This collection of boulders lies on the edge of Ilkley Moor a couple of miles west of the famous Cow and Calf, and is named after an ancient carving on top of one of the boulders. Although not a well known area there are some excellent problems here, mainly in the lower grades (up to 6b).
Topo
Overview
A series of boulders extend west along the edge of the moor from the Swastika Stone carving.
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Grafitti Wall
The boulder lowest down the hillside is easily recognised from the grafiti on the front. It consists of two slabs separated by a sharp arete.
5
(V1)
0
0
The left side of the steep slab.
5+
(V2)
0
0
The centre of the slab. Dodgy landing.
4
(V0)
0
0
The left side of the arete.
4
(V0)
1
0
0
The arete on its right is excellent.
6b
(V4)
2
1
0
The centre of the slab on pebbles and smears.
5+
(V2)
0
0
The right edge of the slab, using a poor pocket but avoiding the arete.
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Harris' Slab
Further right, and further up the hillside is another boulder with a slabby front face.
5+
(V2)
1
0
1
The groove left of the smooth slab. Don't use the big jug on the right wall, but use the layaway above it. Good but contrived.
Harris' Slab
5+
(V2)
1
0
1
The smooth slab is scary with the crux at the top.
4
(V0)
0
0
The arete on the slabby side. Excellent.
4
(V0)
3
0
The arete on the steep side from a sit-start is also excellent.
5
(V1)
2
1
0
The wall beside the arete, again from a sit-start.
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Harris' Arete
The next boulder up has an overhanging front face. Behind this the crag forms a small edge.
6a
(V3)
0
0
Hand traverse the lip of the overhanging boulder from left to right.
6a
(V3)
0
0
Slap your way up the blunt arete from a sit start. Good.
Harris' Arete
5+
(V2)
1
0
The technical little arete.
5
(V1)
0
0
Nice moves up the rib. A variation moves right at the top on slopers.
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Green Prow
This area lies at the left-hand end of the main edge, much further left (looking in) than the previous areas.
?
(V?)
0
0
The big blunt arete is dirty and scary.
Green Wall
?
(V?)
0
0
The slab beside the prow.
The Prow
6a
(V3)
0
0
The front of the prow. Good moves but the rock is painfully sharp.
6b
(V4)
0
0
The right side of the arete has a nice move.
Topo
Christmas Day Arete
This block has a right-angled arete with smooth walls on either side. Both sides of the arete are excellent.
Christmas Day Arete
5+
(V2)
2
2
0
Climb the arete on its left. Dynamic and balancey.
Christmas Day Arete
6a
(V3)
1
2
3
The right side of the arete is dynamic and balancey, and slightly harder.
5+
(V2)
0
0
The blunt rib further right is climbed by a series of slaps for slopers. Better than it looks.
Topo
Barn Door Arete
Fifty yards further right is a smooth wall with a good left arete. Beyond this an undercut buttress has some harder problems.
Barn Door Arete
5+
(V2)
1
1
Climb the arete to an interesting finish.
6b
(V4)
3
0
Just right again, a shorter line of crimps.
?
(V?)
0
0
The left arete of the undercut boulder.
6b
(V4)
1
1
0
The centre of the boulder past a rubbish crimp.
7b
(V8)
2
0
The right arete, from the back of the roof.
Topo
Walking the Dog
The next boulder is also severely undercut.
Walking The Dog
6b
(V4)
3
3
Traverse the jugs on the lip of the roof to a powerful finish up the left side of the arete. Superb climbing.
The Absconded Dog Extension
7b
(V8)
1
2
0
Instead of finishing up the arete, continue along the obvious line of slopers to a difficult top-out.
Topo
The Badger
The Badger
7a
(V6)
1
1
0
Sit start, up the arete, traverse the sloping lip to a final mantel.
Topo
Jerry's Traverse
The next boulder has a slabby face and arete, while the boulder below it has an overhanging front face topped by a slab.
5
(V1)
1
0
0
The arete of the higher boulder. Dirty.
Jerry's Traverse
6c
(V5)
0
1
Traverse the lip of the lower boulder from right to left, with a sit start and a rockover onto the slab to finish.
Topo
Slimeball Traverse
5+
(V2)
0
0
The central arete.
Slimeball Traverse
5+
(V2)
1
0
0
Traverse the break just below the top of the boulder from left to right.
Topo
Megalith
The final boulder lies a short way further on. Unfortunately the ground drops away steeply below this boulder.
Megalith
6a
(V3)
1
0
The fine slab and arete.
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