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Aspect: West
Approach: 15 minutes
Mini Guide:
Camp Hill Mini Guide (PDF)
Camp Hill Main Area
Photo: Steve Crowe
History
The first reported
climbs were made by Dave Purvis and party during 1959. Purvis climbed
Original Route
and Scoop Edge, he also made a determined but unsuccessful
attempted on what was later to become the classic Cling Wrap. The
rocks were re-discovered by Chris Woodall and Stewart Patterson in 1976 but
their exploits were not recorded. In 1979 a strong team including Nick Dixon,
Dave Paul and Kelvin Neal focused their efforts on developing the crag. The team
added Waves Within, Cling Wrap, Ace of Winds,
Tempest and several other fine routes. News of “Crag X” reached the ears
of Paul Ingham and Tony Marr who visited the crag a few days later repeating all
the existing routes and then added Mad Axeman and Flakey Wall.
Despite the crag's popularity no further new climbs were reported for another
thirteen years until Steve Finlay solved the superb but difficult Direct
Finish to Cling Wrap. Finally, a number of short
climbs/easy boulder problems have been claimed on the small buttresses that
adjoin the main crag, on and off over the years. These have finally been
recorded in detail, as ever the first ascents may well have been preceded!
Situation and
Character
This small outcrop
of good quality and generally clean sandstone lies at the head of Danby Dale
above Botton village. The rocks enjoy any sun from late morning until sunset
making it an ideal venue for a summer evening. The crag can also be
conveniently combined with a morning visit to the nearby east facing Clemitts
crag. This should provide sufficient good climbs to satisfy most parties for a
full day.
Access and Approaches
From Castleton
drive south along Blakey Ridge for 4 miles until a left turn signposted to
Rosedale Abbey can be taken. Follow this flat high moorland road for ¾ mile and
take the next possible left. Continue for half a mile until al lay by appears on
the right. This is marked as Wolf Pit on the OS Map and is large enough for 4
cars. Park here and follow the bridleway north
west and the escarpment will soon come into view overlooking Botton Hall.
It should be noted that the
Landowner has been granted a 5 year ban on dogs due to ground nesting birds.
The Climbs
The climbs are
described from left to right.
NORTH AREA
North Buttress
The buttress
is to the left (north) of the prominent overhanging block. The problems are
described from left to right.
Photo: Steve Crowe
1. Pheasant Days Font 2+
Mantelshelf
the left side of the buttress.
Steve Crowe c1998
2. Grouse Crack 4m
Font 2+
Wide awkward
crack.
Graham Uney summer 1997
3. Far Away 4m
Font 3+ **
Just right of the awkward crack.
Graham Uney summer 1997
4.
Philleas Fogg 4m Font 7a
***
A
few hundred meters left (looking in) of the main crag lies a cluster of walls
and arêtes. This problem takes the centre of the main clean high wall from an
obvious sit start on low pockets. A Grade or so easier from standing.
Steve Ramsden 10th May 2010
Karin climbing Philleas Fogg
Photo: Steve Crowe
5.
Passepartout 4m Font 6a **
Start at the
lowest point, left of the block. Climb the arête using large pockets to finish
by green streak. Jug.
Steve Crowe c1998
Steve climbing
Passepartout
Photo: Karin Magog
6. Best Years 3m Font 2 (VD)
The slabby
side of the arête.
Graham Uney summer 1997
7. South Face
Font 4
Pockets to
thin crack.
Steve Crowe c1998
Just to the
right is another wall...
8. Northern Uproar 3m
Font 2+
The left side
of the short wall.
Graham Uney
summer 1997
9. Rib Tickler 3m Font 3
The groovy
scoop just to the right.
Graham Uney
summer 1997
Overhanging Buttress
The prominent
overhanging block is disappointing on closer inspection. It can however be
climbed on the north side at 4c.
10. The Grand North Face
Font 3+
The north face of the Overhanging Buttress.
Jack Sledge Buttress
A large
buttress with a big overhang above a slab.
11. Bilberry Cracks 5m HS 4b *
The left arête
passing a large ledge.
Graham Uney summer 1997
12. Soft Scoop 5m HS 4b
Pass the ledge
via scoop and groove above.
Graham Uney summer 1997
13. Jack Sledge 5m S 4a
Climb cracks
to the right.
Graham Uney
summer 1997
14. Another Nose Job 3m S 4a *
Climb the
uphill nose. Wacky!
Graham Uney
summer 1997
Across the
Jack Sledge bridle path to the south is a small buttress.
15. Jump Start 4m HS 4a
Climb the
centre of the buttress via a groove.
Graham Uney
summer 1997
16. Flat Battery 4m MS
Just right of
Jump Start.
Graham Uney
summer 1997
Walk south
along the moor edge for about 300m (3 minutes) leads to the main concentration
of climbing.
MAIN AREA
The main crag
comprises three main buttresses with a smaller buttress, Far Right Buttress,
situated about 15m to the right of the main rocks. The Left-hand and Main
Buttress is separated by a 1m wide descent gully/chimney.
Left-Hand Buttress
The Left-hand
buttress has an obvious flake running up the centre, this is the line of
Cling Wrap. The first route tackles the left edge.
Photo (C)
Steve Crowe
17. Original
Route 6m S *
The clean north wall of the buttress offers
good padding after either the usual start on the left or a harder and better
start to the right.
Dave Purvis and
party 1959. The “party” comprised ten enthusiastic teenagers (girls and boys),
who used the Youth Hostel at nearby Westerdale as their weekend base, and from
it they systematically explored all the outcrops and quarries in the area
producing some excellent climbs.
18. F. All
7m VS 5a
The blunt rib to the right of the last route
offers thin climbing, leading to a natural finish on the left. A variation can
be made keeping right at E1 5b.
Paul Ingham, Tony
Marr June 1979.
19. Cling
Wrap 7m E1 5c *
The thin flake is
reached with delicate moves from the right or direct at 6a. The original finish
(HVS 5c) escapes right along some sloping pockets at 5a, but better to continue
direct with good gear in the flake and pockets (5b). Excellent climbing.
Cling Wrap
Ordinary: Nick Dixon, Graeme Buckley 1979.
Direct Finish: Steve Finlay June 1992 .
20. Mad Axeman
7m HVS 5b
From the start of Cling Wrap, climb to a
break which is passed with difficulty to a rounded top out.
Paul Ingham, Tony Marr and
Nick Dixon 1979.
21.
Scoop Wall 4m S
Gain the ledge and
continue up the scoop above.
Graeme Buckley,
Nick Dixon 1979.
22.
Scoop Edge 4m MS 4a
Layback up the
right edge of the Scoop.
Dave Purvis and
party 1959.
23.
Camp Hill Chimney 4m Mod
The 1m wide
chimney/gully separates LH Buttress from the Main Buttress. It provides a quick
way to the top and a useful descent.
Main Buttress
This is the
impressive central buttress.
Photo (C)
Steve Crowe
24.
Tempest 7m VS 5a **
Climb the steep wall on the left edge of Main
Buttress, with long reaches on good jugs. Powerful.
Kelvin Neal, Alan
Moss 1979.
25.
Jester 7m E1 5b *
The green
groove to the right is better than it looks.
Alan Moss, Kelvin
Neal 1979.
26. Ace of
Winds 9m HVS 5b **
The thin
flake-crack is reached after a hard move up the smooth wall. Make some powerful
pulls up to the next break and then finish more easily trending slightly
leftwards in a fine position. Superb climbing.
Nick Dixon, Graeme Buckley 1979.
27.
Waves Within 9m E4 6a *
A difficult climb
up the wall right of
Ace of Winds. Climb a shallow groove to the break. Traverse left to
place a small cam and then return back right to tackle the wall above via some
shallow pockets.
Dave Paul, Steve
Brown (both solo and originally graded E3 5c/6a) 1979.
"After
some trouble I've also managed to climb Waves Within at camp hill. The
description talks of 'a pocket', which is confusing as there are three
pockets in a line and the only way I was able to climb the route was by
using the two pockets on the right which is about 2 metres to the right of
the gear, which you have to traverse left to from the obvious start,
meaning a bit of a dodgy fall which could result in injury. The route could go
directly up from the gear, but the move is at least 6b!" Franco Cookson.
28. Deceptive
Benders 15m HVS 5a
Climb Tempest to the last break and traverse
right past Ace of Winds eventually finishing up the jugs of Waves
Within. A lower and bolder variation on this can be made by traversing right
from the pocket on Tempest at half height and continuing along the break
to finish up the crux of Waves Within’ (E4/5 6a*)
Nick Dixon, Andy
Luxmore 1979.
29.
Ordinary Route 10m VS 4c
5m right of Ace
of Winds are two cracks. Climb the right hand crack to a ledge; continue up
the slab on the left to finish. (Effectively two fine micro routes
with a good ledge in between.)
Nick Dixon, Graeme Buckley 1979.
Main Buttress
Boulder
This is the boulder below and in front of the
Main Crag. Photo: Steve Crowe
About 15m right,
past a small holly is...
Right-Hand
Buttress
The next three
routes are based on two ribs and the right hand arête.
Photo (C) Franco Cookson
30. Flakey
Wall 7m HVS 5b *
Climb the bulge on
the left hand side of the buttress; continue up the rib on small flakes.
Paul Ingham, Tony
Marr 1979.
30.
Pickpocket 7m HVS 5c **
Climb the faint
rib up the centre of the wall. A hard start on pockets may lead to better holds.
Alan Moss, Nick
Dixon, Kelvin Neal 1979.
32. Allain’s
Arête 5m VS 5b *
The arête just
right of pickpocket is followed throughout.
Alan Moss 1979.
Far Right Buttress
(Arch Buttress)
Further
right again is a small buttress split by a prominent easy chimney.
Photo (C) Franco Cookson
33.
Lost Cause 4m S
The flake/groove
left of the arête.
Dave Paul, Steve
Brown 1979.
34.
Lost Crack 5m VS 4c
Climb the thin
crack and groove. Harder for the short!
Paul Ingham, Tony
Marr 1979.
35. Lost Connection 5m
Severe
This takes the line of weakness; following Lost Cause until a
traverse right can be made into the top of Lost Crack.
36. Lost
Wall 5m HVS 5b
The wall right of
Lost Crack.
Tony Marr, Paul
Ingham 1979.
37.
Lost Groove 5m VD
The groove just
left of the chimney.
Tony Marr 1979.
An easy
chimney separates Lost Groove from Hookey.
38. The Traverse Font 6b
The buttress can be traversed on the
slopey rail, going no higher than two metres. Cool conditions help.
Franco Cookson 2011
39. Hookey 5m
VS 5a
To the right of
the easy chimney. Climb the left hand wall via a break and a pocket.
Steve Brown 1979.
Rebecca on Hooky Photo (C) Franco Cookson
40.
The Good ‘Un 4m VS 5a
The wall just left
of The Arch via one good pocket.
1979.
41.
The Arch 5m VS 5a
Climb the arch in
the centre of the wall.
Tony Marr 1979.
42.
Silly Arête 4m S 4a
Climb the arête on
the right of the buttress.
1979.
SOUTH AREA
Beak Buttress (Ledge Buttress)
Photo (C) Franco Cookson
43.
Who Cares? 4m S 4a
Climb past the
left side of the ledge and up.
1979.
44.
The Mantel 4m Font 6b *
Directly
mantling the square ledge is difficult. Hand traversing the ledge rightwards
reduces the grade to 6a.
45.
Eliminate Wall Font 6a+
Direct up the
wall to the right.
46.
Blunt Arête 4m Font 6a
The blunt
arête is short but difficult.
47.
Who Nose 4m VS 4b
Wild laybacking up
the arête.
1979.
47a. Grit Arête
Font 4/4+
The arête is about 4 on the right,
thought the left side is certainly the better at 4+.
Sam Marks
2011 "I can see that it could have been done at some point before!"
This distinctive boulder below Beak Buttress
has some worthwhile problems on it.
Moss Wall (and Narrow Buttress)
48. Moss Side 4m VD
Climb the left side of the arête.
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
49. Tell Ya Ma, Tell Ya Pa 4m HVS 5a
Smear up the right side of the arête without using it!
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
50 The Green Streak 4m S
The obvious green streak. Poor.
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
Heather Wall
51. Erica Arête 5m S 4a
Nice climbing up the right arête.
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
Capstone Buttress
52. Capstone Flakes 4m S
Follow easy flakes in the groove.
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
53 Like Water for Chocolate 4m HVS 5b *
The blunt rib just right.
Graham Uney 8th August 1997
54. Capstone Central 4m VS 4c **
Climb the centre of the buttress pas sing two eyes.
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
55. South Central Rain 4m VS 5a
The final vague arête.
Graham Uney 27th July 1997
The Arête Boulder
Situated lower down the hillside on an isolated
boulder.
The Arête
Font 6b+
Sitting Start. Laybacking up the arête via a few crimps leads to a slopey pop.
Franco Cookson/Dave Warburton 2 April 2007
On Edge
font 6a+ **
Just to the right of The Arete from a
standing start. With hands in the break, dyno for the top. A sit start can be
added up a diagonal sloping rail at font 6b .
Sam Marks March 2011
Captain Slapstick font 5+
SS as for On Edge and then rockout right for the top.
Sam Marks March 2011
Bouldering
For more details regarding the bouldering at this venue
visit
betaguides.com.
Full
details in the
North East England Guide
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