New Sport Routes
New Routes Added
New routes have continued to be added in the Yorkshire Dales (Giggleswick South) and in The Peak District (Horseshoe Quarry and Harper Hill Quarry). Colehill Quarry near Matlock which was the scene for the development of some 20 sports routes just over a year ago is still closed for climbers.
On Clwyd limestone Gary Gibson has developed another small wall of good quality limestone beyond Compact Wall. I have yet to visit the D M Walls but there are at least a dozen routes in the grade range 5 to 6a+. Details are on his website http://www.sportclimbs.co.uk If its like the Compact Walls it could be a good winter venue, gets the sun for a good part of the day.
Whilst not new routes as such there has been a lot of activity in the Lower Wye Valley (Wintour's Leap area). Since 2005 much vegitation and loose rock has been removed from the GO WALL and the new guide should see some increase in traffic for many routes.The new CC guide which is now available is a very well produced guidebook, thanks to the work put in by editor John Willson and with artwork by Don Sargeant - some excellent pictures. Whilst some un necessary fixed gear has been removed at Wintour's Leap some of the sports routes at other venues have been recleaned re bolted (Ban -y-gor Rocks).
Further afield excellent new routes continue to be added in the Austrian Wilder Kaiser - google "Aqua, Wilder Kaiser" for an example, and look at other links to sites covering this area and the new routes on generally very sound limestone . Photo of an older, but classic line, on this page is the crux pitch on the Dulfer on the W. Face of the Totenkirchl
