UKH

I thought I knew the Western Grit area pretty well, including some seriously obscure and scruffy minor bits and pieces, but the other weekend we were walking the footpath from Congleton golf course towards Mow Cop, along Congleton Edge, when we spotted the top of what looked like a bit of a crag.  Not sure how much of it there was but bits of it looked easily high enough to be worth climbing.  There looked to be a biggish overhang low down and possibly quite scary arete...

So, is this a well-kept local secret or a load of rubbish with one alluring angle when seen from above?  It was wet and green but then so was everything.

Do you have a grid reference?

I started climbing in the early 80s, mostly alone, and mostly on the rocks up on the ridge going north from Mow Cop. If I know exactly where you're looking, I can dig out my old hand drawn topos.

I found a lot of bouldering - before it was bouldering and was just monkeying around getting strong, and a couple of cliffs that I'd top rope off with a shunt.

The cliffs I cleaned with my mum's brush; didn't dig out loose rock, just avoided it. A lot of loose bits and moss. Cleaning was only where I'd put my hands, the rest I left in place. I can't imagine that the rock is untouched since then. If what you've seen is fully green, it's probably too dodgy. But worth a look see? The countryside is lovely up there and the views studpendous.

Fun times 😀

Is that different from Nick I' Th' Hill (3 miles NE of Mow Cop on ridge crest) on p368 updated Roaches guide? Lynn and I forgot to visit that area but Gary will know.

The bit I think we were looking at is probably about 878607, where there is  bit of an edge marked on the map now I look at it.

That's certainly the right sort of area.  I think where we were looking was further along the ridge (NE) of Nick I' Th' Hill.  It wasn't close to houses or gardens but I'd be surprised if it had escaped Gary's attentions if was any good.  Readza lived in Congleton for a while too.

Dave, Your grid reference is a small area to the west of the road coming up from Mossley to Nick i' th' Hill? I know the footpath along the top of Nick i hill and the steep rocks on the west come quite close to the path in places. Mountain bikers use it and other tracks around there although landowners try to deter them.

Apart from the fact they would require a lot of cleaning the main problem is access. If it is the ones by Congleton Edge the location is at the rear of some quite expensive properties. If you walk/drive up the Mossley - Nick i hill road you can see these houses and their extensive grounds back up to the cliffs. Mellor estate agents are currently advertising a 4 bed house with 15 acres of land for sale at £1,350,000 if you fancy purchasing and owning your own crag. These craglets are mentioned on page 265 of the 1981 Staffordshire area guide.

I walk there quite often but I deeply suspect climbing there is a big no, no.

Closest I got was idly wondering if it really was a bit of gritstone lurking in the trees that I saw from the train heading south. 

Thanks for the reference, although it's a bit of a let down!  It does say 'the furthest from Mow Cop appears to be the most interesting' which I think must be where I was looking.  There were fields, not gardens, below and anyway the actual foot of the crag seemed to be in scrub and woodland.  

Not sure access would have been such a problem, it looked like you could just scramble down the bank below the MTB trails on the ridge.  Whether it's worth the effort is another question entirely!

Evenin' Dave, I had a look at where I had in mind, and your search area - not the same place. And looking at Google Earth et al - so much has changed !

Good luck with your climbing.