The Stell—A Bouldering Guide

Part Two

A series of downloadable PDF guides to new bouldering venues , problems, highballs and routes in Northumberland, including:

The Stell Whiteheugh Raven’s Crag

Caller Crag , Corby’s and Edlingham Greensheen Hill Parkside Wood

The Maiden Chambers Area St Cuthbert’s Cave The Bowden Area

The Wanneys Group Beanly Moor and Hunterheugh Blakey’s Bloc

Cockenheugh Kyloe Out Rothley

The Ravensheugh Area Banno Crags Titlington and the Turban

South Yardhope Brady’s Crag Coquet View

Shitlington Lostworld Lookwide

Howlerhirst High Crag

NMC Northumbrian

Mountaineering

Club

Alec Burns

On The Figurehead

Bob Smith

N

orth

um

brian

Mo

un

taine

ering C

lub

Sup

plem

ent

Introduction... ...Northumberland Bouldering

TECHNICAL NOTES

The location of each crag is indicated by its Grid Reference.

Maps

The County is covered by seven Ordnance Survey Explorer (1:25,000) maps. Sheets 339 (Kelso), 340 (Holy Island), OL16 (The Cheviot Hills), 332 (Alnwick and Amble), OL42 (Kielder Water), 325 (Morpeth) and OL43 (Hadrian’s Wall). The majority of the crags lie on sheets 340 and 332.

General

On occasions the problems are referenced to routes that are not described in the climbing guide, or in the second edition bouldering guide. These are highlighted in blue italics. You may need these guides or to ask a local climber help you locate the problems.

Sit Starts

Most problems are written up as standing starts off one mat only! Generally sit starts are added at the end of a description where they add either to the difficulty, or quality. Only rarely will a sit start be separately named.

Rules

It has long been understood in Northumberland that if a twig is found on a ‘good’ foothold, then the foothold is out of bounds. The same applies to bedding planes , ledges and footholds in contact with the ground. Usually these are out of bounds. The previous guide wisely suggested that if you are wondering if the foothold is in, then it probably is not!

Further Information

The NMC website has a variety of resources relating to climbing in the County. If you have this PDF you’ve probably found it already. Otherwise go to: www.thenmc.org.uk

New Problems

Descriptions of new problems and routes should be sent to newroutes @thenmc.org.uk. A descrip-tion, grade, date and name of first ascentionist should be included. A photo with a line marking the route would also help.

Bob Smith

Greensheen Slopers Traverse

Greensheen Hill

BOULDERING GRADES

It is true to say that there are only two grades, the problems and routes you can do, and those you can’t. To the keen boulderer however it soon becomes apparent that this can be sub divided into the problems you can do and your mates can’t, and vice versa! Grading boulder problems (and some routes) is an almost impossible task. The table below is a rough comparison of the common systems in use. Visitors to the County will probably find that, until they get used to the style of the problems and the intricacies of climbing on the County’s various Sandstones, the accuracy of the table will be questionable. Grades are an art rather than a science, and while difficulty is central to bouldering , it is easily confused with quality. The pursuit of which is an equally rewarding endeavour.

The various grading systems are well understood, and like grades are an ongoing source of debate regarding their respective mer-its.

In these PDF guides we have retained the Font grades introduced in the last guidebook and their use is now established and un-derstood.

Highballs

The height of many crags in the County demands a highball ap-proach. Mats can reduce the consequences when highballing goes wrong, but there comes a point when they look very small. Many of these ‘problems’ would have been considered small routes not long back, (though some in this new series are not so small) and occasionally are compounded with bad landings. Fall-ing off them should not be treated casually. While it should be self-evident, those that fall into this category get an (H) symbol indicating the potential Highball, Helicopter and Hospital factor. Be careful!

FONT UK TECH V GRADE

3 4c VB

4 5a

V0

4+ 5b

5 V1

5+ 5c

6a V2

6a+ 6a V3

6b

6b+ V4

6c

6c+

6b V5

7a V6

7a+ 6c V7

7b

7b+ V8

7c V9

7c+ V10

8a 7a V11

8a+ V12

8b 7b V13

8b V14

Steve Blake

Shitlington Wall

Shitlington

Photo: Alec Burns

Introduction... ...Northumberland Bouldering

SUSTAINABILITY

The quality and durability of Sandstone in North-umberland varies significantly both on and be-tween crags. Iron hard rock with a case hard-ened patina can coexist with a super soft cheesy substance soft enough to be shaped by hand. Sadly there is much evidence that the tough pati-na when worn away reveals a soft inner that rap-idly erodes. There are many examples, but Vien-na at Bowden Doors is probably the most famous example, which in its current deplorable state is a much easier and sad shadow of the original .

Over the last thirty years the popularity of Rock Climbing and Bouldering has accelerated and there is much similar evidence of our impact on the crags. Routes and problems on Sandstone, especially on fragile and well-used Sandstone, are a finite resource and need careful and sensi-tive protection if they are to survive.

It is worth repeating that you should not climb on sandstone when there is any evidence of damp-ness. The rock becomes significantly weaker los-ing its bonding when damp, and is susceptible to accelerated erosion and breakage. Once a break occurs, or the outer patina is penetrated, then the effects of erosion are exponential.

Many magnificent routes in Northumberland have es-caped significant damage, principally because the habit of top roping hard routes has not been adopted as readily as elsewhere. Bouldering however, is a particu-larly intensive game which can see a team cycling through repeated attempts on a problem, brushing and ragging between each effort. The impact of this can be seen on relatively recent problems on which holds are already bleaching out., and this is on rock thought of as hard.

We are the stewards of these places. There are many things we can do to minimise our direct impact on them:

1. Everyone should acknowledge and understand the fragility of the medium and learn to walk away if there is any suggestion of dampness and the rock is not in condition.

2. Set yourself a realistic number of attempts at a problem, if you can’t do it, leave it until you can do it

Vienna

Bowden Doors

David Murray

On Barnaby Rudge

The Good Book Section, The Stell.

Alec Burns collection

without beating it into submission. We need to have enough humility to understand that the rock’s needs are more important than our egos. Learn to walk away and come back when you’re capable.

3. Be gentle with brushwork, and minimal with your chalk. Climbing indoors, we can brush the holds to our hearts content; outdoors, the effect can be catastrophic.

4. Poor footwork also impacts, so clean your shoes before you begin an attempt. Modern shoes allow a huge amount of force to be exerted through the feet, eg twisting on smears has a grinding effect that speeds up erosion. Be aware, use good footwork and tread lightly.

5. Don’t use the problems for training. Running laps may look cool, but do it indoors on plastic, not on the rock.

6. Take your junk home, don’t light fires, don’t leave gates open. If you must, learn how to shit in the woods. Do not be generally antisocial.

LOCATION AND CHARACTER

The crag is located on Debdon Moor, approximately 1.5 miles north of Rothbury, a market town

north west of Morpeth, and south west of Alnwick. Rothbury and its environs are shown on OS

1:50,000 map sheet 81 and the 1:25,000 sheet OL332 at GR 064041.

The crag is approximately 120m long and faces north west. It catches the afternoon and evening

sun in the summer. It is exposed and doesn’t carry much drainage. As such it dries out quickly. This

also means that if the wind is blowing from the west then you will feel it.

The crag is on Access Land and climbers have a right of access to the crags. However the moor has

signs of being a managed shoot. It is possible that applications for temporary closure could be ap-

plied for. These would have to be agreed by Natural England and posted on the Access Land web

site. This can be found at www.openaccess.naturalengland.org.uk.

The diagrams opposite should be sufficient to get a newcomer to the crag.

1 2

The Stell

P

The rock is good quality, blocky fell sand-

stone, which has probably been quarried

in antiquity. The problems range in diffi-

culty from 5+ through to 8b. There are

both highballs and problems of a more

modest height, and many will test your

mantling technique to complete them in

good style. Despite having been climbed

on since 2008 some problems are show-

ing signs of wear. The large side hold of

Stuck In The Middle is already taking a

beating. Please tread lightly.

Steve Blake

On The Joker

Approach

Parking is available in the Debdon Forest pullout on the west side of the Rothbury/Alnwick road

(B6341) Please do not block either the access to the forestry yard, or the main track which provides

access for farms on Debdon Moor.

The crag is a 15 minute walk from the parking area. Follow the track west, and once through the gate

follow another track north. This passes through a small quarry and then a birchwood. Once clear of

the wood, strike north across the moor, passing to the right of the power pole. The crag can’t be seen

but will be reached in five minutes, following a variety of quad and sheep tracks cross the moor. Note

that it is prone to being boggy, but a wet hike does not necessarily mean the crag will be damp.

Rothbury

A1

Morpeth

Alnwick

B6341

B6341

A697

Rothbury

OS Map Sheet OL332 : GR 064041

Altitude: 213m

Aspect: North West Facing

Approach: 15 Minutes

Right of Access Under CROW

...The Stell

Introduction...

2 3

HISTORY

The crag was discovered in 2008 by Steve Blake as part of his ongoing forensic exploration of the

County’s undiscovered crags. It was a surprising discovery given the crag is marked on the map and

can be seen from the Carriage Walk (a popular ramble to the West of Debdon Moor). Its discovery is

all the more fortuitous given Steve almost turned back when nothing could be seen on the first ap-

proach.

Development by Steve and the ‘Back in the Day’ team followed pretty promptly . Blake snapped up

the highball lines on the pinnacle and several shorter problems on the rest of the crag. These lines

were either cleaned on the go or with a very long cleaning brush! They are all excellent. Bob Smith,

Alec Burns, Ian and David Murray, and John Earl all got in on the act. Bob’s Wandering Minstrel trav-

erse being notable, as is the mantle problem on the Blocky Block. Martin Waugh eventually subdued

the steep Doctor’s Orders and Chris Sowden, a Yorkshire visitor, nipped in to claim the steep Sowden’s

Roof.

Chris Graham visited and added a characteristically hard and direct start to Stuck in the Middle, while

Dan Varian was made aware of the crag after a Mark Savage photo shoot. After a number of visits,

Dan’s steely fingers established Great Expectations, (the hardest problem on the crag) . He, or Aido

Holt, climbed the slopers and mantle to the left of Stuck’s (very) direct start thus adding a very hard

and direct start to the Clown on the pinnacle . There may be others yet to do but they will undoubt-

edly be very hard and eliminate in their nature.

The crag is described from Left to Right. Key features are the Blocky Block, the Matterhorn Block, the

Neb, the Great Expectations Block, Moby Dick and the West Wall.

The Left Hand Section

Steve Blake

Making use of his span.

Stuck in the Middle.

Bob Smith

The Centre

The Right Hand Section

...The Stell

Matterhorn Block Blocky Block Last & First

The Neb Great Expectations Wandering Minstrel

Great Expectations Moby Dick

West Wall

The Doldrums

4 5

21. The Gully Wall 6b+ SB

Sit Start. Up the innocuous arête.

22. The Lonely Block. 6b+ BS

Sit Start. Gain the arête and layaway up this to an awkward finish.

23. Holly Wall. 6b BS Sit Start. Gain the arête and layaway up

this to an awkward finish. A variety of foot rules can be applied …..

24. The Wandering Minstrel. 6C BS

This is something of a ballad. Start with some hard , low level

crimping, span the gap to a pocket and some palming action, cross

the crack and continue with your hands on the edge. Excellent!

25. Slapple. 6b+ BS

From an obvious slot pull up to a crimp then the large sloper, mak-

ing a long reach from this to the top.

26. The Bookend. 6b+ BS

The impending indefinite arête of the Wandering Minstrel. Small fingerholds facilitate a clamp.

Some cunning heel work leads to a difficult finish.

16 22

21

23

24

26

The Wandering Minstrel… ...The Stell The Stell… …The M atterhorn

Dan Adams

On The Bookend

Mark Savage collection

27

25

6 7

26. The Bookend

27. The Crack. 4…… Dare you?

28. The Concave Wall. 6b SB

Up large crimps to reach the top, palm along this to the left and rock over to finish.

29. Martin’s Arete. 7b AH (Martin Waugh generously let Aido ‘have a try1)

The left side of the angled nose. Pull out up the vertical wall.

30. Unpleasant Medicine. 7a+ MW

The right side of the nose, again pull out up the short wall.

An interesting eliminate uses the hands on 26, and feet on 25!...................

28 26

27

30

29

Aido Holt

Holt On

Mark Savage Photography

The Neb… ...The Stell The Wandering Minstrel… ...The Stell

Martin Waugh

Unpleasant Medicine

Mark Savage Photography

It is the sign of these modern times that an

‘interesting’ eliminate which uses the hands

on 26 and hooks feet onto 25 has been es-

tablished. Photographic evidence suggests it

responds well to a technique which would

come naturally to a Land Crab!

It has not been possible to establish which

body parts reach the top first

29

8 9

The Good Book Bloc

31. Barnaby Rudge. 6b+ DM

Standing on the block, pull onto the wall reach up to the lip and rock out the finish.

32. Great Expectations. 8a+ DV

Like the original, this will be a weekly serial for most! The hardest problem currently on the crag

Sit Start. Tiny ,two-tip crimps lead rightwards to a veritable jug at the junction with Hard Times. Up

and over.

33. Hard Times. 7a SB

Sit Start (the boulder to the right is out). Up the arête to the finger jug, move left to top out. 6b+ from

standing.

31

32 33

Great Expectations was one of Dan’s North-

umbrian obsessions. The challenge it

posed was obvious, the fingertip nicks at

chest height were noted and fondled on the

first visit, but needed a strength and tech-

nique beyond that which the initial devel-

opers possessed. Of the several local activ-

ists perhaps capable, Dan stepped forward

and invested the necessary time, effort and

frustration to complete the problem.

Currently the problem has been done from

the stand, while from the sit Dan has estab-

lished himself on the wall. From the stand

Dan considers it 8a+ . It is by far the hardest

problem at the crag. Dan considers this an

open project. Get to it!

Dan Varian

Great Expectations

Mark Savage Photography

The Good Book Bloc… ...The Stell The Stell… ...The Good B ook Bloc

10 11

34. Bilberry Wall. 6c ?

The delicate slab past the Bilberries. Both the Bilberries and Heather will probably disappear with

time.

37

The First Tower .

35. The Wall. 6b CM

Up the Wall to the overlap and a positive hold. Reach left then up to the top

36. Canny Crack 5+ CM

The leaning crack throughout.

The Second Tower

37. No Joke 6c SB

Easily up the wall, pull over the overhang to an awkward finish. Another quiet night’s work, no

spotters and a wobbly top out!

36 35

34

The Doldrums… ...The Stell The Stell… ...The Doldrums

12 13

The Bow

38. The Pequod . 6b+ AB

The left side of the obvious prow.

39. The Bowsprit . 6b+ AB

Up the bow making like a figurehead….See the

rear cover and above right. Very steep!

41

40

To the right of the prow is a vertical wall with two

problems. Another, on a blunt arête, will be found

by following the gully to the right .

40. Call me Ishmeal. 6b+ SB

SS From the good hold, small flakes lead to the

break. Undercut this up and left to an awkward

exit.

41. Queequeg. 6b SB

Follow the edge up and right. Pass the bilberries

to the second ramp and up this to yet another

awkward finish. It gets sneakily up high—watch

out!

38 39

Bob Smith

The Bowsprit

Alec Burns

The Doldrums… ...The Stell The Stell… ...T he Doldrums

Katie Mundy

Call me Ishmael

Mark Savage collection

Ian Murray

The Pequod

Alec Burns

14 15

44. Moby Dick Left 6b+ SB

Moby Dick Right 7a

From the back of the recess, traverse the

diagonal break. Pull over the overhang

and depending on your mood exit left, or

right.

45. Ahab 6c BS

From the back of the overhang follow

the break out left, reach up into a hold

in the crack. Span out to an edge and

them a hold on the lip. Pull out over

the roof to another Stell mantle!

44

45

42

42. Downfall 6c SB

Sit Start the blunt arête .

In the early stages of development, Ste-

ve Blake stepped through a heather cor-

nice and back flipped into the gully,

landing on his feet at the base of the rib.

There are many other mantraps on the

top of the crag —beware!

43

43. The Wee Block 6a JE

Sit Start — really you must!

Steve Blake

Moby Dick

Alec Burns

Moby Dick… ...The Stell The Stell… ...Moby Dick

Katie Mundy

On Ahab

Mark Savage Photography

16 17

47

48

49 50

46

46. The Smiling Bloc Left. 6c MW

A morpho sit start. Easier for the short to start,

but followed by a big span which leads to a diffi-

cult finish!.

47. The Smiling Bloc Right. 6b AB

Use holds on the arête to reach up to a hold on

the left.

48. Easy Groove. 5. MW

49. Wipe That Smile. 7a SB

Sit Start. From the small flake, pull over the

wall to, you guessed it, another Stell mantle!

50. Ooh–er Wall. 7a+ MW

Similar to, but harder than its neighbour. Us-

ing the poor crescent and crimp, pull up to

the obvious hold on the lip

The Smiling Bloc… ...The Stell The Stell… ...The Smiling Bloc

Stu Campbell

The Smiling Block left

Mark Savage Collection

Micky Stainthorpe

Wipe That Smile

Mark Savage Collection

18 19

53 54

51

54

53

54 53

51

52

The Problems on the First and Last Block can be intermingled to suit your mood. They are shown in

their original state. But play around and mix and match at will—it’s all fun!

51. Girdle Lover. 6c. MW

The obvious mid height traverse, linking into ‘Wee Cracker’ From the prominent flat hold pull and

lean right to the break and arête. Join the Original and continue past its exit with your hands on the

top.

52. Wee Cracker. 6a SB

Sit Start. The thin crack.

53. The Arete. 6b SB

SS follow the arête, it’s difficult not too….

54. The Original. 6c SB

The first problem established on the crag. Pull up the arête and span right onto the crescent , con-

tinue right and pull over at its end.

55. The Centre. 6b SB

55

55

53

51

Bob Smith

The Man from the Ministry

Bob Smith Collection

Tim Blake

The Original

Steve Blake Collection

First & Last… ...The Stell The Stell… ...First & Last

55

20 21

THE FAR SIDE

Opposite the main crag about 250m North are a collection of boulders with a couple of established

problems.

56

First Ascent Details:

SB - Steve Blake Old - 6’1’’ 69kg Past his best. Moderately strong.

BS - Bob Smith Older - Small 55kg, in decline, flexible - techy.

DV - Dan Varian Young , strong & technical

CG - Chris Graham Not quite so young , but still very strong

MW - Martin Waugh Old, and Strong but like an aging racehorse very

tweaky!

AH - Aido Holt Younger and stronger, not tweaky.

AB - Alec Burns Old, declined but still fighting gravity

JE - John Earl The Oldest!

DM - David Murray Was the youngest—not any more—Strong.

CS - Chris Sowden Old but probably the lightest by quite a stretch!

CM - Craig Mahone

Chris Sowden

The Reach

Bob Smith

Steve Blake

The Clown

Mark Savage Photography

...The Stell The Stell...