Peak District

Gary Gibson on Bag of Bones, Harpur Hill. Photo: Carl Ryan

Despite current controversies in the Peak District and numerous distractions caused by various climbers of the anti-sports-climbing fraternity, there has been a healthy growth of cliffs supporting sport climbing in the Peak District over the past few years. Such development has not been aimed at reducing the ethics and traditions of British climbing but rather, to the contrary, in providing an arena where climbers in favour of sports-climbing, as well as traditional climbing, can taste the satisfying style of movement on rock without the inherent worries of whether they will hit the ground or not. Inevitably this also helps them push their grade beyond their limit in a European style which many climbers have enjoyed whilst climbing abroad.

All of these cliffs described here are either newly developed or have become neglected due to lack of interest, therefore the arguments against their ‘redevelopment’ as a sport crag do not hold water. Once a cliff has been so developed it is wrong for anti-sport climbers to reclaim the cliff for their own ends by condemning the activists that have preceded their claims.

Of course the arguments can and will go on but the information listed below provides update information on current (BMC) guidebooks, an outline of the cliffs best routes, when is the choice time to go there and whether, sport climber or traditionalist, there is anything left for future development.

If you wish to pass comments on grades or are interested in buying the topo/guidebooks, then please contact me at where I can provide information on cost etc..