Roaches and Newstones Bouldering

I’ve been climbing at the Roaches many times and never bothered to look at the other climbing venues just next door. The Roaches is just so big and has so much great climbing that I never felt the need. I did some brilliant bouldering there on Saturday, climbing problems I had wanted to do for a while and pushing my grade a little. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Sunday morning showed that it would begin and end with showers (plus “the chance of thunder”). I therefore looked through my guidebook for a bouldering venue with a very short walk-in so that I could walk-out quickly if need be and I found Newstones. It’s a small series of boulders and little buttresses a few miles from the Roaches. The rock has great friction and some strange veins running through it that I’ve never seen before on gritstone and which made for sharp edges and flakes. This helped make the bouldering interesting, varied and fun. Despite the great climbing and a pleasant location, Max and I had the place to ourselves the whole time we were there.

This weekend showed me that the big climbing venues are brilliant, but that I need to flick through the pages of my guidebooks more.

Me trying to climb Easy Groove (V0 4c) on The Grooves boulder at the Roaches. Seconds after this photo was taken my left foot slipped and I flew off the rock.

Climbing Joe’s Portholes (V0+ 5a) on Joe’s Boulder at the Roaches.

Me climbing the fun problem Slab Dancer (V0+ 5a) on the Upper Tier of the Roaches. The problems along here involve stopping and coming back down again before the climb turns from being a boulder problem into a solo rock climb.

The Upper Tier of the Roaches.

Me reaching the top of the Arch (V0+ 5a) problem on Pine Tree Slab on the Lower Tier of the Roaches.

Climbing Easy Slab Right-hand (VB) on the Top Block boulder at Newstones.

This is me trying to work out the best way of getting from the good footholds I’m standing on to the good hand holds at the top. The problem is Nutmeg (V0 4c) on the Hazel Barn boulder at Newstones.

Newstones crag in Staffordshire.

Me climbing Clammy Wall (V0 4c) on the Clammy Hands boulder at Newstones.

8 thoughts on “Roaches and Newstones Bouldering”

We’re exactly is this place. Those boulders look amazing. I would love to go session them sometime!

the Severe climber says:

July 31, 2017 at 7:13 pm

Hi,

It’s definitely a great place to boulder.

The Roaches and Newstones are in Staffordshire, in the Peak District National Park, in the UK. The nearest town is Leek. The best guidebook is probably Peak Bouldering by Rockfax.

Best wishes,
Robin

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I was just about to ask which guidebook to use. Looks like I need a session down there

the Severe climber says:

August 1, 2017 at 10:23 am

I really like it as a bouldering guide.

It’s well worth a visit. I had a really good session there. Let me know what you think about it if you do go.

Best wishes,
Robin

Reply

Your new camera is capturing the rock tones beautifully – massive improvement. Looking forward to seeing more pictures.

the Severe climber says:

August 1, 2017 at 12:18 pm

Thanks. I will be sure to take more climbing photos.

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If I was going to start bouldering, those are the size of boulders I’d choose. So much bouldering looks like just climbing without bothering with a rope to me nowadays! I can’t do gritstone though – is there any other rock type for bouldering? I’ve only ever seen gritstone ones!

the Severe climber says:

August 5, 2017 at 9:08 am

Sure – there’s lots of different types of rock that you can boulder on. Although, thinking about it, I seem to spend most of my time bouldering climbing either gritstone or sandstone.

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