[dobbin]

Recently my job has moved location so that I am now based out of Halifax. This is in all ways I can think of a big fat pain in the arse with the exception of the gritstone edge 10 minutes walk from the orifice. Yorkshire Grit fans will confirm the name of this edge as Woodhouse Scar, its in the YG guide which I have forgotten every day this week.

Question is, is there anything good up there? have any of you done much here?

[Bubba]

I've heard people talk highly of it, but I think it's a crag for "devotees only" if you know what I mean....

[hongkongstuey]

went there once and thought it was shite - given the other crags you've got nearby bother

think the only reason it got popular was cause it was the only place open inyorkshire (other than Baildon) during foot and mouth

[dave]

One of my Gs (barson - halifax's premier rapper) seems to rate WS, but i hear its not in the same league as crags like bell hagg etc.

[dobbin]

One of my Gs (barson - halifax's premier rapper)

Please say he's not the dude in the advert?

[dave]

Que?

[Mike_H]

Word Dobbin

Woodhouse is the most local venue to me and I've done quite alot there over the years.

On first appearances it is a pretty ugly crag, with alot of litter and broken glass around the base thanks to our curry munching g's.

Once you see past the broken glass there are a clutch of good problems and solos to keep you entertained and I reckon you will enjoy the clingen face with a shit load of eliminates up to about 6c, iirc.

If you like I can dig my bouldering guide out tonight and give you a list of must do ticks.

If you go to Woodhouse and it doesn't float your boat, if you are mobile you could always head on to West Vale to get a pump on the traverse.  :wink:

[dobbin]

Dave - I thought you were inferring your man in HFX had done some rapping for those oh so popular commercials for a particular leading financial services company based in the same town. After all everyone in HFX works there innit?

Mike H - Nice one, I would appreciate a hit list for woodhouse. Particularly from someone who knows it, so I can get the classics in. I have seen the road signs for West Vale (thought it was a climbing wall in Preston to be honest) but not sure where to head - if its in Yorkshire Grit boulder guide then I shall check it out???

[dave]

Ahh, that way way too subtle for me. maybe he would be better described as "halifax's premier wigga". :D

[Bubba]

Check this site for info on some other lesser known crags in the same sort of area.

This looks quite tasty:

[dave]

thats the one with the acces denied thing painted on the rock, as pre photos in the guide eh?

[Bubba]

Yeah, pretty sure that's the one.

[Mike_H]

After all everyone in HFX works there innit?  

Not quite, I used to work there but got out sharpish, I hated the fucking place full of freaks and small town mentality :freak: , now I work in Bradford which is probably twice as bad  :shock:

Oh well I'll soon be out of here as well, anyone know any decent web development jobs going in Yorkshite?

No sweat re:ticklist, I'll have a look at my guide this evening and post something tommorow am.

For West Vale basically head down Wakefield Road as though you are heading back towards the M62, at the mini roundabout at the end, turn right. Follow this on until you get to a set of traffic lights and from here turn right up a steep hill. From there you'll be able to pick up the rest of the directions from the YBG.

[Mike_H]

Dave - yeah thats West Nab.

Never been up, but I'm reliably informed there isn't that much up there apart from that 6c traverse.

[Bubba]

I moved to Halifax to escape from Bradford! Small town mentality but nowhere near as bad as nights out in Bradford I seem to remember.

[Mike_H]

Yeah quite, glad I don't live in Bradford.  

Still if you want to turn in to an alcoholic, just move to Halifax. Theres more pubs per square mile than anywhere in the UK :alco:. Or so they reckon, what they also neglect to tell you is that within that small area there is the largest collection of the most ugly women in the whole of the UK.

[dobbin]

Well, I've just been and its not bad. Better by a nose than Bell Hagg - theres more variety and some fairly serious solo action to be had. I'll have to have a look with the guide tomorrow as theres a few quite interesting lines to go at.

I wouldn't recommend a drive from Sheffield especially but considering I can walk there in my lunch time - it beats the canteen. Look forward to the ticklist Mike!

[Adam Lincoln]

Dave - I thought you were inferring your man in HFX had done some rapping for those oh so popular commercials for a particular leading financial services company based in the same town. After all everyone in HFX works there innit?

Mike H - Nice one, I would appreciate a hit list for woodhouse. Particularly from someone who knows it, so I can get the classics in. I have seen the road signs for West Vale (thought it was a climbing wall in Preston to be honest) but not sure where to head - if its in Yorkshire Grit boulder guide then I shall check it out???

Nah that West View!

[Mike_H]

No sweat, I'll leave the guide in my car after tonight's Bridestones session and get you all beta'ed up tommorow morning.

[Pantontino]

I lived in Huddersfield for 10 years, so West Vale and Woodhouse (or the rocks as the older locals called it) was my local hangouts. West Vale has lots of cool problems and a massive pumpy traverse. Collar a local for the eliminates at the leftside; there's loads to do, including some great dynos and powerful link ups.
Woodhouse Scar has got a contender for the best problem in Yorkshire: Piton Crack is an utterly classic V5, as good as Horror Arete at Brideys!
There's stacks of other excellent problems and Clingen is a fantastic E2 solo.
Both crags can feel a bit urban, but you can often find dry rock even when it is raining (lightly).

Back in the 80s there would be at least 20 or 30 climbers at West Vale on a mid week evening!

[Mike_H]

Back in the 80s there would be at least 20 or 30 climbers at West Vale on a mid week evening!

Now you'd be lucky to find 3, weird how time moves on and places go out of fashion. I reckon its a really good 'training' venue, and use it regularly.

[Bubba]

Ah but back then climbing walls were rubbish, and people were only just beginning to build woodies....

[Jim]

west nab is ok if you like it wild, had a good time by meself pissing about. WS is pretty good though - don't know why people think its shit (it is pretty ugly though). My fav's incllude (as in the guide):

prob 1 slab buttress left (boulder 3) - mantle on to the block
the problems on and around the arete on cave buttress(6)
the slab on overhang group( no handed plus the two arete's and the SD slab eliminate (prob15)

my skin is usually fuct by now so a quick look at piton crack or piss about on the traverse and then off to heal my wounds.
Bridestones isn't much further away and is a awesome place to climb. one day I will scare myself stupid and do horror arete( not untill i have 3 metolius xxl mats though)

[Mike_H]

Rite Dobbin, I'm sat here with my battered bouldering guide so here goes.

Jim's comment is a fairly good one, for a decent circuit start off at Boulder 3 and then work back right.

BOULDER 3:

- Blitz all the the easy problems on the slab, for added variety try them 1 handed or try and traverse the block sans hands once you been up and down all the problems.

- Boulder 3, Problem 1 is excellent. Not one for a hot day though. You'll understand why once you've tried it.

BOULDER 6:

Problems 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
- 17, 18, 19, 20 can all be stood up, at about 5c and are pretty worthwhile.

BOULDER 7:

Problem 8

BOULDER 8:

Problems 4, 9, 15 (plus eliminate)
Various nice VS solo's by continuing over the roof

Boulder 9:
Problem 3 (the daddy), 6, 13, 14
Various solo's on slab face, HVS & E1

Boulder 13
Problem 2, 3

Pretty much anything on Clingen Face.

Hope that gets you going, and makes some sense. If you manage to do all those in a lunch time you'll be going well.

[dobbin]

Nice one the one like da Mike. I came armed with guide today and I think we are going to the damn pub!

[Mike_H]

Typical!

Well you've got the beta, you know where the venue is what more do you want me to do climb the problems for ya  :wink:

Seriously enjoy, it is a good little venue. I'm off to Shipley Glen after work, I wonder if the Red Baron will go this evening.  :?

[hongkongstuey]

I wonder if the Red Baron will go this evening.  :?

i could never figure that bugger out!

[Mike_H]

I didn't say I had, did I? :wink:

[dave]

according to my main man john that method in the photo is guff.

[Johnny Brown]

Looks OK to me. thats about how you end up if you come out from the back. Yer wanna get yer feet out soon tho'

[dobbin]

Ok, so how do you do it? and where is it for that matter?

[Johnny Brown]

Shipley glen.
Perhaps the best example of a yorkshire grit bouldering-only crag. Enough to keep you occupied for years.



I'll let you try it onsight first. Its not too hard to flash .

enjoy :

[Mike_H]

Dobbin, you better watch out. Once you've bouldered at Woodhouse you'll be a convert to the Yorkshire Gritstone and be seeking out all the venues.

[Jim]

- Boulder 3, Problem 1 is excellent. Not one for a hot day though. You'll understand why once you've tried it.

Damm straight there - just got back and that mutha was hotter than a mo-fo. Like manteling a 45 degree pane of glass - luckely the tree had grown a bit more and broke my fall

[Mike_H]

Its a biatch isn't it, i've tried it on loads of hot days and struggle like a mofo.

It ain't a push over on a cool crisp day, but its certainly easier.

[dobbin]

Time to revisit this one as I have finally gotten round to going to West Vale. First impressions - old school face climbing on dirty quarry. Second and third impressions - still dirty face climbing, but highly enjoyable.

Quite high up, somewhat remiscent of Pexhill (in that its a quarry) and not as smelly as first billed on these here pages. Not worth a special trip but if you're on the M62 passing then definatly investigate.

[Stu Littlefair]

Whilst this thread is active I should note for all trainspotters that Woodhouse has one of the best problems on grit in the guise of Vicker's lip trav. Classic heel-hooking V10 action with a graunchy, awkward finish and memorably described as "more sustained than the Mandala".

It's quite good.