Cawdor Quarry, Matlock

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 TobyA 25 Jun 2022

Hi all - who has been to  Cawdor Quarry and is it really that awful? I see there have been some recent ascents logged so some people go there, but there are also plenty of very rude comments about it!  

I'm pretty philosophical about climbing in that I know I'm lucky enough to live somewhere, on the edge of the Peak, close to many crags and hence get more chance to climb than many. And as a result, it's very rare that I don't enjoy climbing no matter how objectively poor the routes are. On Thursday night I did a two or three bolt long 5c at Horseshoe that I hadn't done before and I probably enjoyed it as much as the 2* VS I had done at Agden Rocher a week ago. So I've enjoyed Pin Dale, I've enjoyed Intake Quarry, I've enjoyed the upper tier of Goddard's for example.

Is Cawdor really that much worse than any of them? Or is it, secretly, a mid grade gem of a crag, and it's devotees have just sworn each other to silence to avoid the hoardes descending on it (like at Masson Lees)?

 Andy Clarke 25 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

It's hardly a gem, but I certainly think it's worth a visit on a hot day for the Lost World ambience. The only time I've been we saw an incredibly rare pair of golden orioles, so it will always have a place in my heart. In the interests of balance, I did end up on my arse among the primeval ferns when one of the starts disintegrated, so a clip stick might be prudent.

 Derek Furze 25 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

I went when it was first developed and did a lot of the routes.  I went back a year or two ago - it was pretty dirty and with a lot of badly corroded bolts, making some routes distinctly unattractive.  We managed some of the starred routes, but I wouldn't recommend the place these days.  That said, if it was cleaned up with traffic, the routes are probably better than those at Horseshoe.

 steveb2006 25 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

Ive been a couple of times though there was a 17 year gap between the 1st and 2nd visit!

Its not too bad as Peak quarries go - good for shade on hot days - some of the more obscure routes on the right side do have corroded bolts but most are ok (as far as I remember).

OP TobyA 25 Jun 2022
In reply to Derek Furze:

Thanks Andy and Derek. I was at Masson Lees last week and it was really busy. There was a chap, literally, taking headers off the route next to me (and if the fella concerned is reading this, kudos for getting back on and giving it another go, but have a think about where the rope is in relation to your feet! ). Another group who were there, were also taking falls off the 6as and then, after that, one of them asked one of the guys I was climbing with to check his knot was tied properly! Everyone was very friendly and having a great time, but it did feel vaguely bonkers. So it did cross my mind that there was another crag at the bottom of the hill with plenty of similarly graded routes.

OP TobyA 25 Jun 2022
In reply to steveb2006:

Thanks Steve as well!

 Alkis 25 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

Last time I was at Masson Lees I had to point out to a family of American climbers with two really really young children, that sitting around at the bottom of a loose peak quarry helmetless is not an amazing idea, especially as they were sat just to the left of Red And Ribbed For Your Pleasure (6c), which is metres away from where there has been rockfall very recently...! It can feel a bit crazy at times.

OP TobyA 25 Jun 2022
In reply to Alkis:

Yep, there is a bit of a fresh-out-of-the-wall vibe down there sometimes, with some situational awareness lacking. But, everyone has to learn, so like the lad who asked to have his knot checked, good on him. Being too proud to ask is much the worse option.

And I reckon the crowd at Masson, a bit like at Harpur, is just way more diverse in all sorts of ways than you used to get, and probably still do at some crags. And that's nice to see.

3
In reply to TobyA:

We’ve walked down to it once - it was quite unpleasant to be down there and the rock was very green and dirty. We tried one route, slipped off the start and walked straight back up and went elsewhere. Shame as there is a nice looking spread of grades and it would divert some crowds from Masson.

 Joffy 26 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

Went to halldale quarry, just up from Crawford, for the first time the other week and really enjoyed it. The main wall features a roof where most of the cruxs are and has some really fun routes in the 6b-7a+ range.

OP TobyA 26 Jun 2022
In reply to Joffy:

I've looked at that as well, although I think there is only one or two climbs at my normal onsight grade. I will take a look at some point though.

Any signs of the promised redevelopment in Halldale?

OP TobyA 26 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

In the end, for various reasons, we went to Pin Dale instead. We did four routes on the upper tier which were, while far from perfect, quite ok. Lots of fossils in the rock. Then one route in the lower quarry where I've visited before. Cawdor will be a future trip! Thanks all. 

Blue Yonder is another crag round there I've not visited yet. What are people's opinions on that?


 Jeff Ingman 26 Jun 2022
In reply to TobyA:

Halldale - there's been some basic infrastructure put in at the North edge of the quarry near the old main entrance. The sports climbing is unaffected and now accessed from the Masson Lees road by those I know. The dry tooling training traverse has been lost because spoil has been heaped against it.

Blue Yonder - better than Cawdor but still loose and wobbly. Not been there for 5 yrs so maybe it's cleaning up (yeah, right!)


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