UKC

Climbs 50
Rocktype Sandstone (hard)
Altitude 287m a.s.l
Faces NW

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Andrew Webb on Gehenna, Beacon Scar. 1972. © Tony Marr

Crag features

There has been a significant rockfall/landslip in the vicinity of the rickety old bridge between the slabs area and Gehenna. There is a considerable amount of loose rock, uprooted trees and other debris above the line of the old path. Take care!

An impressive crag, fairly sheltered with typically good views from the top. It is prone to dirt washed down from above, but there are some fine routes when dry. The top is steep and very loose, so a top rope for access is recommended.

Two main buttresses, the left has belay bolts placed by a local centre. Recommended Routes: Party Line (VS), Gehenna (HVS), Tremor (E2) and Mongol (E2).

Approach notes

From the A19 go through the village of Osmotherley, turn left at the end of the village, drive up past the village shop and out of the top of the village. Follow this road over the moor to a parking place near the highest point of the road at 473003. There are restrictions on pulling up on the roadside verge and you will get a ticket. Drive to the top of the reservoir as there are two car parks. Walk up the hill on the 'Lyke Wake Walk', south west onto the Cleveland way for 1km to a stone wall. There is a stand of trees at the top of the crag which you can't miss. Pass through 2 gates in quick succession and turn immediately right to take the small path through the woods. Access to the crag is down a steep incline and bear left, with kit on your back it's easier to break out a rope and double it over In order to Scramble down to the crag. Awkward to find from above; it lies in the woods on the scarp to the North of Osmotherly.

The crag has limited access to the bottom, but is passable. There are lots of trees to hang kit in and although one or two spots are a little boggy, most of the base is solid under foot.

i wouldn't recommend trying to get in and out if the ground is wet as the access will become very slick and slippery.

Update this Crag
Last updated on 25/Mar/2024

No Access Issues

The crag holds a wide range of grades and should offer some challenge for most climbers. Areas of the crag and Arncliff Slab in particular can suffer from washed down shaley deposits. Recent forestry clearing should improve conditions and open up its aspect.

Click here for RAD Access Notes
Last update: 12/05/2023  

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Gehena is a classic E1, mongol a classic hard E2. Fat bastards looks good and there is a fair bit of hard FA pottential. Mint place i'm only just descovering.
The Soloist - 27/May/09
Well worth a visit in dry conditions - although many of the routes are unfortunately dusty (nothing that a large amount of netting / mesh on the unstable soil above plus several days intensive brushing wouldn't fix), the steeper classics are rather good - Mongol probably being the best. A word about the classic Gehenna (a good easy warm-up for the crag): This is graded for standard climbers, fairly at HVS 5a (not even E0), it's not graded for those aren't able to jam. This is the same as any other crack grading, and God help those who think it's harder than HVS if you ever go try some HVSes at say, Hen Cloud, Ramshaw, Wimberry etc, which are invariably a full grade harder than this route. Incidentally Beacon Buttress is a full grade harder than this route too.
Fiend - 12/May/09
Try Mongol, E25c, strenuous but protectable and worth 3* at least. Gehenna is well worth the struggle but Beacon Butress is 'interesting' if you believe the HVS 5a grade. For any route wait for a long spell of dry weather and take a good strong nylon brush to clean the dried mud off the holds.
allmag - 16/Aug/07
such a shame, this could be a really nice little crag but its so vegetated and dirty now there's hardly any useable holds on the starred routes unless you take some gardening tools with you. The rock is also so sandy, green and dirty that gear is questionable and smearing is out of the question on most parts. Would be wothwhile cleaning up though some lovely looking routes. Yes Simon I agree about Gehenna, I got spat out of the crack 4 times yesterday trying to pull up on vicious jams and there is certainly no chockstone to stand on anymore = I think the suggestion of E1 is more than realistic.
gilldando - 12/Mar/07
Visited Beacon Scar 19/9/05 and there had been a significant and apparantly recent rockfall to the left of the crag adacent to the descent path. I don't know the crag well enough to say which routes were affected but we were there for the easy slab routes of Vespers , Matins etc which were OK in their traditionaly dirty condition.
nocker - 27/Sep/05
and the only belay bolt that I could find was at the top of Vespers.
Simon Caldwell - 29/Jul/04
No sign of any loose block below Gehenna last night (29/07/04) so presumably it's fallen off. Gehenna is graded HVS, but judging by the failures on it last night, E1 is fair. The whole crag was very sandy and vegetated, and the only routes worth doing seemed to be the steep crack lines. Party Line in particular was unpleasantly dirty, and the starred easy routes (Skateboard and Skater's Corner) were unclimbable. Needs a drought combined with strong winds to clear some of the sand off! A local crag for local people...
Simon Caldwell - 29/Jul/04
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