[gme]

I went to Shaftoe this year and had a nice time. Timmy Tip Toes is a great problem (powerful sloper moves and a proper high finish) as is The Neb Roof (more like 7a).

Bowden? It’s trashed. Apart from Dog Eat Dog I can’t think of there being much there that isn’t ruined or an eliminate, unless you’re climbing 7c+ and above. And some of those are sandy and/or broken. Great for routes, nice for a picnic but it’s the County equivalent of bouldering at Froggatt.

Kyloe In is unique and I remember going there as a kid and being blown away. But you’ll be crying into your chalk bucket unless you have strong fingers.

Back Bowden is world class but not for 7a problems.

Only been to Hepburn once before that main block was discovered maybe.

Shaftoe, like most places has some nice problems and you mentioned two of the 10-12 i can think of but it isnt in anyway a place you would send someone for there first visit to the county, and its not typical Northumberland sandstone. It looks like an amazing spot in the guidebook but other than 2 or 3 sections its shit.

You must be going to a different bowden than i go to as i rarely fail to have a nice session there. Yes a few problems are worn now, which is a shame, but trashed it isnt and without doubt should be one the first venue people should visit. And i really dont get you comment about eliminates?

Back Bowden has no fault and can easily keep anyone happy at any grade for a fair few visits. I have been going here for 35 years and still stuff to do within any payscale.

And as for Kyloe i have no idea what your talking about Fiend its got everything, and now the trees are down will be even better. Your on acid if you think a visit to Shaftoe would be a substitute to here.

[Fiend]

 

- To start with it has the most solid rock of the entire county (only other bit I’ve been to that comes close is Heppy south).

Will grant that it's solid yes.

- It has a more interesting collection of holds than most of the other crags; crimps, pockets, cracks, slopers.

No different / better than anywhere else.

- These holds have formed a diverse range of technical 3* challenges all within a 20m length of crag. Almost all the problems require you to be technically able as well as strong, and there’s a huge variety of styles across Nadser, Monty Python’s, Hitchhikers, Yorkshireman, Rudies.

One slab and the rest are steep cranking thus proving my point.

- Almost all of the sit starts add quality to the problems, meaning you get more value for money out of the best stone.

A propensity of sit starts is not necessarily a selling point.

Edit. Forgot to mention ALMOST NOTHING TOPS OUT 

If I had to do a County too 10 6 or 7 of them would probably be at Kyloe!

Gross. If I had to do a County tooo 10 then I would probably put one of Kyloe's problems in as a token gesture but do so in small print.

Actually here's a better 6 or 7 8 or 9 in your top ten (only stuff I've done)
Neb Roof 6C+/7A
Smooth Wall 7A
Surprising Solution 6C+
Mini-Power 6C
Slapper 6C
The Mask 6C
Bulford T Justice 6C
Classic Arete 6A
Sloper Masterclass 6A

[teestub]

You are of course welcome to your opinion, and thankfully for people who haven’t visited the County before, it has been confirmed to be a minority opinion.

‘Steep cranking’ seems to cover a lot of ground for you here, from positive wall climbing on crimps to tenuous crack laybacking on smears.

[Will Hunt]

I am normally very picky when it comes to problems that don't top out but don't think it detracts much from Kyloe In as a venue. The finishes are all very logically placed at the end of the hard climbing and start of the easy ground/pine munge. The place will only improve when topping out becomes possible post felling and cleaning.

[RobK]

I have spent one weekend bouldering in Northumberland. The first day I went to Shaftoe, thought it was turd, but persevered at problems out of stubbornness and went through all my skin as it's so rough. The second day I went to Kyloe In and couldn't touch anything because my skin was so dreadful. Then about an hour after arriving started feeling a little dodgy. I ended up vomming in the woods and spending over an hour deliriously dragging my pad back to the car/spewing my guts up. Spent the next few days in bed racked with fever. I haven't yet been back.

Just so you know what not to do.

[Fiend]

Poor Rob. For what it's worth I've been to Shaftoe many times, including a couple after I got chronic digestive issues, and have never been violently ill due to it. Your situation might be coincidence.

[Johnny Brown]

I think Saltbeef summed it up when he said of Kyloe 'oh wow this is brilliant it's just like a climbing wall.'

If that's the style you're looking for you'll love it. Obviously it exposes my weaknesses mercilessly and it's far from my favourite crag. But I can appreciate that it isn't shit. And hopefully the trees going will make terrifying topouts mandatory and tip the balance back in my favour...

[Fiend]

Love that quote.

TBF a lot of the top-outs can be fine when in good nick (well over a decade ago), and make the overall routes really good.

[gme]

I wouldn’t put a single one of the problems you list in any top ten fiend. All nice problems but nothing special.

The likes of bad finger and company, jocks, monty pythons, swan wall direct and all of the bobby dazzler slabs are much better in that grade range.

Kyloe has a bit of everything. The best fingery powerful problems, dynos, amazing slabs, one of the best highball aretes anywhere, vert crimp fests, low level bum drags and the hardest traverse in the country( maybe).  And the routes are up there with the best as well. High T in particular.
Once the tops are clean again I will bet you change that list.

[webbo]

When I last went to Kyloe everything topped out. How ancient does that make me.

[SA Chris]

The flutings at the right of Kyloe are pretty cool features too.

If you do insist on going to Shaftoe at this time of year (and I still don't recommend it) take wellies and a tarp, it's boggier than Almscliff.

[Fiend]

The likes of bad finger and company, jocks, monty pythons, swan wall direct and all of the bobby dazzler slabs are much better in that grade range.

The first ones you've listed are all fun enough apart from monty python's which is a bit minge. They're still all a bit indoor wall though. Bobby Dazzler area slabs do look good but have always been pure green skank when I've been there. Isn't the best highball arete in the country very much for the elite and more of a route? And the hardest traverse some "eliminate the cracks" arse drag?

Once the tops are clean again I will bet you change that list.

Well once the tops are clean, I could propose the start of a list of the best climbs at Kyloe In:

Elf Direct
Bad Finger
Bad Company
Crack Of Gloom
Thin Hand Special
The Flutings Direct
Zed Climb
The Harp
The Crucifix
The Gauntlet

Someone else can add the harder ones to the list. I did try High T 15 years ago when I did those, but it was still a bit green then. Will go back after people have started lapping it to warm up.

[Fiend]

BTW. Yes I am hamming it up a bit for the audience, and in reality I do think Kyloe is quite good. I thought the mid-grade routes were brilliant when they were climbable. But I also agree with JB's / SaltB's assessment of it (apart from it not being my anti-style personally). I also think Back Bowden has a lot of great bouldering despite being overshadowed by the routes. And I genuinely think Shaftoe is very good for the reasons I gave, and have done ever since I started visiting regularly, and waaaay before everyone started with the "fiend is talking shite" stuff.... I'd say Kyloe is top 5 for sure, maybe Hepburn, Back Bowden, Shaftoe, Kyloe, Rothley (another one with some good diversity, great lines and some proper bloques). Bowden really is much much better for routes tho. 0:02. I also rated High Crag, Eglingham, The Stell, Shitlington in their own ways too but mostly less choice for the first timer. OH and I forgot Queens! But that is a bit of a hoof. Good in the right nick tho.

[gardinrm]

To put the matter to rest, I'm not going to Shaftoe. I'm not picking sides  its just a much longer drive. I'm pretty tempted by Bowden (back and/or boulders): its looks like beautiful rock, and the videos I've seen look good.

not sure that's what the OP wants.

I would love for people to suggest some 'must do' problems. These can be at any grade but ideally not harder than 7bish (so I have a chance of getting up it in a session). I'm equally happy doing a circuit of easier problems as I am working on a hard one. I particularly like technical/crimpy walls and dynamic problems. I also love a highball, but I'll be by myself and likely only have one mat so should be careful.

Most of all, I like a nice setting and some peace. I'll be going midweek so am hopeful I won't meet crowds of people. But I quite like meeting other climbers, and find chatting about problems very peaceful anyway.

[Fiend]

At Back Bowden I like Little Pixies, Crimpy Slab, Sharp Arete, Bechstein, B4 Traverse (all 6C/+-ish) the easy warm-up circuit below, and there's a lovely highball 5+ / HVS below Roof Route. Oh and there's some 6A/B-ish dyno beneath the big slab that was surprisingly cool.

[SA Chris]

it's got a far better spectrum of routes than bloques too.........Roof Route.....

I remember seeing you having a great time on that.

[gardinrm]

Thanks for all the advice. I went to Back Bowden Doors this morning and had a fantastic time. Beautiful rock and some lovely problems. Managed to climb:

Little Pixies - loved this! Very much my sort of thing. Crimpy, balancy and just high enough to make me think!
Low and Hard - Very good once I figured out how to get my bum off the floor. I then dropped the top out twice like a muppet!
Weird Sisters Two - quite nice, but it sliced my finger open.
Thundering Apoplexy - cool, quirky and frustratingly tricky. Getting the height was fine, but holding it proved elusive. After about 30 goes, losing all my skin and just about giving up, it all came together. Dynos....

I also had a little look as Harry Potter, but couldn't fathom using those terrible crimps. I thought it was an epic sandbag until I read that the hold had broken. One to go back for!

The morning drive down from Edinburgh was lovely too. I'll definitely return and check out some other places. I really appreciate the suggestions and advice. Many thanks everyone! 

[Will Hunt]

No Hard Reign? 

[gardinrm]

I really liked the look of hard reign. It was like being in a sweetie shop, so many to choose. In the end, for my first trip I just decided to try things I thought looked manageable. Hard reign looked tricky, but definitely want to try it next time. I also fancy Four Mats Wall.

TBH, I absolutely thrashed myself because I needed to get back for afternoon daddy duties. I wanted to finish with a circuit of easier problems, but I was so wiped that I got weird hand cramps whenever I tried to pull on. I also had no skin. Proper weekend warrior style!

[teestub]

No Hard Reign? 

Climbing the natural line of Hard Reign from the sit using the side pulls on the face is great. Climbing Hard Reign as described in the guide is a weird eliminate!

[Fiend]

Nice one Gardnim. Although, after all this advice and discussion.....you record the problems in portrait mode 

[teestub]

Nice one Gardnim. Although, after all this advice and discussion.....you record the problems in portrait mode 

Looks like good old shoe pod action to me!

Glad you had a good time and got some ok weather, not been much of that about recently!

[Fiend]

Oh wait a minute, is mandatory portrait mode a "thing" when the only way to film is to stick the phone in your shoe?? Hmmm okay, can let him off then 

[gardinrm]

Yes, it was shoepod. Apologies. I'm not sure if I can stop it doing that!

[harrison]

Shaftoe for the authentic grit-style bouldering experience, plus it's not just base-of-crag bouldering.

i dont even think of Shaftoe as Northumberland sandstone, its a little bit of grit stuck in the county. My least favorite crag up here and think if its your first visit to the county you many not bother coming back.

Outrageous!

Shatoe is class.

Mantel Madness is the V5 tick of the county. Neb roof is class and I agree 7A. I just think its quite a nice setting. Areteland on a summer evening is mint.

Not knowing if you're gonna wade back through the field with the bull in with 2 giant red pads - class.

Dragging your mate to the roadside boulder, repeatedly - priceless.

I've never made it to Kyloe or Bowden, Shaftoe is ~30mins from my parents home.

I went to Rothley once and that was grim.