Peak District Limestone : A Top Ten
The central Derbyshire Dales and the High Peak areas of the Peak District offer some of the finest accessible rock climbing around in the UK. With literally thousands of routes the first time visitor is spoilt for choice.
Peak District limestone has been very quiet recently as many people concentrate on the popular “˜eastern edges’, however, there are many fine routes to found on the “˜limestone’.
To make things a little easier, here is my personal “˜limestone top ten’ from grade Hard Severe to Extremely Severe (E3):
Lynx
Grade: Hard Severe (HS 4b,4a) Location: Wild Cat Crags
On first acquaintance climbs at Wild Cat can be difficult to find as the base of the cliff is shrouded in trees. Lynx starts at a large flake where a steady groove line takes you up through the trees and out into a fine airy position. Following a delicate leftwards diagonal traverse, a couple of steeper moves up a corner/groove line take you to a fine belay position on a tree belay. From here the second pitch takes you left and up another groove well furnished with good holds.
Medusa
Grade: Very Severe (VS) Location: Ravensdale
This limestone classic was one of the first routes at Ravensdale and takes the large, prominent groove line in the upper section. Climb the slightly polished groove directly, taking care with some loose holds to belay on a large ledge next to a pinnacle/flake. The second pitch climbs steeply upwards in an exposed position finishing up a bottomless groove.
Ten Craters of Wisdom
Grade: Very Severe (VS 5a) Location: Dovedale
This route takes a steep slab hidden in the trees, on a first visit it looks unlikely for the grade. However, starting upwards you are shortly rewarded with some of the biggest and best holds on Peak Limestone!
Golden Yardstick
Grade: Very Severe (VS 4b,5a) Location: Wild Cat Crags
This photogenic route takes an unlikely looking hanging rib in its upper section. Climb the first groove up to a cave belay. From here the route goes up before steeping left onto the large hanging rib. Following one tricky move at the start you are rewarded with large holds and good protection that takes you rapidly to the top.
Gangue Grooves
Grade: Hard Very Severe (HVS) Location: Willersley
Good steep climbing starting up the black section of wall (contains unusable lead ore known as gangue) before climbing the steep crack and escaping right at the top.
Debauchery
Grade: Extremely Severe (E1 5b,5b) Location: High Tor
This route takes a large diagonal line (right to left), across the steep imposing cliff; High Tor. “˜Debauchery’ was made famous by its appearance in Ken Wilson’s landmark book “˜Hard Rock’ the climbing being tricky and exposed but never desperate, taking you through some impressive territory. Start at a small tree and climb up and diagonally left following some in-situ pegs until a tricky move allows you to reach the safety of the “˜Debauchery stance’, a small ledge in the middle of nowhere! After leaving the stance, again going diagonally left, some awkward move bring you to an obvious traverse line and the end of the difficulties.
Sirplum
Grade: Extremely Severe (E1 5b) Location: Chee Dale
Another “˜Hard Rock’ classic, “˜Sirplum’ takes perhaps one of the steepest lines in the Peak District at a relatively amenable grade. Starting up an easy, vertical, warm up pitch the second section soon reveals itself as ridiculously steep! Good holds, and excellent protection tempt you onwards until you are in a position that the RockFax guide aptly describes as “brain jellying exposure”?. This last section and the steep grass above is usually climbed in an adrenalin induced haze..
Alcasan
Grade: Extremely Severe (E2 4c,4c,5b,5a,5c,5c) Location: Stoney Middleton
Making the grade as another “˜Hard Rock’ tick, “˜Alcasan’ is one of the longest girdle traverses of any crag in the Peak District. This combined with some excellent varied climbing of the sideways type, combined with some rotting pegs as protection, makes it a classic to be savoured by the experienced climber. A brief description of the route here just wouldn’t do it justice, all I can say is, check out the bizarre Chert nodules on pitch three!
Dies Irae
Grade: Extremely Severe (E2 5c) Location: Stoney Middleton
This short routes packs a bit of a punch at E2 5c taking a series of small bulges directly to access the delicate upper lead wall. For the confident this Stoney Middleton classic is not to be missed.
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Grade: Extremely Severe (E3 5c) Location: Chee Dale
A sustained route at 5c, with tricky moves separated by good rests, in many ways the ideal route. Follow the wandering line of pegs, taking in a crack line, steep slab, powerful bulge, delicate traverse and urgent finish: it really has got it all.
Courtesy of James Thacker