spotting. Second Fiddle is reliant on delicate flakes — do not try it unless it is properly dry.
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The Left Wall…
The Right Wall…
...High Crag
High Crag was originally discovered by Bob Smith, way , way back in the day, and added to his Black Book for future development. It lay dormant for perhaps 18 years until Bob and Steve Blake added some easier problems on the flanks. Dan had become aware of the mythical arête and hunted it for several years,. Subtly interrogating Steve Blake didn’t help much but he gradually eliminated a lot of venues and eventually pieced the jigsaw together , realising (Doh!) he’d been looking at it for years from Howlerhirst!
Both No County for Old Men and Gully Wall use some obvious delicate flakes that need to be dry. Breaking the flake at the top of the Gully Arête will probably result in a very ugly fall and injury.
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Dan Varian on Star Power 8b+ Mark Savage Photography
Dan’s activity eventually drew Steve back to the crag . Dan and Micky Stainthorpe had generously left the wall right of the prow for Steve (his ‘project’). After nearly managing the wall ground up, Steve returned and cleaned the top holds, a further solitary visit saw the wall completed. Steve subsequently added the Gully’s arete and unusual Brachistochrone Solution.
Please do NOT attempt these problems if they are at all damp.
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...High Crag
Dan’s project understandably took much longer, the arête was done from the stand quite quickly, but the sit start added an exponential level of complexity, and compounded the difficulties at the top where a blind reach for a key mono proved frustratingly elusive. Eventually benefitting from short rest period Dan arrived at the crag fresh. Conditions weren’t perfect but were good enough. A short warm up was followed by smoothly dispatching the arête from the stand. A short rest and the Sit Start was on! There was no hesitation , just strong fluid motion
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9. The Brachistochrone Solution. 7a/b. SB. An unusual problem! Two tantalising finger pockets beckon in the centre of the right wall. Reach these from the gully and span out to flakes on the arête. Go figure…. The direct start is an open project.
The Prow This jutting arête is one of the most taxing, and finest problems in the County. Significant technical difficulty, a great line, position and enough height to be worrying. 6.
Star Power.
8b+ (TBC)
10. High Crag Arete - Left Hand Start. 6a. SB. Pull up the LHS of the arête, then spin around to the right side, and up.
DV.
Sit Start. ‘13 hard hand and tricky foot moves, A long power test piece’. Climb the narrow arête using a combination of slender side -holds, cunning heel hooks, awkward pinches and a crucial half pad mono high on the arête. Pull out right using the relatively large two tips pocket. 8a+ from the stand. 7.
No County for Old Men.
7a+
Steve Blake The Brachistochrone Solution. 7a/b Bob Smith Collection.
SB.
(Yes, it has been done with a Sit Start, but it’s pointless, so stand up!) Use the runnel to reach a good pocket in the hole. Use the flake above to span out left and (gently) swing onto the wall. From this fine position, reach the top. 8.
Media Line.
6b+
SB.
Steve Blake Rocking out the finish to Media Line 6b+
Steve 9 10
Easily climb the left arête to a difficult move using a delicate flake at the top. Unsatisfactory and escapable bar the last move.
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The East Wall…
The Morning Bloc…
...High Crag
...High Crag The Morning Bloc 15. The Queens Nose. 6c MS . Sit Start Using a coin shaped hold finish over the lip with a mantle. 16. Sweet America. 7b. DV. Morpho—easier for the tall. (aren’t they all!) A very stiff pull/ big slap to an edge at the top.
12a Andy Cowley unwittingly did two problems which are hybrids of the Queens Nose and Sweet America. They would be very complex eliminates if described
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15 16 17. Dawn. 6b+ Sit Start. A hard pull from the obvious pocket leads to a slap for the facet up and left, pull up, stand up and finish.
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18.
Dusk 6c+
19.
My Left Foot
BS. Sit Start. This deceptive and awkward feature is difficult to enter and demands flexibility. 6b
BS. Sit Start. Use the obvious pockets to pull onto the slab.
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The East Wall Steve Blake 11.
High Crag Arête Right Hand Start .
6a/5+ SB. High Crag Arete 6a
After an awkward initial pull, the slabby arête eases. Perhaps just HVS in old money? 12.
The Crack. 4
Steve Blake Collection
SB.
Again the start is much more difficult than what’s above. VS in old money.
Bob Smith
12a An alternative finish to the crack is to break out right up the featured wall. About Severe.
13.
The East Wall Traverse.
Tim Blake on The Moon and Saturn 7a+
The Dawn Steve Blake Collection
Photo: Steve Blake
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6c SB.
Follow the line of crimps and side -holds under the small overhang 14.
Stone Dead Forever.
6c AC.
The short wall above the platform has an unpleasant landing!
Steve
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The Cave…
… High Crag
...High Crag The Cave
The Photos
Above and behind the Eastern Bloc.
Follow the crack through the roof to a good hold over the top.
A superb photographer, Mark Savage is a generous supporter of the NMC Guidebooks and Supplements, freely donating superb images which lift the quality of both, from the average to the spectacular. Images such as these are the result of a lot of work technique and knowledge. The rig that he carries to the crag is enormous, and matched by the weight of his rucksack and other kit.
Avoid disturbing the Blackbird’s nest on the right.
His enthusiasm at the crag is infectious — but be warned. If you volunteer for a photo shoot you’ll be there till after dark , running laps on the problems trying to catch clouds! The results are worth it though.
20. SR71
6a+
SB.
(SR71s - (Blackbirds ) were usually found above and behind the Eastern Bloc.)
Dan Varian Mark Savage Photography
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Bob Smith
In addition, Mark’s background of hard climbing gives him an invaluable insight into the activity. He has assembled a unique archive of climbs and problems in the County . Some of these will emerge in this series of supplements.
Dawn Bob Smith Collection
Could you just do it again?
Steve Blake No County for Old Men Mark Savage Photography
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