Over the last few years many non-south-facing crags in Northumberland have received a good scrub. This thread is an attempt at following on from last year’s thread (
http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=552699&v=1#x7386661) summarizing what has been done and when, so as to encourage traffic. The dates in brackets are the last known clean.
Ravensheugh
Little Idi Area: Always clean
Pendulum *** (VS 4c) Pendulum direct (HVS 5a) – Both spotless (2013)
Baluster Crack ** (Northumbrian HVS 5a & 5b) - Both finishes (2013)
Trouser Legs *** (Northumbrian E1 5b ha ha) (2013)
Easter Grooves (E2) - (light scrub in 2013, but could do with some more brushing).
Easter Crack (VD) - (2013)
Sunny Sunday (E2 5c) - (2013)
Hot Bricks (E1 5c) - (2013)
What is the Victory (E2 5c) / Direct Start (6a) - The arête between Hot Bricks and Cat’s Whiskers - (2015)
Cat's Whiskers * (E1 5b) - (2014)
Scoop Crack (HS 4b) - (2015)
The Squealer (E? ??) Excellent route, but I found this by no means an easy approach to the arête - (2015)
Smarty Pants ** (E2 5c) - (2013 & 2015)
Half Minute Crack (VS?) - (Climbed 2015)
Crescent Wall Climbs - (Always clean and see regular ascents)
Candle in the Wind / Gates of Eden *** - Two of the best around, regularly climbed - (2015).
First Among Equals *** (E6 6b) - (spruced up in 2013).
Ravensheugh Crack *** (HVS 5a) – (Regularly climbed)
Childshood’s End (E4) – (light clean 2015)
Wild West Show ** (HVS 5a) – (Regularly Climbed)
Redskin * (E3 5b) –NMC topo is misleading and depicts Hang em' High, Redskin goes further right before traversing left again - (2014).
Lee Van Cleef *(E4 5c) – New route between Redskin and Sitting Bull - (2013)
Sitting Bull (E3 5b) – (2013)
Moccasin Slab * (HVS 5a) and Buckskin ** (VS) – (Regularly climbed).
Pink Lane ** (E1 5b) – (2013).
St. Cuthbert's Crack * (VS 5a) - Takes some drainage so will always get a bit of dirt, however, its free of soil / plants and the jams / gear are solid (2013).
The Convict (E2 5b) – Has seen a number of ascents, The topo in the NMC guide is misleading and should traverse right. (2013-2015).
High Plains Drifter (E5 6a), Ben’s Wall (E4 5c) – New routes added between Funeral for a Friend and The Convict – bold and hard - (2013).
Great Wanney
Great Wall Direct Finish * (E5) - (2013)
Spare Rib (E4) Excellent highball, worth a star, possibly harder than 6a - (2013)
Osiris (E3) – (2013/4)
Pharaoh’s Face (E3) - (2013)
The Last Retreat * (E4) - (2013)
Nosey Parker * (E5) - (2013)
The First Gone * (E5) A direct finish to The Last Retreat has been climbed at E5 6a, up the wall above the midway ledge, finishing just right of Nosey Parker - (2013)
Nemes (HVS – E2) a new line between Pharaoh’s Face and Main wall - (2013).
E2s on the flanks (possibly Aces High and Pitfall) were cleaned on lead by one party - (2013).
Many of the easier routes and the following were also clean enough to be climbed: Main Wall *** (HVS), Rakes Crack ** (E1), Enery’s Ammer * (E2), Northumberland Wall *** (E2), Broken Wing and Thin Ice *** (E3…), Endless Flight *** (E5), Crisis Zone (E7)***.
Shaftoe
Café Noir (E2-4, 5c)*** – Spotlessly clean, better cam protection than expected - (2015)
Queens Crag
Security Risk (HVS 5c) – The finger slots cleaned - (2013).
Marie Celeste *** (HVS 5b) - (2013).
Jazz * (VS 5a) – (2013)
Gloriana *** (probably more like E4 5c) - (2013).
Bicycle Race (VS 5a) - (2013)
Cleopatra (HVS: hard English 6a) –excellent highball - (2013).
Crag Lough has had a number of concerted clean ups in 2013/14. Many low to mid-grade route are now spotlessly clean. Some are listed here:
http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=557861
http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=596870
Others (e.g. Spot the Dog and Wooden Tops) have been cleaned by independent parties.
Fox Holes Crag
A bouldering venue near Wolf Crag was cleaned and documented in 2014. Guide here:
http://geoquest-verlag.de/sites/default/files/Foxholes%20Miniguide.pdf
Lower Tosson
Has had various developments over the last year or two (notably easier bouldering), and a team has also been in the perma-dry cave. An updated guide is available here:
http://geoquest-verlag.de/?q=en/node/218
NMC Miniguides
The NMC are in the process of producing mini-guides for newly developed areas. Blakey’s Block and The Stell can be found here:
http://northumberlandclimbing.co.uk/
Traffic is really needed to keep these routes in good condition as the combination of warm winters and drainage can result in them quickly getting dirty again.