UKH

Here's a short update for local bouldering in County Durham

Harthope Quarry

There are now a large number of new boulder problems here. With still lots more potential.

Pluses: Very good solid quartz sandstone rock, good landings, flat tops, 6m - 8m high

Negatives: Ground is boggy in places and lots of old tyres lying around

The projects are all open so feel free to try them.

High Houselop Quarry

Lots of new problems now added to UKC and a topo on Rock-Topos.com

Bollihope Shield

Another new venue, again scope for new boulder problems to be added.

Rough sandstone, and again quite high buttresses. Needs a bit of cleaning on some top outs.

Cheers for the update Rich, I cycled past harthope quarry a few weeks ago and thought it looked like there was plenty of potential. Will defo drive over this time I think cycling up chapel hill once is enough! 

Thanks for the update.  I've been wanting to visit High Houselop for a while now, should get my arse in gear.   Pro Tip - don't park at Salter's Gate and take the long walk in on a Saturday evening.

Hi Rich,

here’s another new venue my dad discovered recently. 
 

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/fatherley_hill_quarry-27776

small bouldering crag up above Frosterley. 

Rumour has it that Dom did something quite outrageous up there a few weeks back. On-sight apparently...

Nice one. 

Have you guys ever checked round this pin?

Dropped pin
Near Marwood, Barnard Castle
https://maps.app.goo.gl/C8VsFp1CNCWMtzFg9

There's a canny high looking set of buttresses in there. 

B6279
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w8EkH2V7wnYVFqXw8

Have been passing it a lot to some work. Not had a chance to have a lookin. 

I was disappointed to see Crag Hill  Crag Hill has been banned

That’s pallet crag, it’s been climbed on and was in the north east of England guide that’s out if print. Not sure if you can get that information anymore.

Hi Sam

Would a better approach to be to drive up Intake Lane and park as far up as possible?

I've also wondered if you've ever visited Howley Crag (quarry) above Shittlehope?

R

All of the North East England guide is on the climb online website I think, although the PDFs are held in a couple of different places on the site . 

Yeah, very correct, I have used that to gain the quarry in previous visits, as an alternative walk in, which is shorter. I went for the Park Head option as there is definitely no access problems via that route. I have had some comments that there may be access issues from Intake Lane re locals up there, so did not take the chance, in view of the Stanhope Dean situation.

Howley Crag, many years ago, I looked along at whole Shittlehope edge above Stanhope but did not find anything suitable, but I think definitely worth a re visit especially with the new “Bouldering venue” goggles on.

Can't believe I didn't see that on the ukc crag map. Definitely looked. 

Don’t think it is anymore mate.

Jr. and I swung by High Houselop this afternoon.  Surprisingly good sandstone for County Durham, great routes (many beyond me given how long I've been off the rock and on the pies), very fast drying, the aspect really deadens the traffic noise from the A68.  Some fresh rock fall in chunks of > 20 kg and a plague of dead rabbits along the top...  Also some rusty barbed wire fencing piled up to watch out far. 

Best of all, it's not Hown's Gill.

There was a creepy dismembered doll's head.  Suspiciously similar to one I found by Rasiby quarry about 20 years ago.  Whatever is going on, I am happy to not know.

Each time I've visited there have been plenty of dead rabbits. There was also a cage which looked like it held a bird of prey. I do wonder if someone is also shooting the rabbits.

Some of the rock fall may be from my cleaning off the tops on the right end.

However generally the best option is to climb up and either reverse down/jump off or to traverse left or right.