Caller north v 1 4 1

Northumbrian Mountaineering Club

A series of downloadable PDF guides to new bouldering venues , problems, highballs and routes in Northumberland. Including: The Stell

Whiteheugh

Raven’s Crag

Caller Crag , Corby’s and Edlingham

Greensheen Hill

Parkside Wood

The Maiden Chambers Area

St Cuthbert’s Cave

The Bowden Area

The Wanneys Group

Beanly Moor and Hunterheugh

Blakey’s Block

Cockenheugh

Kyloe Out

Rothley

The Ravensheugh Area

Banno Crags

Titlington and the Turban

South Yardhope

Brady’s Crag

Coquet View

Shitlington

Lookwide

Howlerhirst

High Crag

Black Crag

Hunterheugh

NMC Northumbrian Northumbrian Mountaineering Mountaineering Club Club

Caller Crag South — A Bouldering Guide

...Northumberland Bouldering

Introduction...

TECHNICAL NOTES

BOULDERING GRADES

The location of each crag is indicated by its Grid Reference.

It is true to say that there are only two grades, the problems and routes you can do, and those you can’t. To the keen boulderer however it soon becomes apparent that this can be sub divided into the problems you can do and your mates can’t, and vice versa! Grading boulder problems (and some routes) is an almost impossible task. The table below is a rough comparison of the common systems in use. Visitors to the County will probably find that until they get used to the style of the problems and the intricacies of climbing on the County’s various Sandstones, the accuracy of the table will be questionable. Grades are an art rather than a science, and while difficulty is central to bouldering , it is easily confused with quality. The pursuit of which is an equally FONT UK TECH V GRADE rewarding endeavour.

Maps The County is covered by six Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps. Sheets 74 (Kelso), 75 (Berwick upon Tweed), 80 (The Cheviot Hills), 81 (Alnwick and Rothbury), 87 (Hexham and Haltwhistle) and 88 (Tyneside). The majority of the crags lie on sheets 75 and 81.

General On occasions the problems are referenced to routes that are not described in the climbing guide, or in the second edition bouldering guide. These are highlighted in blue italics. You may need these guides or to ask a local climber help you locate the problems.

Sit Starts Most problems are written up as standing starts off one mat only! Generally sit starts are added at the end of a description where they add either to the difficulty, or quality . Only rarely will a sit start be separately named.

The various grading systems are well understood, and like grades are an ongoing source of debate regarding their respective merits. In these PDF guides we have retained the Font grades introduced in the last guidebook and their use is now established and understood.

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4c

4

5a V0

4+

Highballs

5 5+

Further Information

The height of many crags in the County lends them to a highball approach. Mats can reduce the consequences when highballing goes wrong, but there comes a point when they look very small.

Many of these ‘problems’ would have been considered small routes not long back, (though some in this new series are not so small) and occasionally are compounded with bad landings. Falling off them should not be treated casually.

The NMC website has a variety of resources relating to climbing in the County. If you have this PDF you’ve probably found it already. Otherwise go to: www.thenmc.org.uk

Steve Blake

Rules It has long been understood in Northumberland that if a twig is found on a ‘good’ foothold, then the foothold is out of bounds. The same applies to bedding planes , ledges and footholds in contact with the ground. Usually these are out of bounds. The previous guide wisely suggested that if you are wondering if the foothold is in, then it probably is not!

Bob Smith Greensheen Slopers Traverse Greensheen Hill

5b V1 5c

6a 6a+

V2 6a

V3

6b 6b+ 6c

V4 6b

7a

V5

V6

Shitlington Wall

7a+

Shitlington

7b

Photo: Alec Burns

7b+

V8

7c

V9

7c+

V10

8a

6c

7a

8a+ 8b 8b

1

VB

V7

V11 V12

7b

V13 V14

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Introduction...

...Northumberland Bouldering 3.

Be gentle with brushwork, and minimal with your chalk. Climbing indoors, we can brush the holds to our hearts content; outdoors, the effect can be catastrophic.

SUSTAINABILITY The quality and durability of Sandstone in Northumberland varies significantly both on and between crags. Iron hard rock with a case hardened patina can coexist with a super soft cheesy substance soft enough to be shaped by hand. Sadly there is much evidence that the tough patina when worn away reveals a soft inner that rapidly erodes. There are many examples, but Vienna at Bowden Doors is probably the most famous example, which in its current deplorable state is a much easier and sad shadow of the original .

4.

Poor footwork also impacts, so clean your shoes before you begin an attempt. Modern shoes allow a huge amount of force to be exerted through the feet, e.g. twisting on smears has a grinding effect that speeds up erosion. Be aware, use good footwork and tread lightly.

5.

Don’t use the problems for training. Running laps may look cool, but do it indoors on plastic, not on the rock.

6.

Take your junk home, don’t light fires, don’t leave gates open. If you must, learn how to shit in the woods.

Do not be generally antisocial.

Over the last thirty years the popularity of Rock Climbing and Bouldering has accelerated and there is much similar evidence of our impact on the crags. Routes and problems on Sandstone, especially on fragile and well-used Sandstone, are a finite resource and need careful and sensitive protection if they are to survive.

It is worth repeating that you should not climb on sandstone when there is any evidence of dampness.

The rock becomes significantly weaker losing its bonding when damp, and is susceptible to accelerated erosion and breakage. Once a break occurs, or the outer patina is penetrated, then the effects of erosion are exponential.

David Murray On Barnaby Rudge The Good Book Section, The Stell.

Alec Burns collection

Vienna Bowden Doors

Many magnificent routes in Northumberland have escaped significant damage, principally because the habit of top roping hard routes has not been adopted as readily as elsewhere. Bouldering however, is a particularly intensive game which can see a team cycling through repeated attempts on a problem, brushing and ragging between each effort. The impact of this can be seen on relatively recent problems on which holds are already bleaching out, and this is on rock thought of as hard.

We are the stewards of these places. There are many things we can do to minimise our direct impact on them: 1. Everyone should acknowledge and understand the fragility of the medium, and learn to walk away if there is any suggestion of dampness and the rock is not in condition.

2. Set yourself a realistic number of attempts at a problem, if you can’t do it, leave it until you can do it without beating it into submission. We need to have enough humility to understand that the rock’s needs are more important than our egos. Learn to walk away and come back when you’re capable.

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Caller Crag

OS Map Sheets: 81 (1:50,000), 332 (1:25000) GR NU114 068

Right of Access Under CROW

A1

Hunterheugh

Aspect: West Facing Approach: 20 Minutes

Crag Overview

Beanly Moor

Altitude: 223m

N

Titlington

LOCATION AND CHARACTER

Alnwick

Clearly visible from the B6341, the crag is located on Edlingham Moor, between the lower lying Edlingham and Redheugh crags. The crag is approximately 2O0m long and faces West. It catches the afternoon and evening sun in the Summer. It is exposed and does carry drainage and is slow to dry after prolonged rain. Any Westerly wind will be felt, and there is little shelter.

A697

41 B63

Oxen Wood

Corby’s

The crag is on Access Land and climbers have a right of access to the crags. There are no indications that the land is used for anything other than sheep rearing and no closures have ever been noted.

These would have to be agreed by Natural England and posted on the Access Land web site. This can be found at www.openaccess.naturalengland.org.uk.

P

Edlingham Redheugh Parking Location

The diagrams opposite should be sufficient to get the newcomer to the area to the crag.

Since before the last bouldering guide was published climbers have been walking past Caller Crag, dismissing it as a venue because of the softness of the rock.

However the liberal use of masonry stabiliser has transformed the rock and holds on the established problems, which rank amongst the best in the county at the grade.

Parking Lat Long: 55.36007 –1.827099 Parking GR: NU 1106073

Caller Crag Tim Blake The Stell

The Unpalatable Cleft

1 34 B6

A1

Steve Blake Collection

However the problems will need monitoring, and as the venue gets the attention it deserves repeated applications of stabiliser will probably be required. Only time will tell.

Approach

Crag Detail

Crag Location Crag Lat Long: 55.330528 –1.899919

N

Crag GR: NU 114 068

P

341 B6

Edlingham

Redheugh

Caller Crag There is parking for several cars by the second gate, just before the start of the Edlingham Plantation. Pleas do not block the gate.

Follow the Bridleway/track to the right of the plantation, This crests several small escarpments. The crag comes into view about 15 minutes from the car. There are several indistinct tracts to the crag. The best takes you to the centre of the Southern group.

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6

Caller Crag ...

Cowboy Up!

…...North

Caller Crag ...

...North

The Brain

The Medici N

The Rune Stone

S

The Warm Up

Rictus Smile

Poets Corner

The Sarsen

When the escarpment is crested the crag is apparent in front of the viewer. The guide is split into two parts; Northern and Southern sections. The best of the feint trails lead across the moor to the Sarsen area and a path leads North under the crag to the Northernmost section of Rictus Smile. It’s best not to head directly to the Northern section as the moor can be quite boggy!

The Megalith

The Beautiful South

Tim Blake The Approach Boulders (below where the panorama above was taken) Steve Blake Collection

This is quite a porous crag and should be avoided if it has rained in the past week. Many of the problems have been treated with masonry stabiliser, but, sloppy footwork and over enthusiastic brushing could still overwhelm it. Please tread lightly.

History Despite occasional visits the crag was not developed in any detail until 2008 when Bob Smith and Steve Blake established the majority of the existing problems. Their success was in no small part due to the extensive use of stabiliser, the soft rounded features of the crag are suited , and respond well to it’s use and have transformed it as a venue.

Notably Karl Telfer explored the crag back in the day and recorded several routes. The most difficult being Touch and Go. Which in it’s original unstabilised state was extremely difficult. It’s possible some of the ‘recently’ recorded problems/routes were climbed by him in this period but not recorded.

Many of the problems at this excellent venue have only had one or two ascents, but all have been repeated.

That said some may need a gentle clean before trying them. A short rope and some dog stakes will facilitate the cleaning of the higher problems.

There are a number of outstanding highball problems on the crag; Cowboy Up!, and A Deficit of Funk both have awkward finishes, with Audrey Hepburn a close third. (Though in the latter’s instance it is possible to ‘nest’ in the cleft. ) A number of unclimbed lines remain, some are very obvious, some very high , most likely to be very hard.

Though there are some easier pickings to be had by the diligent enthusiast.

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Caller Crag ...

...The Medici Area

Caller Crag

...The Medici Area

Martin Waugh Indian Summer Steve Blake Collection

2

Katy Whittaker tussles with

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A Deficit of Funk Dan Varian Collection

David Murray 1. The Medici. 7b (ish) MW. Traverse left to right on pockets. Bizarrely difficult.

2. The Voice . 6c/7a. BS. Sit Start. Using pockets make a hard slap for the shoulder.

A Deficit of Funk Steve Blake Collection

The Medici was one of the first problems in the County to be stabilised. It was a long term project for Bob who tried it off and on over a number of years. Martin Waugh eventually tamed it. Much more difficult than it appears.

Katy Whittaker Exploring Caller Dan Varian Collection

Guidebooks need pictures, if you visit the venues in these guides and take photos of folks on the problems, then please send them to me. If they are suitable I’ll include them in the guide, with all due credits. Please identify the problem and climber. Even better if it is a new problem, get a photo and description to me. Via Callercrag@btinternet.com

Martin Waugh Indian Summer Caller South Steve Blake Collection

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Caller Crag ...

...Poet’s Corner

Caller Crag ...

The cave at Caller is home to a poem by JP Askey—The Brown Man of Caller Crag. It was also home to my ladder for a while, but I think the farmer took it!

3. The Spine. 6b. BS. From a sit start with your right pinky in a slot, heave up to the shoulder and then the top.

7 6 5

4

4. The Unknown. 6a. BS. Sit start, pulling up and right to the arête.

5. The Far Country. E2 6a. KT. A well protected route just left of the cave. Climb the runnels to the roof and pass it with difficulty via the flake crack.

6. Summer Lightning. E1 5b. KT. Start on the left of the buttress. Follow flakes rightwards to the overhang, move left to a rib to finish.

3

7. The Underworld. 6b. BS. A worthwhile left to right traverse of the lower sloping break.

These two routes, along with Touch and Go were established and recorded by Karl Telfer when he lived locally.

Karl recalls doing ’other stuff’ but never recorded it in detail, some of the problems on the crag may have had earlier ascents.

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11

Caller Crag ...

...Cowboy Up!

Caller Crag ...

...The Whipped Cream Wa ll

Cowboy up is a compelling and beautiful line formed such that it flares, overhangs and leans rightward. While the bottom is difficult, the crux is at the top where the hands run out and some precarious footwork is required .

At the time of writing there may have been only one repeat, arguably the most difficult crack in the County.

8

8 10 Cowboy Up!

9

The leaning, flared and rounded crack saves it’s crux to the very end.

8. Cowboy Up! 7a(ish). SB Standing start. Get established in the crack layaway, but predominantly jam to a very precarious exit. The only comfort is, you’re not as high as you think you are.

The wall left of Cowboy Up has some beautiful curves that are exploited by two problems; Raspberries and Cream.

9. Cream. 7a/7a+ . BS. Standing start. Pull into the large pod like hold, and swim to the top. Fantastic! When Cream was first done a small ironstone nodule provided a decent foothold, low down. It didn’t survive and sadly couldn’t be repaired….. It was redone without.

Dan Varian’s sit start weighs in at a mighty 7c!

10. Raspberries. 6c. SB. Tasty, but overshadowed by the quality of it’s neighbours.

Step off the earthy ramp and travers diagonally right to a high junction with Cream.

When Cream was first done an ironstone nodule provided a decent foothold, low down. It didn’t survive and sadly couldn’t be repaired….. It was redone without

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13

Caller Crag ...

...The Little Wall

Caller Crag ...

...The Brea king Wave

Several problems were established on the Breaking Wave section by Bob Smith.

The Elephant’s Arse

All are similar in that they finish with heinous mantles that press out above a sizable rounded overhang.

Steve Blake Mark Savage Photography

13.

Western Roll. (?). BS.

14.

Swiss Roll. (?). BS.

15.

Hyper. 6b . BS. Sit start. Pull up and exit slightly right.

16.

The Elephant’s Arse. 6b+. BS. Sit Start. Climb the crack through the obvious nose to an awkward top out.

To the left of Raspberry's’ is a leaning red wall. Just beyond this is, The Little Wall The Little Wall has two lines on it, both are just right of centre.

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11. Whodunnit? 6c. SB/BS.

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15

12. The Major. 6c BS/SB.

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14

15

Caller Crag ...

23

. ..Rictus Smile

22

21

20

19

Caller Crag ...

...The Altar - Stone

17 18 25 24

17. Slip Slap. 6b+. BS. Sit Start. Palm up the blunt arête.

18. Crescent Moon. 6b+. BS. Sit Start. Using the crescent shaped hold pull up into a diagonal crack then the shoulder.

19. The Rictus Smile. 7a. SB. Sit start under the cleft follow the sinuous break rightwards, finish up the shoulder.

20. Body Blow. 6b . BS. Nice moves. Sit Start. Pull up from holds just above the pot hole brings the horizontal break into reach. (An extension to Rictus Smile also starts here, this increases the grade a bit.)

21. One in the Eye. 6b. BS. Accurate popping is required to hit the slender sloping break.

22. The Sickle. 6b. BS. Sit start. With your left hand in the crack and right hand in a hole/slot, pull up to a small flake and mantle 23. The Druid. 6b. BS. With your right hand fingers in the crack and left hand in a shallow pocket, a hard pull leads to a difficult mantle.

24. The Altar-Stone. 6b+ . BS. Sit start. Start just left of the arête on a small flake. Traverse right on layaways to finish on a flake.

Bob Smith On Rictus Smile Bob Smith Collection

25. The Arete. (?) (?). The arête from a sit start.

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