Character
Unknown climber on the classic 6b, Stand Out arête
An open and exposed face known to the locals as the Sphinx, this impressive buttress is easily seen to the right of the horseshoe bend when travelling from the parking area of Horseshoe Quarry towards Stoney Middleton. It gives a handful of routes with ease of access, ideal for a summer’s evening.
Approaches
Low Carbon options
The nearest railway station is Grindleford which is 6.6km away or 24 mins by bike from the crag.
Leave the station and turn right (south) on Station Road. After 500m join the B6521 (New Road). Cross over the Derwent river and carry on through Grindleford. Follow this road for about 2.5km past a parking area on the right. Take the next right, about 200m past the parking area, into Eyam. Follow the main road, The Dale (B6521) south out of Eyam to the A623. Turn R here and follow the main road to sharp RH bend. Take the first left, Farnsley Lane. Pass more laybys and hop over the fence and follow the path into meadows. The crag is visible and off to the left.
The Eyam to Stoney Middleton bus service stops on the A623 where it meets The Dale. To reach the wall carry on up the A623 for about 800m to the sharp bend and follow the description above.
Check bus services and times for Stoney Middleton.
By car
There is one small lay-by right on the crown of the bend on the right-hand side of the road when coming from Horseshoe Quarry. Otherwise take the right turn before the bend when coming from Horseshoe and park a little way up on the left (as for Darlton 2). From the first parking spot walk up the slope, hop over the fence and the crag is up and to the left. You can also approach as for Darlton 2 veering left on the path instead of right. The crag is very visible.
Aspect
The crag is very open, with one south face and one west face, and gets the sun almost all day long but can be breezy due to its open aspect. The rock is good and in an exposed position.
Access
As with all quarries, access is forbidden. Please be discrete and if asked to leave do so quietly.