kirklees climbing
HOLMFIRTH EDGE
(or "The Cliff" to the locals)
Grid Reference SE 147085
Holmfirth Edge comprises a series of short gritstone aretes and bays.
The left-hand and central sections
should perhaps be left untouched as several lock-up garages nestle at their
base. The right-hand end however has a pleasant footpath below and above, and
the grassy/heathery cover plus the view makes for not-unpleasant picnics. There
is a little grafitti though it can't match West Vale for originality. The quarry
faces northwest and is not at its best in wet spells when the left wall of arete
become bile. Dry sunny evenings in the mid-season are probably best. The crag
has a splendid and very open outlook over the small town below towards the main
Pennines.
The rock is solid gritstone (with sandy patches) in the lower half but has a
flaggy top which can be loose. For the latter reason, The Cliff has gained
literary notoriety. Consequently, the quarry is best used for bouldering, using
suitable escapes along midway breaks and platforms despite routes having been
recorded here. The best of the bouldering is fairly low (the high-ball problems are
noted); however one feature of the quarry is a small jutting rock shelf at the
base of some of the bouldering sections which regularly threatens ankles.
All-in-all, not a major venue but one which is very handy for the locals and
also worthy an evening's intensive session from keen boulderers elsewhere in the
region.
Access
Holmfirth Edge is the long low quarry which overlooks Holmfirth centre; it is
quite obvious on approaches from the Manchester side of the Pennines but less
obvious from elsewhere.
By car: From 'the' traffic lights in Holmfirth, go down the short shopping
drag (Victoria Street) and swing left over the bridge as if going towards New
Mill. After 0.4 miles uphill, opposite a small car sales, slant off right up
Town End Road. After another 0.4 miles, just as the road levels, turn hard right
onto Cliff Road. After yet another 0.4 miles, a small track splits a cluster of
terraced houses; the quarry is above and behind the houses, the climbing is at
the right-hand end.
By foot: From the bridge in the centre of Holmfirth, turn onto Dunford Road.
Immediately, turn steeply left up the horrendous South Lane. Halfway to
exhaustion, turn off left onto New Laithe Lane. This eventually meets Cliff
Road. Cross this onto the dirt road which runs along the top of the quarry.
Names of problems have been provided by Brian Cropper who kindly researched the minds
and diaries of the ancients. More recent names are from Daimon Beail's notes in the
Connoisseur section of the 1998 Yorkshire Gritstone guide.
The Problems
Thirty-five metres to the right of the right-hand lock-up garage (and just past the first bunch of trees) are two
slabby faces. On the left-hand slab is:
1) 4c Devs. The left edge of the slabby face. Hop on awkwardly and exit rightwards to the
shelf.
2) 4b/c Scar Face. The crack in the slab is also more awkward than it
looks.
3) 4c Bumbachum. The slab immediately right of the crack is particularly
reach-dependent.
4) Easy. Arsenic Slab. The right-hand side of the slab is also the descent.
The right side-wall is steeper:
5) V5 6b Old Lace. From the stumpy tree-thing, crimp out left and muscle for
the top (or roll down the grass below)
In the adjacent corner is a tiny, innocuous-looking rib:
6) V0 5b Make a sitting start from a polished foothold. No bridging! Rib only!
7) V4 6a/b Upside Down Arete. Just right is an obvious clean arete; climb its right-hand side.
The consequences of a slip is often a surprisingly long hop, skip and face-in-the-dirt.
The dusty slab to the right has two obvious cracks... popular despite its green lichen:
8) V0- 5a The wall immediately left of the left-hand crack.Take a brush.
9) 4a The Crack Left. The wide left-hand crack.
10) V0- 5a The slab between the cracks... Hands off those cracks!
11) 4b The Crack Right. The right-hand crack.
12) 4c The right-hand edge of the slab.
13) V3? 6a? A direct start to Problem 12, starting immediately right,
just around the arete, and pulling back left onto the slab once the obvious sloper is
reached.
14) V6? 6b? One metre right of the arete, pull directly over the
overlap with left hand on an obvious edge and right hand on chipped holds... then up warily.
15) V3 5c Silent Running. The classic... with a
high-ball feel (even though things ease with height). Two metres right of the arete,
use the chipped holds to step up right then back left into the slight scoop... then onwards.
16) V7? 6c Mad Mantle. The centre of the wall. Watch that ankle-ledge!
17) V2 6a Use the small ramp (at 3m) at the right-hand end of the wall to gain the break.
No using the obvious flake/block to its right.
Across the corner is another angular buttress; it is
capped by an impressive set of overhangs:
18) V0 5b Spider. The left wall via an interesting series of slots. Escape left.Between here and the arete
is Steel Finger Wall 6a.
19) V0+5b First Arete. The main arete, on its left side. Escape (? with some difficulty) leftwards at
the break at 5m. Or: the upper half of the arete is harder, scarier and something other than fun
bouldering.
20) V1 5c The same arete but on its right-hand side; again escape
when it ceases to be fun.
21) V0+ 5b A traverse. Start at the foot of Problem
18; move acrossv rightwards and very low to the arete of Problem 19. Move round the arete, then up to
an obvious rising hand-ramp (At Your Own Risk, 5b). Swing along jugs to the sandy scoop at the top of Problem 25 then
climb/jump/fall down this (which is easier than going up it!)
22) V2 5c/6a The attractive wall to the right of the arete has three problems starting from
its centre. The first one steps up for a tiny spike (right-hand) on a faint feature... then rocks away left to the
hand-ramp.
23) V6 6b/c The second variation uses the tiny spike to go way up,
straight for the break.
24) V4 6b This time, leave the tiny spike (left hand, this time) via a hard
rockover and long reach up to the right towards the sandy scoop.
25) V1 5c Shades Of Orion. Holds at the right-hand
end of the wall lead surprisingly awkwardly to the sandy scoop.
26) V5 6b Another traverse. Start in
the easy corner just right of Problem 25. Traverse back left at a low level with
crimpy fingers and sneaky footwork. Stay low or use that spike as in Problem
22.
27) V2 6a Beyond the easycorner is another short arete. The wall just to its
left is neat; but no sideholds, just the triangular hole/undercut and a pounce for
the top.
28) 4c/5a The left-hand side of the short arete.
29) V0- 5b The right-hand side of the short arete.
30) V3 6b Two metres to the right of the short arete, the centre of the small wall is an absolute pig
to start. Cold day required.
31) V0- 5a An easier version is to start in the corner at the right-hand side of the small wall,
then hand traverse left to the small arete. Keep on going (is there a choice?)
and descend the wide blocky corner near Problem 25.
To the right is a nosey (ie undercut)
arete:
32) V0 5a Uncle Lubin. Swarm up from a hanging start
onto the pleasant but nosey arete.
33) V1 5b-6a Immediately right of the
nosey arete, is a tiny groove just left of the carved letters/graffiti ("GEM"). Stretch up ithe little groove to
the sandy break.
34) 4a The pleasant arete 3m the right of the GEM graffiti. Escape left is sensible.
35) V1 5b Seeking Sanctuary. A highball. The centre of the slab 2m to the right of the arete (no
sidecracks), then the steep wall, aiming for the small bush growing near the top of the buttress.
The useful little undercut helps out at the steepening.
Hand traverse off righ at the tree as the rock deteriorates at the top. Perhaps too high to belong in a fun bouldering guide.
36) V0- 5a The little slab to the right leads to a stretch over
a scruffy overlap. Escape right.
A low wall, below shelves, extends to the right into a hollow.
A faint arete marks the right edge of the higher shelf.
37) V1 5c The faint arete is undercut by a small recess. Bridge on the small rib by
all means but no standing on that big ledge to the right.
38) V0- 5a An unexpectedly sweet little traverse, starting at Problem 37 and moving back
left.
Across the bay, where the ground rises, is
another arete:
39) 4c The strong crack in the wall to the left of the arete is quite good despite
the muck. The wall just left is Dark Crystal 6a.
40) V0 5a/b
The right-hand side of the arete with a horrid move off the ledge.
41) 4b Pop up the side-wall 2m right of the arete.
Back up out of the pit is a small buttress with sandy
pockets:
42) 4c From a handslot at the
left-hand side of the small buttress, rock up for the top.
43) V4 6b At the centre of the wall (above the F of WF), dyno (or static) for the top from a feeble RH crimp. Good.
44) V2 6a From the sandy pocket to the right, dyno nicely for a neat slot/hole.
45) 5a Traverse the wall nicely from left to right then rise up the sandy pockets and move back
left to finish on the ledge.
A relatively steep sandy buttress lies 15m to the
right:
46) 4c/5a Blunt Arete. At the very left-hand end, pull over the bulge and mantle awkwardly.
46a) V3 6a A neat eliminate. From the start of 47, reach left to the left end of the finger break. Undercut a faint
crease in the overlap and reach up for a sloper above the nose, with the left hand. Use a small vertical edge to the right to assist
the slap for the top.
47) V0- 5b Cock Over. One metre right of the
left-hand edge, stretch up to the left end of a sandy scoop.
48) V2 5c Three Jug Wall. Just left of the centre of the wall, sandy moves lead to obvious chipped holds at a faint upper arete. Feels
high.
49) V2 5c Under Pull. At the centre of the wall, a similar chipped route starts above a short ground level crack.
50) V1 5b Up and Over. Pull over the overhang 1m left of the right-hand side of the sandy buttress to a chipped hold, then
up.
51) V0 5a As for the previous route, but finish rightwards into the
corner (no bridging).
52) V2 5c Yendor. A traverse. Start from Problem 51 then swing
leftwards high along chips to finish well left of the faint arete on Problem 48.
Somewhat fingery.
53) 4c The narrow wall just right of the corner crack, anywhere.
54) V0- 5a The attractive arete direct.
55) V1 5c One metre right of the arete (Man Utd).
56) V0+ 5c Four metres right of the arete, muscle up on small chips past the end of "Leeds" to the
sandy ledge. Finish as you wish.
57) V0 5a/b Six metres right of the arete, starting just left of a boulder,
pop up to the sandy scoops then swing leftwards along the hand rail to finish up
Problem 54.
58) V7? 6c? Start up Problem 55 then shuffle rightwards along the
faint break below the obvious hand rail. Project? Or done years ago?
Fifteen metres over to the right, beyond trees, is another long wall with a steep prow
marking its left edge:
59) 5a The left side of the steep leaning prow.
60) 4a Six metres right, beyond the easy low bit, a flakey edge marks the
beginning of (slightly) more worthwhile rock.
61) V0- 5a Pocket Wall. Immediately right, a very short thin crack and finger pockets leads to a loose top.
62) 4a From a flat boulder, up past a small left-leaning crack,
63) 4a The fist crack just right, and the faint leaning
feature above.
64) V? The grade of the sit-down start to the previous crack
is purely conditional on how much you love jamming.
65) V0 5b Immediately right again, pass the horizontal break and small pocket then stretch up the top
wall. 5b if you don't use the two ledge, 5a otherwise. The short will find the
top wall much harder.
66) V0 5b Immediately right again, the base of the lower
wall is undercut. At the left side of this, enjoy a sitting start slap for
slopers and so up. Keep to the eliminate spirit.
67) V0- 5a At the right-hand side of the undercut base, pull up from a sitting start and onto a nice little arete. Rather
pleasant.
68) V0- 4a The adjacent small square face.
69) 4b Just right, the small face and overlap. Take care with the rock at the top.
70) V0- 5a The Shelf.To the right is a most bizarre undercut shelf. Pull up and roll onto this anywhere. Convince yourself that it
won't snap.
71) V0 5a The Groove. The obvious slanting deep recessed groove/crack has an awkward finish. Feels high.
72) V1 5c Lay of Man. From the base of Problem 71, lean out right onto the WF wall
and finish up its centre.
73) V1 5c Fist of Fury. Pop up the centre of the WF wall, then
finish with a high feel.
74) V3 6a Trance Atlantic. The longest traverse. Start steeply up
Problem 59 then sneak rightwards off it onto the adjacent low wall. No hands on
the top as you head for Problem 60. Pass low along this section and drag your
bum under Problems 66 and 67. Swing along with hands on the shelf of Problem 70.
Cross the WF wall at mid-height and finish up the pleasant corner at the
right-hand side. It is possible to traverse the whole edge, of course... but this should suffice!
75) 4b The Corner.The pleasant corner on its own.
76) 4b The Arete. The equally pleasant arete to its right.
77) 4a A final small wall over to the right, just past the tree.
Info on new problems and opinion on grades is
welcome