OS Landranger Sheet 94
Map Reference SE712873
Aspect West
Altitude 80m
Approach time 1 minute
Situation and Character
Ravenswick is a unique venue in the NYM with walls of uniformly steep or overhanging magnesium limestone. As such the holds become dusty if not used for a while, but it stays dry in almost all weathers; even when raining heavily and is probably the best wet weather option on the moors. The rock is generally far superior to the magnesium limestone crags in the Durham area; the bottom sections of the walls are all very solid. This combined with the excellent landing mean that the bouldering is excellent. In particular the quarry has some fantastic hard traverses. However, the top outs on a couple of climbs are loose and it’s a very good idea to pre place a long sling over the top of such routes and lower off. These routes are clearly stated. There are loads of trees and some solid iron stakes to use as anchor points. Abseiling the harder routes and giving the holds a brush is recommended. The Quarry is part of the Ravenswick Estate. The easy angled walls in the north section of the quarry are often used by Sutherland Lodge outdoor pursuits centre (01751 417228) who may be able to shed more light on the access situation.
History
The walls have been climbed on since the early 1960s by John Adams and in the mid 1960s by Tony Marr. The Cleveland MC visited the crag about thirty years ago but has no records, however, most of the easier climbs have been led or soloed over the years. Adam van Lopik, D Lavallee and P Long discovered the venue and cleaned and claimed many of the harder lines during 1993/94. Bob Wightman lived in Rosedale 1999-2001 and climbed many lines during this time but didn't record anything due to the fragile natutre or the venue. Then 2008 saw renewed action when more routes were climbed by Jason Wood and Roger Hargreaves. Franco Cookson and Dave Warburton soloed all of the routes around the alcove in an evening and then added a few more difficult lines around the White Wall the following week.
Access and Approaches
Turn off the A170 at Keldholme in the direction of Hutton le Hole. The crag is hidden below the level of the road to the west. Cars are often parked on the grass verge on the other side of the road. Walk in from here takes about a minute.
The Climbs
The climbs are described from left to right.
The Alcove
The following routes were all soloed ‘on sight’ in an evening by Franco Cookson and Dave Warburton. Many of the easier routes recorded have definitely been climbed before on top rope and possibly also on lead, although only four have been claimed. There are a couple of lines with loose rock, but it is in the main part solid and will not break.
1. Rambler’s Rib 12m VD
Climb the rib 15m left of stepped arête- just to the left of a crack with a jammed tree at the top.
2. Stepped Arête 13m VD
The obvious alcove at the left end of the crag has a stepped arête on its left. Climb this on its left side. Nice climbing.
3. Humble Beginnings 12m VS 4c
Climb the wall between Stepped Arête and Badger Crack with awkward starting moves and then some thin moves to finish on the arête.
4. Badger Crack 14m Severe
Climb the obvious curving crack in the left wall of the Alcove. Good climbing, but certainly climbed before. Watch out for the nesting Pigeon!
5. Ravenswick Eliminate 12m Severe
Climb the large crack in the back left corner of the Alcove. Far better than it appears, although the direct finish is ‘sketchy’.
6. Crazy Child 13m E1 4c
Climb the wall right of Ravenswick Eliminate with increasing difficulties as the wall steepens. A pre-placed sling may be of some use for a direct finish on loose rock.
7. Alcove Crack 14m Severe
Climb the wide crack using various techniques, on better rock than it looks. The climbing is good, as is the finish now.
8. Dooge's Variant 15m HS
Climb Alcove crack until it is possible to foot traverse a break right (loose rock) to a slanting crack.
9. Alex’s Scoop 13m HVS 4c
Climb the obvious scooped wall, just left of centre of the west facing wall in the alcove. Just to the left of Left Unconquerable. Climb the scoops on good holds, finishing rightwards- a definite lack of gear.
10. Left Unconquerable 13m HVS 5a
Climb the left crack, by jamming and laybacking and finish direct. A truly Superb route.
11. Right Unconquerable 13m VS 4c
Climb the right crack to a large flake/block. Using both sides, gain the top of the block and finish direct. Again, a superb outing.
12. Crystal Rib 12m E1 5c
The rib left of Crystal Wall is climbed first on its left side and then on its right. Eventually it is too much of an eliminate not to stray into Crystal Wall.
13. Crystal Wall 13m Severe
Climb the wall to the right of Right Unconquerable starting at a short finger crack. Climb up the wall trending left at a tree stump, to finish near 'Right Unconquerable'.
Beginners Area
This is the series of easy angled, long slabs in the centre of the quarry. Some of the rock appears suspect, but is in fact perfectly sound. Most of the lines are great routes. They start around the corner from the ‘Unconquerables’.
14. Crystal Arête 10m VD
Climb the arête, just to the right of Crystal Wall, Good holds all the way. A nice climb.
15. Monograptus 10m Mod
The polished wall right of Crystal Arête is easy, but fine climbing.
16. Burgess Route 11m Diff
The brilliant wall right of Monograptus, steepening at half height.
17. Burgess Arête 11m Diff
The Arête at the right hand end of Burgess Wall.
18. Crumble Wall 12m Diff
The Chossy looking wall is in fact sound rock and good climbing.
The Terrace
To the right of Crumble Wall is a raised level with a band of rock up to about 8 metres in height. The climbing is good, not too difficult and the top outs are clean, but the routes are relatively short compared with the other buttresses. There are only two recorded routes.
19. Tilted Crack 7m HS
The obvious crack just left of ‘Lazing On A Sunny Afternoon’.
20. Lazing On A Sunny Afternoon 8m VD
Climb the obvious series of shelves leading leftwards.
The White and Black Walls
These are the walls right of the Terrace. They are home to some stunning lines, which can be either led or soloed. It may also be possible to do some of the routes as highball boulder problems, if sufficient padding and boldness is utilised. There is a good descent on the left-hand side of the buttresses that leads to a path hacked through the thorns. Most routes now have clean top outs, in particular the classic cracks are in excellent condition. Other routes require a little more care, with either a pre-placed sling or (as in some of the first ascents) down-climbing the entire route after completion. The first route starts 4 metres into the buttress at an obvious crack.
The White Wall
The first route starts 4 metres into the buttress at an obvious crack.
21. White Crack 9m HS
The Crack, which turns into a flake.
22. White Wall 9m E2 5c
Climb the Wall 2m left of Central Wall. No side runners in Central Wall at this grade. Sneaking left also reduces the grade. Topping out is difficult.
23. Central Wall 9m VS 4c
Climb the crack in the centre of the wall. Excellent Lay-backing.
24. Franco’s Wall 9m E2 5b
The unprotected wall 4m right of the crack, starting up the line of a faint crack on small edges. A scary reach finishes the brilliantly sustained and strenuous route. It is now possible to top out.
Franco Cookson on Franco's Wall
25. Arête Climb 9m VS 4b
Start at an obvious column on the arête. Climb with increasing difficulty up the left hand side on excellent holds.
The Black Wall
This is the next buttress around the corner, home to some of the harder climbs.
26. Phils’ Wall 8m XS 5a
Climb the wall (quickly before it falls down)
27. The Gutter 8m VD
The Chimney is horrible if ‘thrutched’, but tolerable if lay-backed. More fun in the rain with crampons!
28. Gutter Crack 8m VS 5a
In the wall right of The Gutter is a slanting crack.
29. Bummelzug 9m E3 5c
Start at a pocket a couple of metres right of Gutter Crack. Climb to a juggy shelf and then move leftwards to an in cut hold and a pinch. Balancy moves should lead to some good crimps and a dusty top-out. Excellent climbing.
30. Solstice 9m E1 5b
Climb to the juggy shelf as for Bummelzug and then skirt right-wards to a leftwards-facing layaway. Reach to the break and then finish direct.
31. The Flake 9m VD
Layback the flake Crack.
Right of The Flake is a tree very close in to the rock into which it should be possible to jump from the next climb. (I couldn’t find this, although I could find a stump- Franco Cookson, June 2008)
32. Fred 10m E4 6b
Start at jugs 1m left of the tree (stump). Go up and left to a thread (in situ) and small wires. A difficult move gains better holds which lead to the top. A very poor finish- a sling may be used to tug on/ lower off.
Between ‘Fred’ and ‘Black Magic’ lies an unclimbed wall. ’About 5b’, until the final move.
33. Black Magic 10m E3 5c
Start 3m right of the tree (stump) at an obvious left facing layaway hold. Climb the wall direct. (Suspect Peg and bolt in-situ in horizontal slot at 2/3 height)
34. Phils’ Crack 10m VS 4c
Climb the crack right of Black Magic bearing right when it ends to a new lower-off.
35. Jug Climb 5m VS 5a
Right of Phil’s Crack is a curious line of cemented on jugs leading diagonally right. Follow these to the break and go up and right via a long reach.
36. Jug Direct 6m VS 6a
Use the right facing blind flake to jump for the break. Jump off or finish up Jug Climb.
37. Friends 7m E1 5c
Go round the corner and walk right for 15m until beneath a blankish wall with a prominent hanging blind flake just below half height. Use this to gain a hidden hold and follow pockets and breaks to the top.
Bouldering
Only the harder ones are described. If you find them too easy (you won’t) you’re using too many holds. Grades as for Yorkshire Grit bouldering guide
Traverses:
1. White Wall can be traversed at V2 5b. Good for endurance sessions and circuits.
2. Traverse from Gutter Crack to The Flake using handholds between the break at groin height and the crease/break at about 2.5m V7 6b
3. ‘Destroyer’ Mega long V7 6a
Traverse from the blind flake of Jug Direct to The Flake. Hand holds in the break only except for the halfway layaway on Black Magic. More like a route!
4. Traverse right from Jug Direct to the arête. Cold weather helps for sloper 6b V6
"One problem missing from the list is the traverse of the left hand wall containing the Unconquerable pair. This is about V1 5b not as technically hard as the White Wall traverse but quite pumpy." Bob Wightman
‘Up’ problems:
5. ‘Pinch’ Start 1m left of The Flake on obvious undercut and hammered side pull. Go up to jug via poor pinch and ‘pebble’ only. V7 6b/c
6. Eliminate from scooped hold down and R. of layaway on Black Magic to gain layaway via sloper/crimp and undercut. (Sitting start) V6 6b
7. Both hands on Layaway. Straight up to big break. V3 6a
8. Start to Jug Direct but hang mono with LH and reach break with RH. V4 6a/b
9. Cornflake V5 6a Start 2m right of Jug Direct minute holds lead to break.