Minor Outcrops and Boulders |
|
|
Grace Dieu Viaduct and
Craglets Minor Outcrops and Boulders |
In Quarry
Wood. Isolated quarried sandstone
outcrops of 6‑7m in woodland.
Well vegetated and no known routes. MELBOURNE
QUARRY OS ref. SK383249 A
sandstone quarry on the south side of the village, approached down a track by
the allotments. The quarry has been
part‑filled but about 10m of clean rock remain. Several good crack
lines. A new house is being built
(Sept 1992) at the end of the track but it is not clear whether the quarry
will become the garden (like the sandstone quarry at the end of the bridge in
Stanton by Bridge). This quarry was
once full of beehives and the bees and climbing didn't mix. The bees have gone now and only empty
hives remain. No known routes. A
prominent local landmark. The hill
has been quarried back to near the church.
The limestone is no longer quarried but the site is used as a store
and works and is probably covered by the Mines and Quarries Act and so access
will be restricted. No known routes. BREEDON
CLOUD OS ref. SK413213 This is
the working limestone quarry associated with Breedon Hill. Contains some slabs which have been
climbed on. Because this is a working
quarry access will be restricted. RATCHET
HILL Around OS ref. SK448164 (Minor Crags) At the
south side of open woodland are a series of small outcrops and boulders (try
449165, 448164 and 446163). A pleasant spot best approached from the path
that now runs along the south side of the wood. The quarry is now much bigger than shown on the current OS map. HIGH
TOR Around OS ref. SK454158 (Minor Crags) In a wood
overlooking Mount St. Bernard's Abbey.
At the south end of the wood near the quarry is a fine pinnacled
arête. The face of this is split by
three cracks providing short, but good, problems. Round to the left is a steep face with a thin crack and swing
away to the right (VS) (try 454158).
Many more short, steep walls and boulders (try 453157 and 454157). High Tor is a must for jungle
bashers. Best approached from the
path along the south side of the wood but choose your spot. WARREN
HILLS Around OS ref. 460150 (Minor Crags) Once
called High Towers, the Warren Hills one of the few open moorland areas left
in Charnwood Forest. The rocky
escarpments facing SW look impressive but do not amount to much. At 461148 is an old quarry which gives a
long scramble but is overgrown. At
463153 is a large rock with a slab on the N side. The fragments of different rock (or "bombs" as they
are sometimes called) embedded in the bulk rock make excellent holds. This rock is well off the public footpath
so trespassing here can incur the wrath of the naturalists (see Oaks
Pinnacle). Short
problems in a very pleasant situation. A small
old slate quarry near the top of Billa Barra hill has a small face which
gives bouldering. There is a pool
nearby, at the top of the crag! A
beautiful spot with views marred by the new Stanton quarry below. Owned by Tarmac, as is much land
hereabouts. Best approached from the
east up a fence line in the field beside the house. GROBY
A50 QUARRY OS ref. SK 519078 There is
a small miserable noisy quarry with poor rock just beside the A50. BENSCLIFFE
WOOD OS ref. SK513126 Situated
on top of the hill in the wood on the left‑hand side of the road
leading from Old John to Shepshed.
There are a number of short flake and slab climbs. The location (and sometimes, picture) is
in all the geology books because it is the "type locality" for the
Benscliffe Agglomerate, a variety of Precambrian rock. On the
left of the road from Woodhouse Eaves to Nanpantan a concession footpath goes
beside Charnwood Hall, a County boarding school. The path leads to a N‑S ridge. Along the ridge to the S are a couple of small crags and a pool
(511158). The concession path leads N
(the other branch goes to the top of the Beacon) and runs along a delightful
ridge above a valley. There is a
pinnacle of 8m (only Mod) just below the path (507164) on land belonging to
the Nanpantan Hall Estate. If
continued E the concession path comes out on to the road again. SPRING
HILL CRAG (ROECLIFFE) OS
ref. SK527127 Spring
Hill Crag is in a wood 100m east of the footpath which runs north from the
B5330 across the golf course. The
rock face west and give three or more good problems (4b‑5a) on short
undercut buttresses in a fine spot. WINDMILL
HILL OS ref. SK526127 On public
land adjoining the open space of Broombrigg's Farm just north of the old
windmill. Mostly easy boulder
problems but one very hard (6a) arête.
The best boulder arête in Leicestershire? G. Lucas, 1987. NANPANTAN
HILL OS ref. SK501170 In a wood
on the south side of the road, plainly visible. TWYFORD
VIADUCT OS ref. SK742093 About 10
miles NE of Leicester. There are very
good traverses and bouldering as well as aid routes on the arches. In
Nottingham on the south‑east side of the river by Nottingham Forest
football club there are many problems (from 5a upwards) on the bridge
stonework. 6c traverses in the
outermost tunnel. UNIVERSITY
WALL OS ref. SK 541380 A
stonework wall in the grounds of Nottingham University gives pleasant
traversing at about 5b/c on two tiers (3m and 2m) beside the lake. There is a natural crag nearby and an
indoor wall at the University Sports Centre. In
Nottingham. This built sandstone wall
is approx. 10m high and 100m long.
Goes anywhere at 5a. Gives a
very long tedious traverse. |