when the sun`s high and the leaves are green

Romance
in the
Stone
when the sun’s high and the leaves are green, climbing in northern england isn’t all about seeking
shade on steep limestone or heading to the mountain crags of the lake district. For the adventurous
climber, summer is also the time to explore the SECRET ARCHITECTURES of moorland gritstone.
Mike Hutton reflects on the Chew valley’s accessible wilderness of the ravenstones
all photography mike hutton
P
erched on the periphery of Saddleworth moor lies a crag for those who
seek solitude and forgotten challenges. The Ravenstones are a hidden
world with routes to suit all abilities and styles, and overlooking one
of the most striking landscapes in Yorkshire. Shrouded in forbidding mist for
most of the winter, by late spring the crag has shed its winter pelt and what’s
revealed may entice you with a lifetime of possible adventures.
In German folklore, Ravenstones are magical lights made from the
undigested eyes of executed criminals. Ravenstones are so named because
they were obtained by ravens that picked out the eyes of corpses hanging
on gallows. According to this lore, Ravenstones emit a light visible only to
their owners, and are used by thieves. For some, the Ravenstones may be
just a winter’s tale. However, the adventurous and the seekers of quietness
will associate them with a magical retreat from the heat of the city on long
summer evenings: the rustle of wind among the heather and cotton grass;
barefoot belaying on top of the famous Trinnacle with a breeze cooling the
toes; and a sprint to the thirst-quenching ales of the Clarence in Greenfield.
Belly Full of Bad Cherries (E6 6c), one of a number of hard modern additions to the Ravenstones
established in recent years, proving there is still potential for new routes in the Peak District, Britain’s most intensively developed climbing area.
this page: Pete Whittaker on the first ascent of
34
w w w. c l i m b m ag a z i n e . c o m
j U NE
2012
78011_34-39_RAVENSTONES_Pp.indd 34
25/04/2012 13:21
men
had
wings
If and bore black
feathers,
Few of them would be
clever enough to be crows.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)
35
w w w. c l i m b m ag a z i n e . c o m
j u n e
78011_34-39_RAVENSTONES_Pp.indd 35
2 0 1 2
25/04/2012 13:22
Rumour has it the first routes were climbed back in the early 1900s by members of
the Rucksack Club. The Trinnacle Chimney (now a descent route) was popular, but the
gloomy north facing aspect of the crag and the fact it was miles on foot for most climbers
at that time didn’t exactly draw in the crowds. The Chew was a hard place to climb in:
you could die of exposure in sight of the smoke of Manchester and Sheffield. And being
stranded after dark in the middle of the Saddleworth moors after a day’s climbing was
not to be recommended after the monstrosities that occurred here in the recent past.
Saddleworth moor lays claim to some of the most brutal murders ever. It has been said
that the cries of slain children can still to this day be heard if one ventures out on the
moors on a still night. The legendary Dougie Hall did just that, and got himself arrested
during the big hunt for the moors murderers. Apparently his nocturnal wanderings
whilst searching for new routes brought him rather too close to a recent murder scene,
which was still under surveillance. His new route at nearby Upperwood quarry was
appropriately named Alibi after he had to explain his suspicious movements to the police.
George Bower was an early pioneer, and one of the lucky ones. Whilst walking back
home to Holmfirth in a terribly bedraggled state, a limo drew up and an object was thrust
into his palm. ‘This should get you home, young man’, shouted the gentrified voice. As
the dust cleared his spirits soon rose, as he was now the owner of a shilling, enough to
pay for the bus home and a bag of chips.
Ted the hard man was not so lucky. On an early dual speed ascent of the Trinnacle he
accused Don Whillans of being soft for using a top rope. Ten meters up, Ted’s fourteen
year-old ropes snapped, causing him to plummet into the gully below in a rather hideous
fashion. He probably didn’t see the funny side when Don pointed out he was actually
quite fortunate, as had it happened a fortnight earlier when he was on Gimmer Crag in
the Lake District then he may not have picked himself up at all!
As you leave the thick haze of east Manchester’s skyscrapers behind, a new world
appears. The loom weaver’s 17th century cottages of Greenfield mark the gateway to
a hidden valley. That is certainly the case for the crag, as it cannot be viewed in detail
directly from any road. Only a good old-fashioned uphill slog gains access to this massif
of pinnacles and wacky features that have fascinated climbers for over a decade. At the
Greenfield reservoir, the path steepens and the drunken chavs and their summer barbecues
can venture no further, thankfully: from here only the open-minded and able-bodied will
quest on upwards. Many of us will be distracted by the shockingly exposed highball arête
project on Warp Factor buttress above the approach path, but few of us will be talented
enough to attempt what maybe the last great problem at Ravenstones. Your vision is soon
dominated by the aesthetic three-headed Trinnacle rock formation. Rising some 60 feet
on its longest side here is where the fun starts. The Left Monolith (VS 4b) is rather like
a micro alpine route. As you make your first steps off the most idyllic of bivi ledges, you
very soon become aware of the increasing exposure and delightful views of the reservoir
far below. Progressing on just enough holds and the minimum of gear brings you all too
suddenly to one of the Chew’s best viewpoints.
The looming Trinnacle East (HVS 5a) is not for the faint hearted. The rock is green
and granular, but persist with the gear and daunting loose flake and you will be rewarded
all the way to the summit. If the gloomy east faces are not your cup of tea then Trinnacle
West (E1 5b) has one of the buttresses’ finest offerings. Totally in your face, this devil of
a crack has spat out many a competent leader. The holds are not as they appear and the
top is far too rounded for most tastes. Procrastination will almost certainly land you back
where you started. The Ravenstones takes no prisoners, but persistence and a positive
attitude will ensure success on some of moorland grit’s most abrasive challenges.
If you’ve made it this far and not succumbed to bathing in the tantalizing reservoir
below then perhaps you’re made of sturdier stuff and ready to progress. True Grit (E3 5c)
is most certainly one of the finest offerings in the immediate region, yet receives relatively
little attention for a route with such a fitting name. Wild moves on pristine rock with
more exposure than you can handle ensure no disappointment, unless like me you leave
the mandatory large cams at home. Given the lack of gear in 1981 when John Smith and
Tony Howard nailed the first ascent, this was a significant achievement.
You may have to accept that aborted attempts are all part and parcel of the
Ravenstones climbing experience here. Welcome to Greenfield, Gateway to The Valley
(E3 5c) and Stranger Than Friction (E3 5c) to name but a few probably weren’t a
pushover for the early pioneers like Tony Howard, Ian Carr and Chris Hardy. My advice
to those that venture this way is to get spanked gracefully and learn to love this monolith
of pebbly madness for what it truly is.
this page: Paul Fleuriot on the elegant slender pillar of
The Left Monolith (VS 4c) - one of the best climbs of its grade in the Peak District.
36
w w w. c l i m b m ag a z i n e . c o m
J U NE
2012
78011_34-39_RAVENSTONES_Pp.indd 36
25/04/2012 13:22
rtant appointment back home.
downhill fashion and make an impo
game on. Dangling from my
After a few goes on the rope, it was
the drama that lay ahead, I saw that
of
on
photographer’s rope in anticipati
would
was that in the event of a fall, Pete
Bailles was tied to the ledge. The idea
the
into
k
smac
ly
mere
ld
wou
nfield, but
not go clattering down the hill to Gree
Pete
As
car).
the
in
left
been
had
they
as
ledge (the one with no boulder pads
gear
and rounded green ripples, the only
pulled on a series of scrittly pebbles
the
and
hold
nona
a whacky stretch for
soon became redundant. He made
he
e research the guide was wrong and
som
after
out
ed
turn
It
job was done.
lst on
Pete
Whi
age.
nd.
Coll
n
grou
the
ntai
Mou
with
r
k
unte
Blac
to
enco
er start
On a later trip I nearly had a close
had done a new, independent, hard
E1’s
the hardest line on the
h has to be one of the most exposed
er Picture and at E7 6c it ranks as
Bigg
The
it
d
tene
a solo ascent of Pulpit Ridge, whic
chris
k.
brea
hing
finis
the
ed
had repeated Tom
he
I just about latch
as within minutes
in the universe, my foot popped and
crag. There was no stopping the lad
I
ht,
heig
s
third
two(E5 6b). Pete had
at
rs
k
Moo
brea
al
The
h horizont
classic Ove r
Planting myself into the body widt
De Gay’s direct E7 6b finish to the
ement. The
mov
speed descent
ard
new
upw
a
of
set
kind
had
I
any
and
ng
bike
riski
e a first and second ascent, and my
was able to compose myself before
mad
el
grov
or
fall,
nd
the cave and risk a grou
the car.
options weren’t great: reverse from
record from the top of the crag to
n to
exit appeared. The latter
ard
upw
of
sort
time Pete Whittaker on board agai
e
this
som
till
ned,
es
retur
metr
I
rightwards for 45
A few months later
ned
the
plan
’t
up
g
hadn
eyin
I
r
e.
mbe
rienc
reme
expe
I
.
able
rgett
last hard lines
was chosen and turned out be an unfo
hoover up what might be one of the
the
sensible way
re
only
whe
g
the
ed
derin
won
seem
it
and
but
6b)
nes,
(E6
nsto
Pose
on getting this intimate with Rave
terrifying arête line of No Time to
lar, and
Dougie Hall back in
situation. The journey was spectacu
be. The route was first climbed by
t
migh
s
hold
or
to direct myself from an awkward
gear
the
done
at nearby
had
I
ver
disco
lines, and later
ous tendon injury he had incurred
I was able to scour the wall for new
1987 whilst recovering from a hide
grade
midthan
r
!
othe
erse
hing
Trav
anyt
Stom ach
e of climbing
appropriately named Ravenstones
Raven Tor, rendering him incapabl
the roof
wide boys Pete
sed
the
cros
ly
meet
to
osed
ed
supp
agre
h
had
whic
I
.
ect
back
’s proj
A year later and the boys were
gritstone. As I glanced over to Pete
aught.
to pose on this
Adam Bailles for a new routing onsl
lds, I realised there would be no time
o-ho
micr
on
right
Whittaker and his partner in crime
the
to
new
thin
a
d
of the great
vere
one
d
disco
uere
uary morning we’d
the youth had conq
A month previously, on a wet Febr
horror show. After a few spicy falls
had
Pete
6b).
ipation of his
(E7
antic
in
age
6c)
Coll
n
(E6
ntai
rries
k Mou
Bad Che
line to the right of Andy Popp’s Blac
last lines and named it Belly Full of
ent.
usem
bem
our
to
h
muc
le
insisted on working it in the drizz
trip to the states.
n the
ts were high, and the crisp spring
be for you, but as you stagger dow
Today things were very different: spiri
The Ravenstones may or may not
in
cle
earth,
vehi
on
pe
grit
esca
hest
y
roug
trust
e armed with my
s scored from the
air was filled with optimism. I cam
hillside, boots full of heather and hand
I
n
y.
whe
hurr
a
so
in
et
crag
the
forg
’t
to
up
won
it
you
drag
was to
had a day
the form of an old bike. The plan
one thing’s for sure: you’ve probably
dramatic
very
a
in
ship
don
aban
d
coul
I
had snapped the moments of glory
t creation
g the first ascent of his bold and brillian
this page : Pete Whittaker makin
The Bigger Picture (E7 6c), currently
s.
the hardest route at the Ravenstone
37
w w w. c l i m b m ag a z i n e . c o m
j u n e
78011_34-39_RAVENSTONES_Pp.indd 37
2 0 1 2
25/04/2012 13:23
German folklore,
Ravenstones are
In
magical lights made
from the
of
38
undigested eyes
executed criminals
w w w. c l i m b m ag a z i n e . c o m
MA Y
2011
78011_34-39_RAVENSTONES_Pp.indd 38
25/04/2012 13:23
Season
Most of the walls are north facing and green
for many months of the year, or after prolonged
rain. The best months for climbing here are May
to September. However a small portion of the
buttresses face west and can be enjoyed earlier or
later in the year when the rest are unclimbable.
Guidebook
Food and Drink
The new BMC definitive guide – Over the
Moors by Martin Kocsis is due out this spring.
Rockfax’s Western Grit by Chris Craggs describes
most of the routes. The classic BMC On Peak
Rock also contains a selection of the best routes.
The Clarence Pub down the road in
Greenfield serves fine thirst-quenching real ales.
The Greenfield Bakery is a truly remarkable
experience of the local tradition known as ‘pie
frenzy’, and shouldn’t be missed.
GEAR
Further information
A standard UK trad rack with double sets of
wires and cams plus a single (or double) ropes will
be sufficient, plus a large cam or two for the wider
crack and horizontal breaks.
See the following website for further details of
the climbing at Ravenstones and other crags in
the Chew Valley: chewvalley.bravehost.com/leading/
ravenstones/ravenstones.html
facing page: Matt Thompson on Trinnacle East (HVS 5a), one of the all-time classics of the Ravenstones. tHIS PAGE Top: The Ravenstones catching the last of the evening sun - the perfect time to be climbing your
last route of the day! centre left: Anita Grey climbing the delightful wrinkled rock on Gray’s Wall (HS 4b). centre right: The signature stone of the Ravenstones - the Trinnacle. lower: Early morning mist clears
over the Dovestones Reservoir beneath the Ravenstones.
39
w w w. c l i m b m ag a z i n e . c o m
j u n e
78011_34-39_RAVENSTONES_Pp.indd 39
2 0 1 2
25/04/2012 13:33