UKC

Climbs 276
Rocktype Gritstone
Altitude 308m a.s.l
Faces SW

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Bouldering with a view © Seymore Butt

Crag features

Fabulous bouldering venue with lots of varied sectors, all offering superb outlooks across the surrounding area. Comprising of mulitple bouldering outcrops, a few soloable micro-routes and just one bigger buttress where a rope and runners are worthwhile. Climbed on intermittently for many years by Skipton locals but poorly documented in the past. Recent guidebook work has resulted in a thorough re-appraisal and the documentation of over 200 problems from Font 2 to 8a+. Mainly west facing so often windy but also quick drying and clean. There is something for everyone here.

Approach notes

Park at the first bend in the road after you turn off the main road, follow the track uphill till an obvious bend to the left and some large sheep pens. Go through the gate just before the pens on your right and continue up the hill following some 4x4 tracks until you reach the wall and gate. Nip through the gate and the first collection of boulders is about 100m and is easily identifiable by the tree at their base to your right, the edge is behind these on the other side of the fell facing SW about 50m further on. Continue along the top path to the tarn and keep high and left above the tarn to reach the Lone boulder after another 150m from the wall. If you want to start at the Lone Boulder/Fresh Acres end it is easier to follow the forestry track down from the sheep pens and then northwest below the main ridge and Airedale Wall. A short scramble up the hillside from the track brings you directly to the few remaining Pines which line the Fresh Acres boulders. Much easier in summer when the Bracken on the moor top is deep and lush.

Update this Crag
Last updated on 13/Mar/2024
This is such a good area! While the main attraction is the 'Lone Boulder', there are countless hidden gems at Sharphaw! I thought 'Gamma Traverse' and 'Leaning Block Art' were particularly good. 100% worth a visit if you're after something new
Wizzy - 12/Mar/18
The database has now been re-ordered to fit with the L to R orientation in the 2014 YG Vol 2 guidebook. Several new sectors have been added since the guidebook went to press and these are listed after the guidebook routes. Full topo to all the new stuff should be available to download soon.
Dave Musgrove - 17/Nov/14
Visited the Fresh Acres area yesterday (below the fin that is left of Lone Boulder). Very good rock, clean and with a selection of excellent problems.
Paul Clarke - 03/Oct/14
Several more Sectors developed and documented recently and added to the database to cause extra confusion! Skipton Heights and Impending Boulder are amongst the scattered blocks seen on the low left hand ridge when approaching through the final gate. Back Buttress can be seen from the same gate low on the eastern side of the main ridge, beyond the Lurch/Shoestring boulders. The Hueco boulder is near the top of the main ridge just above the Rough Slab/Pendle Nipper area and The Pink Slab is 100 metres further on and passed en-route to the Leaning Block.
Dave Musgrove - 23/Aug/14
Local devotees of Sharphaw bouldering should be able to find and identify the problems on Airedale Wall. This area was hinted at in the last edition of the YMC guide but individual problems have never before been named or recorded. They will be described in full in the forthcoming Vol 2 of the new edition due this autumn. Order your copy now - this is a superb lower-grade boulderer's paradise, with so much more to offer most of us mortals who would only get spanked on the Lone Boulder desperates!
Dave Musgrove - 14/Aug/14
This database may cause some confusion depending on which guidebook you are using. Several problems shown in the Total Climbing bouldering guide are duplicates of routes recorded earlier in the 1998 YMC guide. There are some wild grading discrepancies particularly amongst the easier boulder problems for instance Estafonit is a Mild Severe in the YMC guide but appears as problem 7 at a grade of Font 4+ in the the bouldering guide. In reality its probably a Font 3 at most with just one awkward move to leave the ground. All the boulder problems have been named for the new YMC guide due out later this year and the grading ambiguities should be fully sorted by then - I hope! Please be patient and check the descriptions on here before adding more duplicates. I'll fully update the database when the new guide comes out.
Dave Musgrove - 20/Jul/14
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