This site is a digital copy of the 1997 BMC guidebook to rock climbing in Lancashire
Climbing guides found for: Standedge
This quarry overlooks the A62 (Oldham–Huddersfield road) a kilometre north-east of the centre of Delph. It is a short gritstone quarry, which is a pleasant venue for an evening visit by middle-grade climbers.
Bob Whittaker discovered Pack Horse in the mid-Seventies, but no routes were done until 1982, when Whittaker remembered the quarry during a survey of the crags in the area. He returned with Ralph Pickering and started with The Riffler. The sharp end was then handed over to Pickering, who claimed Times Passed. Before leaving, they climbed four more lines on the left, including White Horse and Dark Horse. Whittaker returned a couple of nights later with Alan Noakes to add Stallion and three other routes.
The crag, visible from the road, stretches for approximately 900 metres along the top of Pule Hill; roughly 500 metres east of the Oldham–Huddersfield road (A62), where it runs down from Standedge Cutting into Marsden.
The first real climber to leave his mark on the rocks seems to have been George Bower, who scrambled here in the early 1920s. However, considering the natural attraction of the edge, it is surprising to find that its main development as a climbing ground came at a much later date. Probably the first climbers to give the edge any real attention were the Chew Valley Cragsmen, prominent amongst them being Graham West and Roy Brown, who visited the rocks occasionally during the 1940s and 1950s
The rocks are the property of the National Trust and climbing is permitted, provided that the Trust`s bye-laws are adhered to.
These quarries are situated between Delph and Scouthead near the A62, above a minor road which runs parallel to the A62, and about one kilometre west of the centre of Delph. The views into the Chew Valley are incomparable, so it is well worth a visit.
Rough Knarr was visited by members of the Rimmon M.C. in the early 1960s, when Tony Howard, Brian Hodgkinson, Tony Jones, Jeff Sykes and Brian Woods did most of the obvious lines. However, no records were kept and in 1968 the quarry was rediscovered by Bob Whittaker, who climbed the obvious line of Denshaw. Though local climbers probably visited the quarry, there were no further recorded ascents at the quarry for 14 years, until Geoff Haigh, Derek Wright and Gordon Mason found the crag. Amongst them, this group added another dozen routes, the most notable of which was the trio of Delph, Dobcross and Diggle, though it is possible that these three lines had been climbed previously.
Known locally as Buckstones or Pingot Quarry, Shaw Quarry lies on the western slope of Crow Knoll, in the Crompton Fold area of Shaw. The quarry is of an open aspect and, being box-shaped, the sun touches all parts of the quarry at some time during the day.
Old pegs greeted the first visits made by the Rimmon Club in 1962–63, which is when recorded ascents began. First off the mark was Bill Tweedale who made ascents of Tweedledum, its twin, and Parrot Crack. An evening visit saw Tony Nichols solo the excellent Bugsy followed by Perganum and T.F.G.. Apparently, he was very pleased to complete the latter; the full route name is truly blasphemous and indicates Nichols` thoughts as he pulled over the top to safety. Ginger Warburton added The Pretty Thing and Ginger. A traverse of the Left Wall was also reported, but Sting Girdle remains obscure.
It comprises a group of quarried gritstone buttresses and a small outcrop in a pleasant setting on the hillside with excellent views all round. On the left-hand side of the crag the rock is of variable quality and so the climbing is limited to the better sections of rock, but nevertheless the climbs are worthwhile and there are also possibilities for further routes. At the other end of the crag, the main quarry rises to about 20 metres and gives some very impressive climbs that are well worth the effort which is needed to get to this somewhat isolated crag.
Graham West and Michael Roberts visited Shooter`s in 1957 having spotted the crag from a passing train. They found no evidence of previous visits by climbers, and thought the crag to be untouched, even though Tony Howard and Alwyn Whitehead had made a brief recce and done routes a month earlier. The rifle range was in existence even then, and this effectively curtailed their explorations, limiting them to the Green Bowl. Despite the bullets flying around, they managed to climb four fine routes; Rifleman`s Chimney, Elbow Jump, Bull`s Eye Crack and Sweatyman. West returned with Clive Barker the following month and this time made ascents of The Light, Redeemer`s Wall and Shin Skinner all in the Green Bowl area, plus three routes on Oval Buttress. The next recorded visit was a whole year later and it was West again who was responsible; he took Bryn Higgins along this time and they attempted Cream Cracker Crux, a route which deposited West from the crux at least five times into the mud below. Panic Knott was the other route to succumb that day, this time to Higgins.
A shooting club use the range below the quarry, but the approach and the climbing are a good 200 metres away from the range. Nevertheless, some old shells have been found in the initial bays. Therefore, if the red flag is flying, it may be prudent to leave the track just before crossing the broken wall and to head leftwards, then enter the quarry via the top of the moor.
The quarry consists of two bands of gritstone. The upper band being harder and much less friable than the lower one. The result is an obvious overhang which runs the length of the quarry. The lower band is loose, giving all the routes a serious air. The traverse below the overhang (Pennine Way) is not technically difficult for those who like stomach-traverses on sandy ledges over earthy blocks.
Some routes were done by Mick Shaw and Tony Howard in the early 1970s, but no records were kept. The earliest recorded route, The Flake of the Floating Light, was climbed by Paul Cropper with Nadim Siddiqui in 1974. Three routes were added on a February day in 1978, Paul Cropper climbing Thin Line solo and Watching the Detectives with Martin Booth. Brian Cropper soloed Pennine Arête that day and later the same year added Firefrost with Rehan Siddiqui. Activity at the start of the 1980`s saw three additional routes.
No access problems have arisen so far.
This small gritstone quarry is situated about one kilometre south-east of the southern end of Pule Hill Outcrop. Although it is short, it is easily accessible and the rock is very solid, making it an ideal place for an evening visit.
The first climber known to have visited the quarry was Mick Shaw, who led many of the lines in the early 1970s, seconded by Phil Latcham. However, no records were kept and the quarry was rediscovered in 1978 by Al Pierce, Nadim Siddiqui and Paul Cropper, who climbed five lines, including Swallow Dive and Needles and Pins. The crag was further developed one day in May 1982 by Dave Cronshaw and Bob Whittaker, accompanied by Les Ainsworth. Four new routes fell (and were fallen off), amongst which Albatross, Eagle and Red Wing perhaps combined with the more recent (1985) additions – The Bengal Badger and Peach Party by Chris Booth and Will Steel – may provide an evening`s entertainment for the jaded connoisseur.