A spread out circuit of boulders in the woods above the Heatherdene Car Park, near Bamford, which can be combined with Priddock Woods, the left side of Bamford or the Telegraphed/Lone Boulder.
There are some good problems here. In particular Velour Silence, Don’t Bounce and Pet Lip, but definitely some fillers in there too, as the Grimer test was skewed by them being walking distance from my house.
They can be accessed from paths leading up from the Heatherdene car park, or, if there’s space, parking between the dam and the Yorkshire Bridge pub and following a path up behind the dam memorial.
Bloc Block
(53.3718281, -1.6944483)
Head up through the forest to reach the electrical lines. Follow these north (staying just inside the woods is easier when the bracken is up) into and out of a dip with a stream. At the next pylons are low boulders with potential for a few easy sit starts.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1216y013elvvxrk/Photo%2019-10-2022%2C%205%2039%2031%20pm.jpg?dl=0At this point walk westwards down into the pines for 40m to the west facing block. The back of the Boulder is visible from the tree line.
Problems are described from right to left. Bring a large, soft brush for the pine needles.
Little block:
3
Sit Start the central juggy flakes. Tiny, but a good kids problem.
6b, SS on the slopey lip on the left of the little block
Big block:
Make It Scrappy 5, the right arête from ss without using the little block
Velour Silence, 6a, mantel into the lovely central scoops from a ss on the break.
Angel’s Meh 7a, ss on opposing sidepull slopers, left of the break, and climb the bulge just right of the tree
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p93vgb6gcxz2e6z/Photo%2022-04-2022%2C%2012%2042%2050%20pm.png?dl=0Dumpin on a Beetle 6c, from a stretched sit start (Right hand on sloper with good thumb catch, on change of angle on arête, left hand on poor sloper lower than right hand) follow the left arête on its left side until its possible to rock round to the right to top out. It’s also possible to continue left at a slightly easier grade.
Top Boulders
(53.3722003, -1.6919351)
From the pylon boulders, head North East up through the trees, trending slightly leftwards until a slabby looking (but actually slightly overhanging) wall covered in shalllow breaks is seen near the top of the woods. This is Don’t Bounce
Don’t Bounce 7a
From a very awkward sit start between the trees, climb the wall on surprisingly unhelpful breaks. Also good from a low stand start at 6a.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dwo6z7o9bzhkc6q/Photo%2027-04-2022%2C%206%2043%2026%20pm.jpg?dl=05
The right side of the wall is over briefly.
Port or Starboard 3
About 20m or so left of Don’t Bounce is a nice prow feature with a large hueco. Sit start on the flat Boulder and finish on the left or more boldly on the right.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7gw3a2f135fxd1x/Photo%2027-04-2022%2C%205%2004%2004%20pm.jpg?dl=0There are various easier lines to do in this area.
The next boulders can be accessed via a path traversing the hill just above the wall on the boundary of the pines and oaks, which links the aforementioned stream with the main path leading diagonally up through the oaks, which runs from the hill beneath Bamford Edge to the moor North of the edge.
From the pylon boulders either return down to the stream and follow it back up until a culvert is reached, where a stile is crossed on the right. This point can be reaching more directly down the hill from Don’t Bounce, but it is less obvious, particularly if the bracken is up.
If approaching from the dam memorial, head straight up paths to the electric lines. Follow these South until the path turns uphill along the inside edge of the wood. Cross a stile out of the south side of the wood (also the easiest access to Telegraphed/The Lone Boulder). Continue uphill on the outside of the wood until the main track (which leads to Pathside Prow) cuts back diagonally up through the oaks, at which point follow the less obvious path horizontally along the uphill side of the wall.
My Pet Boulder
(53.3671683, -1.6933319)
200m along the pine/oak boundary wall path from the South edge of the wood and 15m above is a long, low Boulder with an attractive sloping lip
Howay Pet 6b
Sit start on a low moss covered rock at the right side of the Boulder on good opposing flake sidepulls. Pull up then step right on to the big sloping foothold before topping out
Areet Pet 6c
Sit Start left of the moss covered rock, matched on the inverted L flake. Make a big move up to the sloping left arête then top out direct
Petal 6c (FA Emma Banks)
Mantel out the right side of the lip
Pet Lip 7c+
Start up Areet Pet then drop around the arête and follow the lip all the way left to mantel out the flat shoulder at the far left.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vglbyvmus2ihf6j/Photo%2018-10-2022%2C%202%2005%2029%20pm.jpg?dl=0Pocket Boulder
(53.3682149, -1.6930110)
100 metres North of My Pet Boulder, 20 metres above the wallside path is a small block with a slopey top and a pocket on its front face.
Corbyn 4
Sit Start right hand in pocket and left on arête.
Pull up and left around the arête to finish.
Sturgeon 5
Sit Start right hand in pocket and left on arête. Pull straight up to mantel out the right side of the arête
Starmer 6b
Sit Start with left hand in pocket, right in poor break. Pull straight up and mantel out the centre of the face
Davey 5
Sit start matched on the slopey shoulder on the right arête. Pull up left to mantel.
Johnson 4
Sit start matched on the slopey shoulder on the right arête. Follow the right arête on its right side to rock back left at the top
Communist Convert 6a+
Sit start right hand in pocket, left on arête. Pull up to lip at traverse right to finish up Johnson.
Seen the Light 6a+
Sit start matched on the slopey shoulder on the right arête. Traverse left to finish up Corbyn.
Pathside boulder
(53.3671318, -1.6922050)
Hanging directly over the main diagonal path through the oak wood is a nice easy prow
Pathside prow 5
Sit start with a couple of stuff pulls to a juggy finish
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zuu6wlfzskzxktf/Photo%2017-05-2022%2C%2011%2032%2015%20am.png?dl=05
The left wall of the prow from sitting
A few hundred metres further up the main path, between where it splits is a (very) low overhang.
(53.3682793, -1.6917259)
Beetham’s Gonna Sort You Out 6b
Start matched on the central slot under the lip. Reach right to the nice sloping arête and rock over to finish
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ej75g4r8qjxzmvu/Photo%2018-05-2022%2C%205%2059%2041%20pm.png?dl=0 4
The left side of the overhang from the juggy slot.
From here it is possible to continue up to the edge. If heading South, there are several slabby buttresses on the tree line containing more easy problems, to eventually reach the bouldering at the left end of Bamford. If heading North, Priddock Woods is a 5 minute!walk away. Priddock can also be accessed directly from the Pylon boulders, but this can be hard going through the trees with a pad on.
