The dark edge of Guisecliff dominates the south side of Nidderdale near Pateley Bridge, not far from Brimham. It's the highest and most extensive grit crag in Yorkshire, but is little frequented due the copious tree cover and its north-facing aspect - two factors which combine to give dirty, lichen-covered rock that dries slowly and receives no sun. There are hundreds of routes including, no doubt, some classics, but the dank atmosphere is not to everyone's taste.
The bouldering is limited, and like the routes, is not to everyone's taste. However there are some superb problems, particularly in the higher grades, and there are almost certainly more good problems waiting to be found.
Access to the crag is from a minor road at the west end (i.e. the right end, looking in) which runs from Pateley Bridge towards Thruscross reservoir. The road passes directly under the Roadside boulders at a sharp right-hand bend - parking for the Roadside boulders is here, and there are further parking areas further on.
The Scenery
Glasshouses
1
0
The village of Glasshouses from the Mop Top Block on a winter afternoon.
Dangerous Crevasses
1
0
Don't say you weren't warned!
Nought Bank Boulders
At the west end of the crag (the right end looking-in), directly above the sharp bends in the road, there are a number of large boulders and small buttresses - the Nought Bank Boulders. There is a lot of potential climbing here. Unfortunately the area suffers from sloping landings, dirty rock, and many of the buttresses are too high for the average boulderer. Dense bracken makes a visit in summer and autumn especially traumatic.
Thanks to Tony Barley for his unpublished guide to these boulders.
Over The Road
Across the road from the obvious boulders there are a few problems hidden in the trees.
Croc Bloc
E2 5c
1
0
The fine face of the big buttress five metres beyond Freerider. Use both aretes.
Muck and Brass
5
(V1)
0
0
The right side of the arete.
Mick Dundee
5
(V1)
3
1
0
Above the main crag. Take care with the fragile flakes under the roof and don?t fall off. Gain and share on a good hold on the lip, then make a long reach for the break.
Romancing the Stone
5+
(V2)
2
1
0
The little wall under the massive roof. Low start in the break.
Captain Hook
5+
(V2)
3
0
0
Climb the right arete. Guess how. A nice V0 from standing.
Tick Tock
6a
(V3)
0
0
Start up Captain Hook, hand traverse the break to finish up Romancing...
Hippo
6c+
(V5)
2
1
0
On the last major block.
Glass Alley Wall
A small, broken wall immediately below the bend in the road.
Green Glass
3
(V0-)
0
0
The left-hand scoop, moving right.
Tumbler
3
(V0-)
0
0
The wide rib.
Marbles
3
(V0-)
0
0
Bridge up the middle scoop and finish direct.
Alley Rib
3
(V0-)
0
0
The right arete, finishing on the right.
Topo
Nought Bank Boulder
This is the prominent, large square boulder close to the road. The recorded problems are on the shorter, uphill side of the block, although there is scope for more serious problems on the roadside faces.
All Or Bust
4
(V0)
1
0
0
The left-hand side of the southwest arete, starting at a sharp pocket.
By The Fin
4
(V0)
1
0
0
The left side of the south face, finishing direct or on the arete.
Happy Wall
3
(V0-)
0
0
The slabby wall direct.
Happy Landing
3
(V0-)
1
0
0
Start just left of the corner and go up left, or finish direct.
Nought Corner
4
(V0)
0
0
The obvious corner.
All or Nothing
4
(V0)
1
0
0
The arete just right of the corner.
Ryvita
4
(V0)
2
5
0
The big wall just right of the southeast arete.
Safner's Arete
6b
(V4)
1
9
1
The big southwest arete, climbed on its left side.
Slideshow
7a
(V6)
2
2
1
Safner's Arete, climbed on the righthand side.
Toboggan Wall
7b
(V8)
2
2
0
The superb wall, with a dynamic move to a slopey finish.
Cool Runnings
6b
(V4)
3
4
0
The right arete, with a reachy last move above a dodgy landing.
Oak Ridge
Directly above Nought Bank Boulder is a big pinnacle. Oak Ridge is at the same level but further left, easily recognisable from the twisted oak tree on the left side of the buttress.
Twisted Oak
3
(V0-)
0
0
Up the slab moving left to avoid the bulge.
Spirit of the Oak
4
(V0)
0
0
Start on the right side of the arete, cross over then follow the left side past a bulge.
Hellbent
5+
(V2)
0
0
The right side of the arete, with the crux near the top. A route - worth E2.
Noughts and Crosses
5
(V1)
0
0
The slab right of the arete, with a tricky start.
Nought Bank Pinnacle
The large boulder directly above Nought Bank Boulder is actually a pinnacle, being separated from the mainland by a deep chimney. It has some good clean walls and aretes.
Grimace
6c
(V5)
2
0
0
The wall left of the central arete.
Transmission
7a
(V6)
2
2
0
The central arete, climbed on its left.
Exodus
7b+
(V8/9)
3
3
0
The arete of Transmission climbed on its right-hand side.
6a
(V3)
2
1
1
The arete at the mouth of the chimney, right of the central arete.
SuckerPunch
The buttress right of the pinnacle has an impressive sharp arete.
4
(V0)
2
1
0
The arete on its slabby, left-hand side.
SuckerPunch
7a+
(V7)
2
7
1
The fine arete on its right.
Green Fingers
The boulder right of SuckerPunch has one excellent problem.
Green Fingers
6c+
(V5)
2
1
0
Sprite
7a
(V6)
2
0
0
Right of Green Fingers, dyno from an undercut and sidepull to the break.
Checkers Buttress
Just right of the SuckerPunch boulder, this boulder has a blunt arete with a long brown wall to the right.
Chinese Checker
4
(V0)
0
0
Start with the prominent undercut just left of the nose of the buttress, then make a high step to gain the slab by the wall on the left.
Audit
5
(V1)
0
0
Start at the undercut, and finish up the rib.
Eclipse Pinnacle
A small pinnacle/boulder with a slanting ramp.
Full Eclipse
4
(V0)
0
0
Climb the ramp/slab and finish straight up.
Cornish Corona
5
(V1)
0
0
The steep slab right of the ramp.
Moonshadow Buttress
A small buttress above and right of Pok-a-Tok, with a smaller boulder immediately above it.
Moonshadow
4
(V0)
0
0
The stepped scoop just left of the central arete.
Moonshadow Rib
5+
(V2)
0
0
The steep arete and right wall on the boulder above Moonshadow.
Inca Buttress
The rightmost wall on the hillside, hidden from view from the road, has a few longer problems.
Unnamed Boulder
At the same level as the Oak Ridge, but much further left (looking in) and near the wall, is this boulder which has an arete with a slab to its left. There are more problems on the large boulder that straddles the wall. This area is best reached from the road by following the path which runs up beside the wall. Alternatively, slog through the undergrowth from Oak Ridge.
Grow Up
7b
(V8)
0
0
The slab, using the left arete near the top.
Trust
7b
(V8)
2
4
1
The slabby left side of the arete.
5+
(V2)
1
0
The right side of the arete.
Famous 45
6c+
(V5)
0
0
Dyno from a pocket.
Unnamed Boulder
This is the boulder straddling the wall, just uphill from the previous boulder.
Hump de Bump
6c+
(V5)
0
0
Sit-start and trend left to finish.
Two Stoops
"Two Stoops" is the local name for the two towers on the top of the hill at the western edge of the Guisecliff escarpment, above the Roadside boulders. Over the wall from the towers there are two boulders beside the path. They are easily accessible and have a few reasonable problems.
The Mop Top Block
From the stile over the wall beside Two Stoops, follow the path east along the top of Guisecliff for a few hundred yards to a point where two walls meet at a corner. Cross the wall at the corner, then walk back west for a short way. The well-named Mop Top Block is just below the top of the hillside.
The Mop Top Block
The central arete is good on both sides. The wall left of the arete has a few poor problems, but the smooth steep wall to the right is superb.
6b
(V4)
1
0
The wall left of the aretes.
Mop Top Arete Left
5
(V1)
1
2
2
The left side of the arete.
Mop Top Arete Right
5+
(V2)
1
2
2
The right side of the arete is very good.
7b
(V8)
2
0
The centre of the fine wall.
Apples
6a+
(V3)
1
1
0
The excellent right arete of the blank wall on its left side. Start on the left, or from a sit-start right of the arete at 6b+.
The Central Crag
Not far beyond Diamond Crack, after a path (which is actually a downhill mountain bike track, used some years ago for a world championship event), the crag rears up in earnest. Beneath the crag is a sprawl of huge boulders, amongst which there must surely be some decent boulder problems. However exploration in this area is challenging due to the thick vegetation and ankle-snapping, boulder-strewn terrain, and any new problems will need to be unearthed with wire brushes and trowels.
The Track
There are a few boulders near the track which runs from Guisecliff Tarn up to the quarries.
The Lagoon
Half-way between the tarn and the quarries and a short way below the path is a small pool of water (a natural spring). A boulder beside the pool has a short arete.
Lagoon Arete
3
(V0-)
2
1
0
The arete on its left side is nice.
Trackside Boulder
This boulder beside the track, further up from Lagoon Arete, is obvious.
Sideshow
5+
(V2)
3
0
0
The centre of the steep slab on the left wall. Good but dirty.
Silly Little Boys
A solitary boulder somewhere in the woods above the track.
The Quarries
The quarries at the east end of the edge are free of the trees, but the bouldering potential is limited. There are a couple of hard aretes here. The area is most easily reached by following the main path along the top of the edge from Two Stoops towards the transmitter.
4
(V0)
1
0
0
A long, low block in the left-most quarry has several mantel problems. They are possibly some of the worst problems in Yorkshire.
Jaws
7c
(V9)
1
0
Above the long, low block is a prominent arete from a sit-start. 7b from standing. Jump off rather than top-out through the heather.
7a+
(V7)
1
0
The right arete from a standing start.
High Crag
There are various small boulders and outcrops around the trig point on moor above the east end of the crag, an area marked on the OS maps as High Crag. Two boulders beneath the track near to the south of the trig point have worthwhile climbing. The problems described here are on a slabby wall with good climbing but brittle rock. This area is best reached from the public footpath which runs between the trig point and the road some distance south of the actual Guisecliff edge.
G Wall
6b+
(V4)
1
3
0
The left-hand side of the slabby wall, past a mono pocket. Be careful with the rock.
6a+
(V3)
1
1
0
The right-hand side of the wall.
1
