| Trips - Yorkshire |
Rob Lillywhite. Tel (home): 01926 499882. Email: trips@warwickclimbingclub.co.uk
Manor House Farm Caravan Park, Summerbridge, Harrogate, HG3 4JS. Tel: 01423 780322 / 07723 324504.
The campsite is set in terraced woodland, close to River Nidd, adjacent to the Nidderdale Way. There is no shop on site but the toilet block has a bath !! and showers. Summer Bridge is close by with all amenities. Cost is 8 pounds per person per night.
There are two pubs within a short distance. The Royal Oak is a mile, across stepping stones in the river (that will be fun on the way home ....) then along old railway track, good food and beer but relatively expensive. The Flying Dutchman has CHEAP BEER! Food is cheaper and less adventurous, chips with everything though you can get spuds with some things. No salads on the menu. About 1.5 miles walk but the road has no footpath and is twisty.
The campsite is situated on the B6165 between Ripley and Summer Bridge, north west of Harrogate. Take the M1 north and go through Leeds onto the A660 to Otley then the B6451 (fantastic road) to Summerbridge or the A1 north to Wetherby and then the A661 to Harrogate, A59, A61 to Ripley. Distance from Warwick is 154 miles. Map.
The nearest climbing is on gritstone. However be warned, the grades bear no resemblence to the Peak District, so it's best to start two grades lower than you normally would. The term 'sandbagging' was invented in Yorshire. The nearest climbing to the campsite is:
Brimham Rocks. A collection of wierdly shaped lumps of rock situated around a car park, cafe and toilet block. Again beware the grades are supposedly hard or is it that everywhere else is easy? Home of well over 200 climbs of all grades.
Almscliff Crag - The best gritstone crag? A 2 tier hill top crag consisting of best quality grit, quick drying and some say undergraded, quality climbs. Highlights include Fluted Columns Vdiff 3 star, Square Chimney & Whiskey Crack MVS 4b 3 star, Great Western HVS 5a 4 star and Z Climb Eliminate E1 5b 3 star.
Caley (Otley Chevin) - Located miles East of Otley on the A660, 5 mins walk from the car.The majority of the climbs are VS and above upto 15 metres long. Plus the best part is you can call into the Sun Inn on the way home (on the B6451 near Bland Hill)
Cow and Calf at Ilkley - Natural and quarried gritstone on the hill above this picturesque town. Again only a short (200metre) walk from the car park. Apparently Ilkley is a good place for the begineer which I guess means its just not quite as hard as everywhere else!
Hetchell - This unique crag is gritstone but the rock is more akin to sandstone. The climbing is of a serious nature, mainly solos or top rope. Its mentiond here because JohnB was brought up 1 mile away!
GuidebooksYorkshire Gritstone - Dave Musgrove (YMC 1999) Yorkshire Limestone - Dave Musgrove (YMC 1992) Northern Limestone - Rockfax (2004) |
MapsOS Explorer 104 - Leeds and Bradford OS Explorer 99 - Northallerton and Ripon |