Tag: Yorkshire

Highlights of my North York Moors trip

Highlights of my North York Moors trip

the Severe climber

On my trip to the North York Moors last weekend I saw snow, rain, high winds and bright sunshine.  I was disappointed that the snow and the rain meant I couldn’t go bouldering, but I still had a great time walking along the coast, in wooded valleys and over the moors.  Here are the highlights of my trip –

The beautiful view of Robin Hood’s Bay from Ravenscar.
I was amazed to find a lizard hiding from the cold on a standing stone on Howdale Moor. The cold was probably the reason he stayed very still.
I always really like visiting waterfalls on rainy days. This is Mallyan Spout, in the valley below Goathland.
Mallyan Spout and West Beck.
The stone row (AKA stone alignment) on Simon Howe Rigg in the snow.
Simon Howe – a round barrow (burial mound) on Simon Howe Rigg. Round barrows such as this date from the Late Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age.
Thomason Foss near Beck Hole, North Yorkshire.
My Climbing 2014 in Pictures

My Climbing 2014 in Pictures

the Severe climber
Me making the first few moves on the Slab 2 problem on Blister Slab.
The Roaches.
Me climbing Classic Arete on The Big Block.
Me climbing the boulder problem Goat’s Gruff on the base of The Roaches’ Upper Tier.
Valerie and Leo on the beach at Bude.
Hound Tor.
Me bouldering on Top Hat boulder at Hound Tor.
Me climbing Groove on the Perched Block at Hound Tor.
Flowering heather on the edge of the Burbage Valley
Me climbing The Crook on The Lamb boulder at Burbage South Valley.
Valerie and Leo below the Leaning Block at Higgar Tor.
Me standing on limestone pavement.
Limestone pavement above Thwaite Scars near Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales.
Pen-y-ghent in the Yorkshire Dales.
Leo, Valerie and Me on the descent from Snowdon.
Leo and Valerie on Mynydd Mawr.
Me walking up Mynydd Mawr in Snowdonia.
Me, Valerie and Leo on the summit of Craig Wen.
Leo asleep as Valerie and I walk across country to get down from Craig Wen.
Me climbing yellow problem number 5 at Le Cul de Chien.
Me climbing problem number 2 at Le Cul de Chien, Fontainebleau.
Valerie climbing at Mont Aigu, Fontainebleau.
Valerie climbing problem number 1 at Rocher des Potets.
Valerie climbing The Final Boulder at Fairlop Waters Boulder Park
Me climbing on The Prominent Prow boulder at Fairlop Waters Boulder Park.
Valerie climbing on The Arches boulder at Fairlop Waters Boulder Park in London.
Me standing on an outcome of Castle Rock.
The South West Coast
Me standing by the trig point on Kinder Low.
The waterfall at Kinder Downfall being blown upstream by the wind.
Climbing on Bamford Edge on a wet day in the Peak District.
Me by Aira Force waterfall in the Lake District.
Walking by Pavements, Erratics and Holes

Walking by Pavements, Erratics and Holes

the Severe climber
Limestone pavement above Thwaite Scars near Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales.
Limestone pavement above Thwaite Scars near Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales.

Walking and climbing in the mountains gives me an opportunity to see some amazing and beautiful rock formations. I sometimes regret that I don’t know enough about geology to always fully appreciate what I see, but what little I do know makes what I see and climb a little more amazing. It’s great that I don’t have to be somewhere with soaring peaks to experience amazing rock forms. My trip last weekend to the Yorkshire Dales was full of stunning rock in the area around Ingleborough, from limestone pavements, to scars, potholes and Norber Erratics. Read more →

My Climbing 2013 in Pictures

the Severe climber
Bright Beck in a snowy Langdales in the Lake District.
Sitting in the summit shelter on Moel Eilio in Snowdonia National Park
Crossing the River Dove on a walk in the Yorkshire Dales in August.
The Jungfraubahn mountain railway and the Jungfrau in Switzerland.
Llyn Cwm Llwch and Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons.
The sunrising over the Eiger.
Holding on tight as I cross the 100m bridge on the Murren-Gimmelwald Via Ferrata.
Beresford Dale
Me on the Rotstock Via Ferrata in Switzerland.
Little Leo came into the world in September and was soon going to the climbing wall (where he found bouldering mats good for napping).
Lake Windermere from the slopes of a snowy Red Screes.
Me, Valerie and Wanda standing on the edge of the Creux du Van in Switzerland (photo courtesy of Marc Schmid).
The Yorkshire Dales seen from Barden Fell.
Valerie bouldering
Me on the first section of ladders on the Murren-Gimmelwald Via Ferrata.
Llyn Cwellyn in Snowdonia National Park
Climbing Sickle Buttress (HVD**) at Froggatt Edge on a brilliantly sunny March day.
The road up to Kirkstone Pass closed due to heavy January snow.
By Calder Low, near Hartington.
Valerie on the panorama walk above Grindelwald.
Me leading Zig-zag (Severe, 4b*) at Caley.
Creux du Van
The summit of Mannlichen, with the Monch and Jungfrau behind, in Switzerland.
Burbage Edge in the Peak District in November.
Trying hard to stay standing in strong winds on top of Pen y Fan.
Placing gear on Pillar Arete (VD*) on a hot June day at Stanage Edge.
Froggatt Edge
Climbing at Stanage Edge.

Yorkshire Grit

the Severe climber
Me leading Zig-zag (Severe, 4b*) at Caley.
Me leading Zig-zag (Severe, 4b*) at Caley.

The greatness of Yorkshire has been getting serious recognition recently.  In August, Yorkshire was bestowed the accolade of being Europe’s Leading Destination 2013 at the World Travel Awards.  Yorkshire will host the opening stages of the 2014 Tour de France and the route through this iconic English region was announced in October.  October also saw Lonely Planet declaring Yorkshire the third best region in the world to visit.  For me, a big part of Yorkshire’s greatness is the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors, with their wealth of amazing walking and climbing.  It was a nice coincidence that in the week that Lonely Planet declared Yorkshire a better destination than Texas, Victoria Falls and the West Coast of New Zealand, I went to Yorkshire to climb some rock. Read more →