ST IVES BOULDERING Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Brush

The St Ives Estate is more commonly associated with woodland walks, the duck pond, sheltered accommodation, Lady B’s café, coarse fishing, horses, dogging, golf, dog walking, archery and adventure playgrounds. The Estate also happens to be the epicentre of some of Bingley’s lesser known bouldering venues (Gilstead being the honeypot destination and known to many, including those who live outside of Bingley).

The bouldering around the Estate covers five areas; the Druid’s Altar, Bell Bank Woods, the Sunday Morning Boulder, Harden Moor and the Duck Pond in descending obscurity.

Bradford Council own and manage the St Ives Estate but ownership of the Druid’s Altar and Harden Moor is unknown. Regardless of ownership, please be discreet and treat the land with respect (litter picking is for heroes).

Many of the documented climbs are in the low to mid grades (5’s and 6’s) and so a climber operating above this level will likely have satisfied themselves after a visit to each area. Proud projects remain on the Sunday Morning Boulder and at Bell Bank Wood which stand to be regional classics (i.e. outside of Bingley).

All the areas offer decent climbing conditions throughout the year and dry quickly after rain despite the forest settings. The foliage in the summer months around the Druid’s Altar and Bell Bank Woods can become rampant. Bring a stiff brush and an open mind.

If you climb a new line please get in touch with the particulars. Until then, enjoy. [email protected] Access from Brown Cow/Bingley Access from St Ives

Sunday Morning Boulder N

TWTTF Centurion Virgin Wall Cleopatra Druids’ Face The Druid’s Altar (Main Circuit) Brad Squit Sunday Morning The Druids’ Altar (Eastern Flanks) Rush Obelix Edifis Boulder (5mins)

The Druid’s Altar

Bell Bank Wood (Crag Boulders)

Bell Bank Wood (Spring Boulders)

Car Park Boulder

The Duck Pond Harden Crag Duck Pond

Once the access road (Altar Lane) opens up and forks either cut down right along the dry-stone wall to join a path that runs along the base of the crag (for eastern flanks) or walk north-east towards the Druids' Altar main block on well walked paths and boulder hop down to the boulders.

The Druid’s Altar The Altar Circuit

A local viewpoint and point of interest just outside Bingley, the Druid’s Altar seems to have been resigned to relative obscurity despite extensive development on surrounding crags by past and present Airedale teams. 2014/15 has seen a cleaning effort and a spate of first ascents/retro-claims.

Two main bouldering areas exist; the scatter of boulders beneath the main Druids' Altar block comprising a good mid-grade circuit and along the two tier edge 50m south-east of the main block known as the eastern flanks. Access parking is to be had either at the 'The Brown Cow' pub in Bingley, the main car park at St Ives Estate golf course (free) or discretely on the verge before the 'Access-Only' sign a little way up Altar Lane. Cars have been seen at the top of Altar Lane but this may lead to knackered suspension if not access restrictions. Walk in from St Ives Estate is mostly level, pleasant and about 15mins with a café at the end. Walk in from Brown Cow is 20- 25mins uphill but with the promise of beer for the extra effort. Access from the pub is reputedly how the pagans of yester year accessed the crag and has some wiccad views on the way. Gaia’an, give it a go.

1 2 3

1. First Arete (Font 2+) 5. Impedimenta (Font 6b ss) * FA. R Bowman, April 2014 Right hand side of left arete on main face. Start hanging the right hand arete and then push on up the arete. A climb of two halves; the lower half of which favours a burly approach followed by surprisingly collected 2. First Groove (Font 3) padding. Adding a couple of sideways shuffles adds a half grade or so. Decent fun if you like a good thruch. The easy groove.

3. Druid’s Face (Font 3+) * The first line of holds right of the groove over a non-fatal landing. Take an easy sitter to progressively smaller holds.

5 6

4. Caesar (Font 7a ss) * F.A. R Bowman, May 2014 Good, dynamic, monkey-up-a-stick climbing from sitting. Long arms help. Let all of Airedale know when land the top.

6. Gracchus Armisurplus (Font 6a ss) * 15. Rush Stand (Font 5) * FA. G Gibbons The short left hand arete has a surprising amount of movement to it. Stiff start followed Stand start to the centre of the rib. Finish with a smooth mantle. by some slaps upwards and thence a delicate finish. Nice. 16. Project ‘Rush’ (Font 7c?) Crouch/sit start on corner into previous line. 7. Magnumopus (Font 5+ ss) From sitting, a couple of smart moves up the grove to the right of Gracchus Armisurplus 17. Brutus (Font 6b ss) ** FA. R Bowman, April 2014 using the obvious grove hold with left or right hand - both worthwhile. Sitting start off good flatty. Slap right onto higher flatty throw a heel on and initiate a big rockover into the left hand groove. When you think you're at your limit push some more... 8. Anticlimax (Font 5) and then some more. 6a+ from standing. Decent. Jump to the sloping shelf in the centre of the wall and mantle out the top. A worthy inclusion to the wall.

9. Brad Squit (Font 6b+ ss) *** G Gibbons, 2013 Classic. Sitting start off obvious right-hand rail and then over to sloping shelf to allow movement upwards. Lovely sequence of moves to a mantle finish. May or may not share some resemblance with its Peak namesake. Low sitter off left hand crimp and arete 7a. Stand start 6b.

10. Gracchus Squit (Font 6c ss) * C Todd, May 2014 Start up Gracchus Armisurplus and traverse all the way right to finish up Brad Squit with hands below the top using an assortment of moves, style and burl. Good link. 16

11. Geriatrix (Font 4) 11 15 Hop off your zimmer and wonder up the left arete of triangular block to its apex. Pleasant shuffling from standing.

12. Vitalstatistix (Font 6c ss) * FA. R Bowman, April 2014 12 The left hand line of triangular wall from sitting. Good powerful and fingery pulling (pully 13 14 fingering??) with a dynamic finish to join Geriatrix. 17 13. Project (Font 7b+?) Ouch

14. Dogmatix (Font 4+ ss) Cock a high leg from a sitter in the flake and piss you way up the right hand arete of triangular wall.

7 6 10 9

11 5

18. Obelix (Font 6c) ** FA. C Todd, April 2014 Left arete of the pyramid block (50m directly below main buttress) using the obvious flake to enable committing moves up the arete. Fine, airy climbing.

19. Getafix (Font 6a+) * FA. R Bowman & C Todd, April 2014 Straight up the middle of the pyramid block (50m directly below main buttress) using good flake for left hand and a selection of fancy footwork lower down.

3 20. Slab Traverse (Font 3) Up and right of the Obelix block there is a boulder with an inviting looking slab. Left to right, right to left, up and down. Whatever combination there are some nice easy moves to be had despite the short height. Grade is for hands below the top. 6 21. Caius Fatuous (Font 5) Blunt left hand arête from sitting trending rightwards to a tenuous mantle. Can be a bit 15 scrittly but is worth seeking out.

22. Edifis (Font 6b) 25m west of the Obelix block just past the slab traverse boulder is a small boulder with an imposing line on the rear… Start sat matched on the lovely flake hold and craft a powerful way to the top. Explosive.

“The sky may fall on your head tomorrow,

but tomorrow never comes."

18 17

22 21

19 18

23. The Arete that Trad Forgot (Font 6b) * The Eastern Flanks Sit start straight onto the left arete (no plinth) using helpful pockets on left wall. Slightly harder if climbed static. Found at the far end of the crag (before the dry-stone wall with large “please do not climb” sign attached) the eastern flanks are host to a collection of climbs that 24. The Wall that Trad Forgot (Font 5) are good and a stone’s throw from one another. Straightforward access is Sit start to the centre of the wall with finishes to the left or right at the top. Right hand possible along the drystone wall as shown on the access plan. finish dynamic and the left not.

25. The Arete that’s Best Forgot (Font 4+) Sit start the right arete. Stiff pull to start, stiffness in the middle and a rod-like lurch to the top. Completes the lines on the wall but is better than the name suggests.

26. Arete to Wall (Font 6a+) * Sit start as for the arete but make a rising rightwards traverse of the wall on the obvious ramp-line of holds finishing as for the wall right hand. Good shouldery moves.

26 27 28

23 23 24 27. Cacophanix (Font 5+) Climbs the right hand arete of the pillar just off the vague access path below. Hand on arête only at this grade. Use of the left hand arete and higher crimps detracts only slightly from the quality and grade but is fun none-the-less.

28. Centurion (Font 5+) * The highball arete 25m west of Cacophanix succumbs to a disciplined and bold approach. Only slightly harder from sitting (adds more quality) but definitely harder if holds on the front face are avoided (pure arête climbing).

29. Still Life with Woodpecker (Font 5+) ** The highball right-hand arete. From however low you fancy, wander up the arete using a variety of large holds until confronted by headwall and therein, the real climbing. Satisfyingly high with a soft landing. Used to have an eliminate dyno up the front face at 7a+ before one crimp went south.

30. Cleopatra (Font 3) (Diff) Carry yourself or let yourself be carried up the left hand arete. Left hand side harder but a bit contrived.

31. Slave 1 (Font 3+) (VDiff) * The centre of the slab via a committing mantle at the top. Don't fall off. Decent.

32. Slave 2 (Font 2+) (Diff) The right hand line on the slab via some jugs... on a slab... Useful descent route.

33. Huffnpuff (Font 6b ss)

Up and right of Cleopatra slab. A sit start on the left hand side of the triangular slab allows a leg to be thrown over and thereafter a good grind.

29 34. Caligula (Font 6b ss) Up and left of Cleopatra slab. A sit start on the right hand side of the overhung block to top. Powerful, dynamic climbing.

35. Project (Font 7?) Undercut arête on main cliff has obvious holds and obvious drop.

36. Virgin Wall (Font 4+) * Back up at the top of the crag. Centre of the block. Highball.

37. Wizard’s Ridge (Font 5+) Left arête. Committing right hand arête. Climbing through a tree.

30 31

4. Beginning to See the Light (Font 6b ss) * The Sunday Morning Boulder Sit start beneath the small roof and press on up to the top with French feet. Satisfying burly, knacky climbing.

A circuit centred on the impressive monolith that is the Sunday Morning Boulder. A few good, easy lines make a visit worthwhile with the project lines looking to be hard, esoteric 5. High as I Might (Font 5+) (HVS) * classics. Follow the left hand arete of the Sunday Morning boulder all the way to the apex. Highball. Access as per The Druid’s Altar (from here it’s 5mins on the flat) then once the access road (Altar Lane) opens up and forks follow the right hand road on foot towards Upper 6. Project (Font 8b?) Transfield Farm. After 100m a footpath is indicated on the left. Follow the pleasant trail Left hand line up blunt arête. Pulling on tricky, moving upwards harder – there are holds. for 200-250m until the dry-stone wall that has been following you on the left kicks back towards the path. Once in the small clearing/view-point just beyond head diagonally downwards (towards Keighley) until the boulders come into view. Ownership of land 7. Project (Font 8a?) unknown. Boulders are located directly above Upper Transfield Farm – please respect the Central line following the line of rails. Again, pulling on tricky, moving upwards harder. residents by keeping noise levels down. Loads of holds and many positive. Using them another matter.

1. Candy Says (Font 4+) * 8. Fly as a Kite (Font 4+) (HS) * Smear up the sharp arete 75m east of the Sunday Morning boulder. Nice. The right hand arete to the apex. Highball.

2. Sweet Jane (Font 5) * Dance or work your way up the blunt arete on the boulder 25m east of the Sunday Morning boulder. 4 using the far-left arete but just as good. The Duck Pond

Hidden away in the old quarry beneath the car parking for the pond is a roof capped by 3. Venus in Furs (Font 4+ ss) some large rhododendrons. Needs a dry spell but once open a quality traverse across the On the back of the Sweet Jane boulder. A short but satisfying climb up the arete finishing roof line can be had from right to left at around 7C together with some easier straight-ups with a mantle onto the barrel-top. including a good 6c straight through the middle. One for the summer months.

4 (5m) 5 8

6 7

“Sunday mornin' and I'm fallin' I've got a feelin', I don't want to know Early dawnin', Sunday mornin'”

3. Midget Madness (Font 6c) * Bell Bank Wood The wall to the right of GS via a looooongg reach.

First developed by Jim Purchon with latter inclusions/brushing by Rob Fenton around 2006 4. Holly Tree Wall (Font 5) and 2008 respectively, Bell Bank Wood contains a handful of decent mid-grade climbs and Right hand side of the wall from standing using the fissure with your right hand to enable one proud, bonafide classic - Girtty Shaker. access up the face above. The most easily accessed crag of the lot and located 25m off Rodney Holland’s sculpture trail in the St Ives Estate. Alpine skills aid the short decent from the picnic table. 5. Holly Tree Traverse (Font 4+) * Start up HTW but adventure left and finish up the arête. Bold feel. Park in the first main car park as you enter St Ives estate coming from Bingley. Walk back towards Bingley passing the Yorkshire Water reservoir/works on your left and enter the woods. Keep straight until you arrive at a picnic table. From the table, looking right an 6. Fizz Bomb (Font 6c) Tuck under the overhanging block/cave. Lock-in a knee bar. Set up to come straight out. obvious Holly tree marks the top of the Gritty Shaker block – do not head straight for this Clamp on and finish direct over the nose. but rather, clamber down an in-situ fallen tree/branch just before and trace your way around to the base of the crag. The crag is the former headwall of a large quarry so, despite most landings being flat and even, care should be taken walking around the base 7. Nazi Luger Pistol (Font 7a) * of the crag as sharp drops exist that are often masked by the foliage. Claw your way up the obvious ship’s prow from standing. Taxing.

8. The Goblin (Font 6c) * Settle down into the low recess and match hands on the low side pull before nacky, stiff 1. Gritty Shaker (Font 7b) *** pulls enable the top of the block to cone into sight. Good, honest pulling. Top holds can The eye catching, classic, highball arête on its left hand site is accessed via a French start. be damp but shouldn’t stop regular outdoorsmen. Sit start remains a project. Hard. 9. The Green Goblin (Font 6b) ** 2. Gritty Shaker Right Hand (Font 7a+) ** A 2m long odyssey starting from a true sit start off the very low side pull on the right hand Start up GS but rockover rightwards when established on the arête. side of the arête before knee bars allow the front face to be gained and then up. Highly entertaining.

10. Tough Mudder (Font 6a) Start with both hands on bottom left corner of the obvious break before heading straight upwards towards the crest of the top block. Looks eliminate but the line is well directed when on it. Good. Starting jammed in the break and heading left up the off-width is The Squeeze (Font 5 or Font 3 with wet-suit and spade).

11. The Dragon (Font 7a) ** Imposing overhung wall on the upper level. From the wobbly cockstone release yourself to the fear and head direct up the face on brushed crimps. Top will need an inspection.

12. The Snake (Font 4+) Green slab 25m down hillside from The Dragon. Thin edges allow the centre of the slab to be padded up.

4 13. Spring Roll (Font 4+) * Steady, balance moves up the arête. (Boulder near small building at base of hillside)

14. Monky Business (Font 6a) Teeter up the face just left of Spring Arete. Nod to the former well users located up and left from the block. (Boulder near small building at base of hillside)

1 & 2 3

Other boulders are scattered down the hillside with some obvious and less obvious lines 10 on for the enthusiast. Further down the hill still and over the main road lie a number of 8 9 small but not insignificant boulders that are home to a kids/parkour circuit.

13 14 2. Gambade (Font 6b) (Font 6c dyno) ** FA. R Fenton, July 2013 Harden Crag Ascends the shallow groove up the centre of the left hand section. A double handed dyno from the flatty to the highest point of the wall. This problem can be crimped out at a A couple of quality mid-grade climbs and one ‘arden…(boom boom) situated in a tranquil slightly easier grade once you have found the holds. woodland setting on the edge of Harden Moor. 3. Right Arete (Font 4) Park in the obvious layby off Keighley road after a few bends in the road coming from Harden village. Follow the obvious footpath away from the road to a corner kissing gate. From here make you way down the hill in a south-westerly direction (many paths to 4. Gambit (Font 7b ss) ** FA (stand) R Bowman, March 2014, FA (sit start) choose from) until the land drops away into the glen proper. The crag is at the southern- W Buck, November 2014 most end of the glen. If you find yourself in someone’s back garden or in a thicket of Right hand side of the main face of the quarry on good rock. Climbs the wall right of the rhododendrons then you’ve gone too far. Crag is set down from main top path. tree/juggy rampline from a sit start off the wobbly block. Good hard techy pulls all the way. Eliminates the rampline to the left but climbs independently (plus if you head this Just after the kissing gate is a small boulder (car park boulder) that has a handful of short way you invariably end up in the tree). Drainage line. Needs a couple dry days to climb but fun climbs to warm the fingers on including a low traverse that can be linked to any but will be in good nick once dry. finish.

A half dozen or so other lines exist in the quarry waiting to be re-climbed. 1. Galling Groove (Font 6c staying in groove or for the dyno) (Font 6c+ ss)

(Font 6b rocking out to right) ** FA. R Fenton, July 2013 The obvious groove at the left hand side of the left hand wall starting from a flat ledge. A heinous rockover move normally found on slate nasties...

1 2 3 4