The Balcony

Character

A small crag hidden in the trees opposite to the Triglyph Buttress at Stoney Middleton. Although hidden by trees, it offers a handful of short routes on good quarried rock. Facing east it gets very little sunlight and can be damp during humid weather or after rain. Discoverd by Nick Taylor and routes 1-10 climbed by Nick and John Allen (what’s he done on grit?). Second batch by G Gibson

Approach

From the parking spot of Darlton Quarry, follow the track up into the quarry i.e. up the track and over the barrier to the left. Do not turn into the quarry but follow the left-hand side of the quarry past the quarry buildings and downwards to an obvious sign depicting a public path then going up into the trees to the right. Follow this for 20m before ascending the slope directly - can be slipper - until the walls can be seen. If followed, this track brings up to an overlook into Goddards Quarry

1. Mere Pseud Mag. Ed(5)
Climb a short wall to a ledge then continue over an overlap and right to the lower off.

2. Prole Art Threat (6a+)
Gain the ledge from the right then climb the fingery wall above direct.

3. Corsican Bolt Route (6a) ★
The right-hand arête has nice moves.

4. Flat of Angles (6b)
The short arête to the right of the chimney moving right to the lower off.

5. League of Bald Headed Men (6a)
The cracked wall just right. Moving into previous route makes a 5+.

6. Bremen Nacht (6a)
short crack and arête above on wall to right.

7. Tempo House (6b) ★
bouldery start then nice wall.

8. Blindness (6c)
difficult crack and steep wall. Moves left onto hollow fin then back right to lower off.

9. Fiery Jack (6b+)
through overlap, tricky wall to disappointing holds in top break. Hard move left to lower off.

10. The NWRA (6a+) ★
through gap in the bulge, step left and blunt arête. Good rock.

The upper right-hand wall has seven pleasant but short face climbs:

1. Richard (4)

2. Of (5+)

3. York (5)

4. Gave (5)

5. Battle (5+)

6. In (6a)

7. Vain (6a)