Routes in Midlands for selected grade

The wall and left arete of the clean, compact wall has a loose finish. The tree is difficult to avoid.

Climb the vertical crack on the right of the main wall to the right end of the terrace and continue straight up over a bulge to finish slightly right

Climb the loose lower wall to pass the large hole on the left and continue directly up to the fine finishing groove in the corner.

The Slabby left hand groove has an awkward exit onto the ledge. Sneak off left wards to finish or finish direct.

Opinions on grade vary widely from HS to E1. Sustained with steady but bold climbing in places. Climb the slab without much prospect of gear until a break at 7m. From the top of the slab, pull left onto the hanging slab using a large pancake hold and move up to an awkward ledge. Pull direct through the overhang and climb a dirty wall to a thin grassy ledge just right of an oak tree. Move up and left behind the tree to an easy gully and nut belay a little higher. Scramble off right.

The highlight of this route is the eye-catching square-cut corner/groove high on the face above the slab.

1. 4a, 21m. Climb the narrow inset slab between the main slab and Grassy Gully and make a technical move out left onto the main slab. Continue up the slab and short wall and then move right to a large tree and belay.

2. 4b, 12m. Make some bold moves up and left into the corner/groove. Climb it and exit left at its top to a tree belay on the terrace, or better a nut belay a little higher. The groove can be gained directly at 4c.

3. 20m. Walk left 7m down the terrace and climb a slab to finish as for the final pitch of Wall End Climb.

A route with some interesting climbing and delightful positions on the final pitch. Start a small clearing at the left hand side of Fifty Foot Wall.

1. 20m 4B - From the left hand end of the wall, climb on goo but polished holds moving first rightwards and then back left to and arete. Follow this to belay on a small tree.

2. 21m - A scrappy pitch. Follow the arete above to a ledge beneath The Nose. Move left and belay in a small gully.

3. 21m 4B - Gain the obvious scarred scoop in the left wall of the nose, either directly or from the left, and move awkwardly right onto the arete. Finish up this fine position. A harder variation climbs the short steep groove just to the right, pulling over a bulge to join the original finish on the arete for a VS 4c.

Ascend to the ramp line and proceed leftward along it until reaching the summit of the slab.

Begin on the left side of the diagonal break line and ascend, following it upward and to the right while keeping your feet positioned low.

Walk up the diagonal break rightwards to access the arete and finish up this in a fine position.

Climb the groove then make an awkward move rightwards towards a better finish up the wide crack.

The wall and pockets left of the groove.

From a platform at the foot of the buttress, follow the large flake to a platform. The flake and crack above lead to a ledge. Step right and climb an awkward thin crack.

The crack halfway up the stairs to the Upper Tier.

The steep diagonal crack in the face.

Follow the initial corner of Valkyrie right to the top.

The narrowing crack leading to an open groove up and right is a less smelly experience than you might be expecting. Once past the crucial overhang, things ease dramatically.

Climb the awkward crack rising from the recess and head into the groove above. A successful ascent will leave you beached and battered below the final section of Lucas Chimney. A great route for masochists!

A well-rounded classic though too much of a struggle to be a real three star outing. The striking hanging fissure has a brace of awkward starts (easiest on the left) and a wide awkward exit. A couple of tricky-to-thread chockstones help protect the main difficulties of the route.

The tricky bulging crack-line was named after a bet that the crag was worked out; well it wasn't forty years ago and it probably isn't now!

L of bobbles

arête on L side

R of arête

L line on slab

slab from shallow crack

crack and sidewall

crack

arête

Starting at the spikey jug of Charlie's Overhang, traverse right via a few tricky moves to finish on the large hold on the overhang of Praying Mantel Start

The middle of the slab, via flakes. A sit-start gives a f6B alternative.

An awkward start gains access to the lower rising line. Excellent.

Starting low on the big jug opposite Bridget (on the Rhynose buttress) traverse right using the undercut travelling up and around the back of the overhanging arête.

Climb rightwards through the lower bulges then continue up the easier flaky wall above.

Access the ramp with difficulty, sneak left then crawl back along the break to reach relief in the easy chimney. Inelegant fun.

The thin crack is quite tricky.