Routes in Staffordshire

The right-slanting crack leads awkwardly to an easy slab. Well-protected but a thrash and often choked with pine needles.

arête on R side

Follow the groove of Pebbledash then climb the disappearing crack in the steep wall until a right-trending ramp can be followed rapidly to easy ground.

Crack School No. 1 in BMC Definitive Guidebook. Reach the rock phallis to the right of a slim chimney crack to it's left. A classic and an all round education

The scooped arete just to the right of the steps is climbed on well-scratched holds after a precarious start. Delicate and without too much protection.

Crack School No. 2 in BMC Definitive.

Use cunning to tackle the wide crack. The chockstone had gone but is back again, its rotation compounds the already considerable difficulties. At least a grade harder for shorties.

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!

22m. Grippingly precarious, especially for the tall. From runners in the thin crack teeter rightwards along the highest break until the horizontal crack can be reached. Swing along this and climb the excellent jamming crack at its end.

The crack 3m right of Browns Crack has a unique 'hands off' rest.

Traverse the north face of the Baldstone Pinnacle.

The mild jamming crack has good hidden layaway holds. Western Grit's answer to Froggatt's renowned Heather Wall.

Crack School No. 8 in BMC Definitive Guidebook.

The right-hand crack gives excellent though short-lived jamming. Step left into the easy chimney to finish.

Interesting! This variation avoids the hard section of the regular route by some speleological lunacy. Climb towards the slot beneath the boulders then get squirming. Helmet, harness and runners will all impede your progress.

The centre of the delicate slab on small but improved holds. The exit is very rounded and avoiding the crack to the left requires will-power especially near the top. A (sensible?) side runner in Yong lowers the grade a couple of notches.

From the vein, step left onto the slab and balance up warily.

Direct finish to Piece of Mind for those who find the easier/scarier rightward step to much to handle.

Follow the Swan to the Mincer, cross Smear Test, then step down and traverse the Elegy slab to finish up The Bulger - intense. Height

Follow the excellent stepped ridge to the right. An Awkward move at half height provides the crux and a disproportionate amount of exposure for the grade.

An impressive line but usually dirty and seldom climbed. Traverse out right to enter the inverted scoop in the overhangs and exit rapidly up a short crack. Unprotected and harrowing.

Right-hand arête of Something Better Change. No gear but you could probably jump off rightwards onto a ledge if wobbling.

Traverse the vein rightwards and rock onto the upper slab.

Continue direct up the bald slab above the start of Thin Air to a finish just right of Piece of Mind.

Links The Mincer with the end of the traverse of The Swan. via some bold and reachy climbing. Finish rapidly up this.

Gain the chimney by an awkward start. Bridge it gracefully or thrash up the depths.

The compelling arse is approached steeply from the right and squirmed up with some trepidation.

The steep diagonal crack in the face.

From the top of the flake on Licence to Run continue straight up to the hanging crack above past seeming blankness.

Start as for Cold Blood and keep traversing left via the crack briefly, before finishing as for Bloodstone.

Another vintage classic. Climb the fluted crack at the right hand end of the wall, past a ledge, to reach a fine pulpit stance. One can finish up great chimney round the corner on the right but it is much better to step back down and traverse left to the finishing crack of the left hand (awkward 4c).

Classic crack

Small wires protect the delicate left-hand arete.

Barely more than a scramble.