Blatant Buttress

New Access Restriction

Blatant Buttress - accessing this crag is not recommended following several climbers having been removed with a warning by the Police. The crag is immediately above a live railway line which means that climbing on it involves trespass across the railway itself and this constitues a criminal offence (as opposed to trespass on non-railway land, which is in contrast a civil offence). Future access to Blatant Buttress seems very likely to result in the Police attending if seen and reported by passing trains. This could lead to a criminal conviction and it is strongly recommended to avoid accessing the crag.

Blackwell Halt - is slightly more set back from the railway line and the approach (see below) avoids having to cross the railway line so this crag shouldn’t cause any access issues.

This excellent little face, which has significantly improved over a period of time and traffic, lies just down the railway track from Blackwell Halt, itself lying at the western end of Chee Dale. Its only drawback is the fact that it lies so close to the line itself but since only a small number of quarry trains pass this way on w weekly basis it is hardly of any concern.

Approach

From the Topley Pike upper car park, walk down the hill and onto the railway track at its foot (the approach into Chee Dale). Turn left and through a gate and onto the live railway track. Continue along this for 150m until two obvious white buttresses are reached, the right-hand one with the words ‘Kill Fletcher’ written at the bottom.

Conditions

The walls of these buttresses dry very quickly and face into the sun for most of the day. In the winter and early Spring months the sun dips below the skyline relatively early and makes the crags a cold venue. The walls take little seepage except after long deluges of rain. It can be plagued by Midges in humid weather.