[Dave Flanagan]

I'm writing a review at the moment of the Fair Head bouldering guide which has 450 problems. I just had a quick count of the number of problems in Stanage in the Vertebrate guide and it comes in at around 340.

Is there any areas with more problems in the UK? (the answer probably depends on how you define an area)

[danm]

Reading the back covers of my definite guides comes up with:

Stanage: 400
Burbage: 750
Froggatt: 1100
Roaches: 800

Some of that will be pretty spread out though. If you define an "area" as being a set of problems which can all be walked to from one another, with a pad, then Burbage probably wins in the Peak at least. I've only done routes at Fairhead, so don't know if the problems are concentrated or spread out, but 450 is really impressive - I guess they get lost in the whole epic scale of the place!

[r-man]

Number of problems also depends on the extent of development. Counting problems would lead you to believe Remergence Wall, Pil Box Wall or Tom's Buttress at Woodwell were all sizeable areas. And Almscliff or Parisella's might be the biggest areas in the UK...

Also, different guidebooks will have different cut off points for difficulty of problems described. Guides to more popular areas like the peak won't describe all the problems below 6A, there just isn't space.

For a better indication, how about number of boulders? Using pb.info - Burbage valley has about 75 (including crag buttreses with bouldering on), Stanage 59, Roaches 51, Cratcliffe+RHS 44, Froggatt 28.

In Yorkshire, very roughly counting the circles on YG.com - Caley (roadside+crag) 46, Brimham 30, Almscliff 15

[Johnny Brown]

Compared to many venues, there isn't that much bouldering at Stanage. It's renowned because of the concentration of quality, not quality. For quality and quantity, I'd say Caley is the best single grit venue. Not been to Fairhead, but given the extent of the crag it wouldn't seem surprising if there's loads.

[Jim]

as big ron said in his book, the peak isn't very good for bouldering

[Monolith]

I had forgotten just how good Caley is. Addicted to the place at the moment (as soon as it dries.)

[Johnny Brown]

as big ron said in his book, the peak isn't very good for bouldering

Which is only true if you grew up, like Ron, in lower Wharfedale.

Caley is fuckin ace, just a shame about the location and aspect.

[Dave Flanagan]

Roughly how many problems at Caley?

[tomtom]

Brimham?

[Doylo]

Porth Ysgo must have a few

[Dave Flanagan]

A touch under 150 in the Northern Soul guide.

[slackline]

Surely Scotland is the largest bouldering area in the UK?

[andy_e]

Brimham.

[moose]

I had forgotten just how good Caley is. Addicted to the place at the moment (as soon as it dries.)

See you in June....

Brimham - has a huge extent but the problems are pretty widely spaced - lots of never-climbed greenness between the scattered gems (a bit like Shaftoe - the old guide had hundreds of problems listed but many of them were non-existent or not just worthwhile - either that or I was badly lost for several years).  In terms of problems anyone sane would want to do, I reckon Caley has more than Brimham (counting Road and Crag together). 

[Dr T]

Not the south east - it must be the biggest not bouldering area in the UK 

[highrepute]

Roughly how many problems at Caley?

According to www.yorkshiregrit.com

214 at caley (roadside + crag).

[r-man]

Reading the back covers of my definite guides comes up with:

Stanage: 400
Burbage: 750
Froggatt: 1100
Roaches: 800

Of course, the Roaches guide covers all of Staffordshire grit, including the Churnet. Froggatt guide also covers a plethora of crags.

So Burbage Valley is the largest grit area- 75 boulders and 750 problems. Though obviously it's not particularly dense, with 30min walk from one end to the other.
In Yorkshire, it's Caley with around 46 boulders and 215 problems.

Keen to hear more about Fairhead. From this page, it sounds pretty good. http://www.fairheadclimbers.com/pages/bouldering/bouldering.htm

[andy_e]

Roughly how many problems at Caley?

According to www.yorkshiregrit.com

214 at caley (roadside + crag).

That's nowhere near all of them either...

[highrepute]

Roughly how many problems at Caley?

According to www.yorkshiregrit.com

214 at caley (roadside + crag).

That's nowhere near all of them either...

However, how many of them are in condition year round?

And, when is Fairhead in season?

[highrepute]

So Burbage Valley is the largest grit area- 75 boulders and 750 problems. Though obviously it's not particularly dense, with 30min walk from one end to the other.

The Burbage guide includes many more areas too - from Rivelin to Millstone. I don't think there's 750 boulder problems in the burbage valley.

[cheque]

There are 274 problems listed for Caley in the new YMC guide.

[Dave Flanagan]

I'll post up the review when I'm finished it. The season is all year. The boulder dry pretty quick, it can get cold as it's often shaded and north facing. It's more of a hardcore venue some of the landings are tricky and the best problems are steep and crimpy. A european version of all the Colorado alpine bouldering?

[slackline]

So Burbage Valley is the largest grit area- 75 boulders and 750 problems. Though obviously it's not particularly dense, with 30min walk from one end to the other.

The Burbage guide includes many more areas too - from Rivelin to Millstone. I don't think there's 750 boulder problems in the burbage valley.

I'd have thought the Peak Bouldering guide from Cofe et al would be more useful for deriving these numbers.  Or perhaps PeakBouldering.info

[Dave Flanagan]

I'd have thought the Peak Bouldering guide from Cofe et al would be more useful for deriving these numbers.

I counted about 370 Burbage problems in that guide including Higgar and Carl Wank.

[slackline]

Keen to hear more about Fairhead. From this page, it sounds pretty good. http://www.fairheadclimbers.com/pages/bouldering/bouldering.htm

Added an NI section to the wiki.