Cliffe Hill Quarry Routes

A great route up middle right of slab. Begin on point of shield, moving slightly right at obvious sickle shaped fault at 2/5 height. Great moves pad straight up from there. Andy Pemberton & Andrew Porter June 1996

To Infinity And Beyond 23m E2 5c

Bold, memorable moves up sound rock, (except for the easy traverse right at the top!). Begin in the same place as ‘Buzz Lightyear’ then move left to crack system. Up to a thin diagonal crack (hand placed knife blade, bomber!) then bold moves (wonderful!) form the crux to reach the break. Easily(ish) up from there. Andy Pemberton & Paul Handley June 1996

I found two pegs in this route and don’t think they need to be there. I climbed the route without them and it is graded as such. There is adequate protection for the grade (tips include hand placed blade below the crux and sideways placed no. 6 nut in unexpected placement above the crux). Please don’t replace them. Thanks. Andy Pemberton

On a visit to the Quarry in November 1998, 4 lines of bolts were found on ‘The Shield’ including the lines of ‘Buzz Lightyear’ and ‘To Infinity And Beyond’. None of the bolts were hung properly but use 2 chain links instead of bolt hangers.

There are three bolt lines, not four as stated above. The line of ‘Buzz Lightyear” is not bolted. The line of ‘To Infinity and Beyond’ is bolted. There are two other bolt lines to the left of this route. The left hand bolt line has a two bolt lower-off point. Stephen Bennett 17 Sep 99

The Big Crack 20m(?) VS 4c

Takes the obvious chimney/crack line up and round onto the slab. Andrew Porter & Andy Pemberton June, 1996

Two Peg Slab VS 4b?

Wanders its way up the right of the slab. Bit of loose rock but when that’s gone should be superb! Aidrian Jones and Vincent ? June 1996

Rob's Rock

Solemn E5 6a

The route can be done in either one or two pitches.

1. 5b Start at the obvious thin crack. Climb this and gain the jug. Either climb the groove or swing left onto the front and layback up until jugs and the spike belay can be reached.

2. 5c Stand on top of the spike. A sequence of moves leads rightwards until a triangular hold can be gained. From this reach high for a layaway and move up to the base of the crack. Once established in the crack wild laybacking leads to good jams. Continue up the crack to an obvious rest. Move up and step left into the final layback sequence… and the top.

Robin Richmond, Paul Bradshaw. 11/7/00

The Beast E4 6a

Either abseil in from the top of the crag or scramble up the boulders to the prominent groove on the left hand side of the crag. Clamber up onto the top of a large block at the base of the crack. Here awkward moves lead off up the crack. Follow the crack to a 'bomber' hand jam. The next few feet comprise of hard moves up the increasingly thinner crack until the obvious horizontal break can be reached. The final section is technical but the 'beast' rears it's head and starts to overhang even more! Arms now starting to burn, move on up the sharp crack and head rightwards onto the even steeper headwall. Move on up and a final long reach brings the top.

A superb, sustained and technical exercise, well worth a go.

Robin Richmond, Scott Chidlow. 18/2/01

White Van Man E2 5c

Scramble up rocks on the left-hand side of the crag onto two obvious ledges. From here a crack leads up slightly leftwards and then back right, where it meets the bottom right-hand corner of the headwall.

Now the fun begins! Place plenty of protection and move up the right-hand side of the headwall until a deep breath and a long stretch enables a prominent ledge to be gained. Step leftwards and layback up the left-hand edge of the headwall until the top can be reached. The route follows the line of dashes on the photo to the left of the tree. Robin Richmond & Scott Chidlow 16 Dec 2000

Don’t Panic E3 5b, 5c

1. 5b As for pitch one of ‘Solemn’.

2. 5c A sustained pitch. From the spike belay step left until directly beneath the obvious flake. A long reach gains a good hold from which the flake can be reached. Climb boldly around the flake and up into the groove above. Good climbing above leads to a niche. Hard moves through this lead to an interesting final set of moves to the top.

A good route with a ‘big route’ feel about it. Powerful climbing with excellent protection. Can also be done in one pitch, probably better. Robin Richmond/unseconded 4 Mar 2001

Merlin E2 5b, 5b

1. 5b As for pitch one of ‘Solemn’.

2. 5b From the belay, move right along the ledge approximately 6’. Tricky moves lead up onto the slab. Climb the slab to the top keeping as close to the left arête as possible. Robin Richmond/Scott Chidlow 21 Apr 2001 (Soloed Robin Richmond 05 May 2001)

The Wizard E5 6a

The route is climbed totally independent of the final crack on ‘Solemn’

As for ‘Don’t Panic’ until the end of the flake where a crack leads off right towards ‘Solemn’. Follow this until approximately 3’ before reaching ‘Solemn’. Here a crack leads off up the headwall. Climb this and make hard moves to gain and climb the crack above. Follow this and finish on an obvious ‘V’ shaped jug. An excellent pitch, technical and ferociously pumpy! Robin Richmond/unseconded (2 pre-placed runners and one rest point) 22 Apr 2001 FFA Robin Richmond/Mark Richardson28 Jun 2001

Approximately 30m to the right of Rob’s Rock and approximately 6m left of an obvious arête is a small slightly overhanging buttress.

The Sherwage-Monster E1 5b

From the bottom left corner of the buttress move up and gain the obvious finger crack. Follow this via some excellent finger locks to the top. Tougher than it looks. Robin Richmond/Scott Chidlow 22 Apr 2001

Don’t Panic/Solemn Connection E3 5c

As for ‘Don’t panic’ until the top of the flake where a thin crack leads right-wards towards ‘Solemn’. Follow this in a superb position until the rest on ‘Solemn’ is reached. Finish up ‘Solemn’. Robin Richmond/unseconded 02 May 2001

Close Shave E1 5b, 5b

1. 5b As for ‘Solemn’

2. As for ‘Merlin’ until the slab is gained. Move right and climb the middle of the slab between the right-hand corner and the overlap on the left. A couple of tricky moves near the top can be well protected unlike the rest of the pitch! Robin Richmond/Scott Chidlow 05 May 2001

Super Mophead E1 5b, 5b

1. 5b As for ‘Solemn’

2. 5b As for ‘Close Shave’ until approximately 3m from top where a ramp leads off leftwards into a large crack system and the top. Easier than ‘Close Shave’ and not so good. Robin Richmond/Scott Chidlow 05 May 2001 (Soloed Scott Chidlow 05 May 01)

Cross Town Traffic E3 6a, 5c, 5c

1. As for ‘Solemn’ until a hanging belay by an obvious loose block, approximately 10’ from the top.

2. The bog pitch! Traverse left down the obvious crack across the main face and move into the groove of ‘Don’t Panic’. Ascend the groove until a long reach leftwards enables an obvious good hold to be gained on ‘The Beast’. Swing round and make balance moves down onto the ledge below the final headwall of “White Van Man’.

3. Finish as for ‘White Van Man’. Robin Richmond/Karl Baker (Alt. leads) 30 May 2001

Mystery Man E5 6b

The route climbs the vague crack line between ‘The Beast’ and ‘Don’t Panic’.

Start as for ‘The Beast’. Climb this for approximately 15’. Make a committing move out rightwards to an obvious slot in the middle of the face. Move up to two good pockets. From here a long powerful reach (crux) leads to the next big slot. Using the left arête move up until good finger locks are reached. Layback up to the jug and finish direct. Robin Richmond/unseconded 04 Sep 01

Lower Tier, near ‘White Slab’

Newt Route 11m HS 4b

Start 20m left of ‘White Slab’ at a narrow ledge. Climb directly up to an obvious cracked overhang. Pull over this on good but carefully selected holds. Scramble cautiously up the scree to boulder belays. NB Great care is required to avoid using/dislodging the many loose holds. Technically an easy climb but think about whether the gear will hold! Claudia Sarner & Paul Birchall 21 Sep 1999

White Slab as referred to previously. At no point is the slab more than HVS/E1. I can’t lead more than HVS. But with no prior knowledge (assuming it was?) I soloed the route called ‘The Aranra Project’ on sight. I also climbed a more direct line ‘U.F.O.’. These routes are no more HS 4b and HVS 4c/5a respectively..

Lick Me 15m VS 4c/5a.

A very good route but dusty after rain. It is 20m right of ‘White Slab’. D Cato & P Birchall Spring 1998

Double Overhang 12m HVS 5a

30-40m right of ‘Lick Me’. Very loose No 2 but enjoyable. D Cato & P Birchall

Tellytubbies Slab

Tellytubbies Slab lies behind the wooded bank between the Junction 22 'Services' and the main quarry entrance. The slab is roughly the shape of an inverted triangle and all the routes begin at its apex, it is best viewed from the opposite side of the quarry near the quarry entrance and then approached via a descending quarry track. Once you are familiar with the layout of the quarry it is possible to approach the slab by scrambling down from above to reach the scaffold pole belay and either abseiling to the base of the slab or scrambling down to the right (facing outwards). T his piece of rock appears to be reasonably sound when compared to the rest of quarry, although large blocks appear to have recently fallen from the flanks of the slab and the plinth of rock on which the slab rest seems to be gradually deteriorating. (Better climb it before it all falls down).

The left-hand side of the slab is capped by a rubble tower, here there are 3 bolted lines complete with lower-offs. The climbing is mainly on small brittle holds.

Tinky-Winky F6a **

From the toe of the slab move left above lip and then up. First ascended by a fat purple man with a TV aerial sticking out of the top of his head. Ian Waterhouse & A C Bennett Summer 1998

Dipsy F6a **

From the toe of the buttress trend slightly left. Ian Waterhouse & A C Bennett Summer 1998

Lah-Lah F6a **

From the toe of the buttress trend slightly right. Ian Waterhouse & A C Bennett Summer 1998

Po HVS 4c ***

Three star quality, bears comparison with any middle grade route in Leicestershire (rant, rant). Start, as for the previous and climb diagonally right to the obvious flake in a niche where inadequate protection can be arranged using small wires. Deep breath and ascend to the shaley break, a couple of moves right then up to the top. Scaffold pole belay. Ian Waterhouse & A C Bennett 10 Jul 1997

Nou-Nou E6 3a *** 10.7.97

An act of extreme stupidity, from the niche on the previous route climb a rising traverse rightwards above the lip of the slab to a dangerously loose and poorly protected finish. Ian Waterhouse & A C Bennett 10 Jul 1997

Across the water on the other side of the quarry, below the upper tier the wreckage of a lorry cab can be found, behind this is a slabby wall is split by twin cracks.

Crash Test Dummies HS 4b **

Ascend the twin cracks, well protected with small friends, to an earth and rubble finish. Ian Waterhouse & A C Bennett 22 Jul 1997

This line may have been cleaned and climbed prior to our ascent but there is was no evidence of activity on any of the other climbs. All the routes were climbed by l Waterhouse and A C Bennett, all of the traditional routes were led on sight.