[Tom76]

Hi,
I spent Easter in Bleu and saw lots climber bringing their kids along - almost all of the sectors are perfect for this: flat and with easy access.

Now I'm planning going to the Peaks on both of the bank holiday weekends in May.

Could you recommend to me a place where I could go with my wife and the 2 year-old son, which would be reasonably easy to access and also fun to be at for non-climbers?

Thanks,
Thomas

[chris05]

I dont have kids but there's often something resembling a creche amongst the top boulders at cratcliff! Nice spot for picnic and quite flat. Bit of a walk in (shortish) but maybe an option?

[Sloper]

Indeed Cratcliffe would be fine, but there's also the plantation which probably has more scope froma  toddler's perspective.  I took Hugo who's 3 at the end of August and he did a fine mini circuit around there comprising of

1. the descent from the business boulder, 1pt of aid to start
2. the slab on the left of that low traverse near the bullworker, again 1 pt of aid
3. a mantle then slab near the arete to the right of deliverences
4. the slab to the left of dope on a slope
and assorted other bits and bobs.

Little beast that he is.

[tomtom]

On the western side, I went to Wimbery for the first time, and thought what a lovely spot it was - lots of easy slabby probs and smaller boulders/stream to play in too..

[SpanishJuan]

Cratcliffe always has alot of children mucking around on boulders Chris05 is right. the only issue is parking.

[erm, sam]

I took the family inc 3 and 5yr olds to Burbage South the other week and it was perfect for them. Might be less good when the bracken gets high, but lots of easy boulders to get on top of/walk up, flat rocks for picnics, and the edge to mission up looking for dragon dens etc.
Lots of families were there by the time we left, definatly a popular venue. Also there is shade in the quarries if it gets proper hot, though I acknowledge this is a rarity..

This weekend we all went to Newstones/Baldstones and enjoyed it a lot. It is a bit of a hike, with kids and full picnic gear, but Newstones offers flatish grass, good exploring some bouldering (though more at Baldstones) and nobody around.

Also the boulders at the top of Baslow are good for grassy picnics with good climbing/exploring rocks. Though the kids have to be trustworthy to not suddenly peg it 50 m in the wrong direction and fall over the main edge. Bit of a hike in though..

[clm]

think you might be asked to leave if you carry on saying 'peaks'.

[Simon Brown]

From experience, my daughter is almost 14 now, Burbage South is ideal. Lots of little boulders, easy to get to with few parking problems; other than having to pay by card at the Surprise car park. There's also no big drops for the little blighters darlings to fall down. Cratcliffe, whilst good has atrocious parking and was a bit far when Yasmin was very small.

There's an ice cream van at the Surprise car park too, and Outside or Grindleford cafes in easy reach for refuelling small people.

[slackline]

 

The walk from Surprise View to Burbage South is surely > Parking to Cratcliffe/RHS? 

[Dr T]

The walk from Surprise View to Burbage South is surely > Parking to Cratcliffe/RHS? 

True but gradient is a big factor for nippers.

[SA Chris]

Depends which RHS parking shirley? The approach from the back parking is a doddle.

[slackline]

The walk from Surprise View to Burbage South is surely > Parking to Cratcliffe/RHS? 

True but gradient is a big factor for nippers.

I wouldn't know anything about that not having any of my own, and was thinking of the back approach Chris mentions anyway.

[SA Chris]

Nothing like a bit of back approach

[Dr T]

Depends which RHS parking shirley? The approach from the back parking is a doddle.

true true

[Simon Brown]

The walk from Surprise View to Burbage South is surely > Parking to Cratcliffe/RHS? 

The walk from Surprise  we swallowed our pride and dignity and used the Notional Truss parking. Less roadside walking. Cratcliffe rhs or lhs parking is a bit fraught with a hyperactive child and the uphill is a pig. I'm a well dragged up old git and always forget about the back approach. Yasmin now loves Cratcliffe (she's 14 now, a Fontainebleau veteran, slightly less manic and thinks Dobbin is cute). For me really the clincher for Burbage with small kids is the ease of reaching a warm cafe with chips and toilets etcetera .  I also prefer the climbing there

[sdm]

Apologies for the thread resurrection, but it seemed better than starting a new thread on the same topic.

My niece is only 17 months old but is already spending most of her time climbing all over the furniture at home and all over the play equipment at parks and is looking like a future mantle specialist so we thought we would see if she is interested in climbing/playing on rocks too.

Any recommendations for somewhere for a really tiny human? Preferably Southern/Central grit (driving from Cromford), with a short walk in, somewhere we can entertain her if she isn't interested in the rocks and ideally somewhere that isn't likely to be too busy.

The obvious place that springs to mind is the top boulders at Cratcliffe. Any other good suggestions?

[tomtom]

Lagers has some kid friendly circuits and a couple of vids of them.. (and knowledge of nice places to be with a nipper).

[Davo]

I have a six year old that I have taken to quite a few places in the peak over the last 3 or 4 years. The following are some places we have been that have been good fun.

Rowtor Rocks: some caves and at the age of 17mths there is just loads of fun scrambling around.

Roaches: scrambling/walking to the top of the Roaches via the boulders is really good.

Burbage North: loads of small person sized stuff very near the path. There are two really good obvious slabs that you can follow the child up behind them.

Burbage South: same as above.

I did try Cratcliffe and it was good but preferred the ones above.

Dave

[lagerstarfish]

For little kids, Burbage north is great. Very short walk in and lots to go at.
Some ideas here

http://peakbouldering.info/areas/1-eastern-grit/crags/184-burbage-north-kids-circuit#.XzWqN2TTVkw

[lagerstarfish]

Places that catch a breeze are important for small people summer bouldering - it keeps the midges away.

This includes

The plateau above higgar

Ox stones

Owler tor

The section of Stanage from apparent north to Cowper Stone

Another good place is the boulders at stanage plantation immediately down the hill from crozly slab and face of business. This is good for the kids seeing other people climbing, but doesn't catch a breeze (good on less warm days)

[lagerstarfish]

The other thing that little kids enjoy is just scrambling to the top of the crag. Things that might be steep paths for us are fascinating mountain routes to the dwarves and they get to stand on the top and see proper views

[lagerstarfish]

This

 

[Murph]

I can't recommend Robin Hoods Stride highly enough for little uns. There's a Font 1(?) slab there which is an absolute mega classic if you're 2 or 3 years old, the scene where Andre the Giant got taken down in Princess Bride, and on the top you can have a decent game of hide and seek. The top boulders are pretty good value too. Many happy days spent there with mine.

[Offwidth]

Apologies for the thread resurrection, but it seemed better than starting a new thread on the same topic.

My niece is only 17 months old but is already spending most of her time climbing all over the furniture at home and all over the play equipment at parks and is looking like a future mantle specialist so we thought we would see if she is interested in climbing/playing on rocks too.

Any recommendations for somewhere for a really tiny human? Preferably Southern/Central grit (driving from Cromford), with a short walk in, somewhere we can entertain her if she isn't interested in the rocks and ideally somewhere that isn't likely to be too busy.

The obvious place that springs to mind is the top boulders at Cratcliffe. Any other good suggestions?

Lynn and I included loads of kids bouldering on our old website (needs a Flash viewer... like Puffin). The first rocks on Burbage South valley boulders are a good example. One of the areas I didn't emphasise on the earliest threads was Burbage North (the very start and the blocks under Ash tree wall)  and Higgar area bouldering. There is loads of unlisted easy bouldering we have put up on the pages below which is ideal for kids (and more on some other guide pages as well). Cratcliffe/Robin Hood Stride is really good in less than ideal weather as you can normally find somewhere sheltered and dry if anything anywhere will be.

http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/higgar_area.html
http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/burbage_north.html
http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/burbages_boulders.html
http://offwidth.uptosummit.com/cratcliffe.html

[Ru]

The cluster of boulders in the field opposite the surprise view car park is quite good for small kids. Some boulders bits and some scrambly bits, an ice cream van in the car park and a short walk in if you only want a quick hit.