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Outdoor bouldering in the West Midlands. (Read 28010 times)

James Yeah

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Granticus - I read somewhere it was gritstone, i did think it was sandstone though.  Shows what i know eh ha.

Oh yeah i'm all balls (very little balls mind) and no brains.  I definitely love this outdoor bouldering malarkey though, so much more fun than indoors and so much harder.

I'll def be getting a mat sometime this week though, using a piece of carpet and an old stinky thin dog bed is not the way.




Fiend - I've ordered the BMC guide so we can go on more outdoor adventures.  Also i've been using aloe vera and some nivea ting for my wrecked pansy hands, seems to be doing the job, well sort of.  Tempted by some of that climbers balm i've read bout on here.

DubDom

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extreme esoteria:

Southstone in Worcs (Hermitage)??? Near to Sapey Common (I think) amongst others http://www.westmidlandsrock.co.uk/

anything anyone knows about in Leicester? http://www.leicesterclimbs.f9.co.uk/


Paulos

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This youtube clip shows a good V8 I found at High Rock, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire. 
The camera died just before the finish, which is: right foot up onto the sandy ledge on the other side of the corner, RH in corner crack and LH press to move up and gain a standing rest in the corner ~1.5m off ground.  Graded for good conditions, which is Feb-April, after condensation dampness in winter has gone and before the place gets shaded by trees and totally infested with insects. No clumsy footwork please, as the rock is very soft and prone to erosion.
 
A problem, maybe V7, traverses left from the arete across to join the obvious line of chipped pockets up to the break at ~5m (avoid the chipped foothold at around waist height at the start of the up problem which is maybe V5 without the chipped foothold)

I've also developed quite a few decent problems (V6-V8) at Ippikins Rock, which i made a topo for if anyones interested


andy_e

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I read somewhere it was gritstone, i did think it was sandstone though.

"Gritstone" can vary so much anyway it's a very loose term. It's all sandstone though.

JonnyPeka

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Im in the west mids, around Wolverhampton near enough, I actually went out today to find some outdoor bouldering spots, i actually found a number of different walls to boulder, all sandstone but plenty of bouldering problems to overcome.
If there is anyone around that area, by all means get in touch and i could show you.
I did take some photos, i'll try and get them up tomorrow. :w00t:

boo

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Just found this thread from way long ago.  I am looking for good bouldering spots in Shropshire... Any suggestions?  The spot near Bridgenorth sounds good.  Just somewhere to pack off to after work on a summer night would be great. Thanks!

Johnny Brown

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Where are you based? The best stuff is a few miles north of Shrewsbury on decent sandstone. Grinshill probably best place to start, then try Nesscliffe. I've not been to the spots round Bridgnorth but I think they are more limited and the rock gets softer the further south you go.

James Yeah

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It's back.



I really like Grinshill, bit hard to find some stuff but really nice when we did.

Maybe Churnet isn't too far?  (My directional skills are a bit to be desired)

Johnny Brown

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Churnet is a fair way as you have to cross the great wen of Stoke to get there. Heighley castle would be a better bet, right side of the M6 at least, but it depends where our man is based.

You been getting out much James?

James Yeah

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Ah okay didn't realise. I just know Churnet is one the nearest places to me.

Yeah a bit here and there, spent about 6 months off with a dodgy middle finger but getting back into it.  Went to the Roaches not long ago and been Churnet a few times recently.  Need to start going out lots more which will hopefully happen as soon as i get a car in a month or two.





peakphil

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This youtube clip shows a good V8 I found at High Rock, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire. 
The camera died just before the finish, which is: right foot up onto the sandy ledge on the other side of the corner, RH in corner crack and LH press to move up and gain a standing rest in the corner ~1.5m off ground.  Graded for good conditions, which is Feb-April, after condensation dampness in winter has gone and before the place gets shaded by trees and totally infested with insects. No clumsy footwork please, as the rock is very soft and prone to erosion.
 
A problem, maybe V7, traverses left from the arete across to join the obvious line of chipped pockets up to the break at ~5m (avoid the chipped foothold at around waist height at the start of the up problem which is maybe V5 without the chipped foothold)

I've also developed quite a few decent problems (V6-V8) at Ippikins Rock, which i made a topo for if anyones interested

I lived in Telford for a year in '06, and Ippikins is pretty cool for something local; really good for HVS-E2 and some fun boulder problems out from the big overhang/cave,  I never really gave much thought to claiming/naming anything though.

A look at your topo would be cool :-)

notbadforafatlad

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Does anyone still boulder at Kenilworth Castle these days? It did rate a mention in Extreme Rock if I remember correctly.

granticus

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Not lived in Warwickshire for 8+years now but security at the Castle was stepped up considerably when I did live nearby and climbing there was put to a stop.  You probably wouldn't get away with it if you tried. 

bowen watt

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#38 Re: Outdoor bouldering in the West Midlands.
September 23, 2012, 09:38:43 am
I too am new and am looking for somewhere that is actually near Birmingham for my son who is keen to get outdoors more. I do mean near though as opposed to 40 odd miles away. Any suggestions?

tregiffian

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#39 Re: Outdoor bouldering in the West Midlands.
September 23, 2012, 10:08:18 am
Is The Wren`s Nest out of bounds and/or stupidly loose?

Johnny Brown

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#40 Re: Outdoor bouldering in the West Midlands.
September 23, 2012, 02:36:38 pm
Quote
am looking for somewhere that is actually near Birmingham for my son who is keen to get outdoors more. I do mean near though as opposed to 40 odd miles away.

You're out of luck really I'm afraid, its not a part of the country blessed with much rock. The West Midlands guidebook, if you can still get one, covers the worthwhile stuff but its all in Shropshire. On the plus side though, there is some very good stuff within an hours' drive - the southern Peak District particularly. The Roaches is a great place to start and a nice day out for any family.

There's a useful interactive map here if you want to explore the options: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/map/

 

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