New Routes – Forest of Dean

Note: New routes have been submitted by climbers, many non CC members. They have not been verified by the CC and descriptions may be misleading or inaccurate. Climbers use the information and climb at their own risk.

Routes are listed in chronological order of submission.

Submitted by : Cailean Harker
Area : Symonds Yat
Crag : Spion Kop, Central Tower
Date of ascent : 09/06/2012
Route name : Hole Lotta Love
Length/grade/stars : 28m, E8 6c, 2
Climbers : Cailean Harker
Start location:

Pitch descriptions:
The direct start to The Power of Love. Climb the blank wall on the left of the central tower to join The Power of Love at half height. Some hard climbing protected by unconventional gear is the meat of the route.

Additional info:
Climbed after toprope practice. The gear used was a hand places bolt on the lead. One boulder pad used. No known repeats.

Submitted by : Jamie Tew
Area : Symonds Yat
Crag : Staple Edge Quarry
Date of ascent : 17/07/2013
Route name : Finger Popping Good
Length/grade/stars : HS 4B
Climbers : Jamie Tew
Start location:
Start 2 meters to the right of “And No Birds Do Sing” at the crack.

Pitch descriptions:
1 pitch of 19 meters. Follow the easy crack upwards to described as an interesting short almost chimney. After climbing past the chimney, carefully climb over what feels like loose earth to a tree belay point to the right.

Additional info:
On sight lead, by Jamie Tew. Has been seconded by Ryan Lewis, Dan Wilbraham and Thomas Stone.

Submitted by : Jamie Tew
Area : Symonds Yat
Crag : Staple Edge Quarry
Date of ascent : 24/07/2013
Route name : Finger Popping Bad
Length/grade/stars : 4 meters E2 5c
Climbers : Jamie Tew
Start location:
Carry on from “Finger Popping Good” up the slab behind the belay tree.

Pitch descriptions:
4 meters. Carrying on from “Finger Popping Good” head up and left to the highest tree, and put a thread around this as it is the only protection on this climb. Carry on to the left and use small edges and the arête out to the left to reach the belay point

Additional info:
Instu rope to use as a belay point at the top. Onsite lead by Jamie Tew, seconded by Thomas Stone

Submitted by : Sam Clarke
Area : Symonds Yat
Crag : Haresfield Quarry
Date of ascent : 31 Jul 2013
Route name : Corner Crack
Length/grade/stars : 6m
Climbers : Sam Clarke, Martin Taylor
Start location:
The obvious corner crack to the left of ‘Flowstone Wall’, in the Right Hand Bay.

Pitch descriptions:
The obvious corner crack to the left of ‘Flowstone Wall’ can be led at about HS 4c. Start at a niche in the corner and pull yourself around the overhang on good holds (thread) and follow the crack (will take large gear) over another overhang to a tree belaylower off above.

Additional info:
Undoubtedly climbed before as it is an obvious line. Best avoided during nesting season as Jackdaws use the crack for nesting.

Submitted by : Jamie Tew
Crag : Staple Edge Quarry Boulders
Date of ascent : 17/04/2014
Route name : Outer Corner
Length/grade/stars : V0
Climbers : Jamie Tew
Start location:
Following the track to the main crag area of Staple Edge, just past the capped mine shaft enclosed by green fencing is a small exposed area of rock between 2m and 3m high to the left. This climb is to the right end of that rock face, going up outer crack/corner.

Pitch descriptions:
Follow out outer corner and crack to the tree finish.

Additional info:
Onsight boulder by Jamie Tew, second by Thomas Stone.

Submitted by : Jamie Tew
Crag : Staple Edge Quarry Boulders
Date of ascent : 17/04/2014
Route name : Stoney Crispy Corner
Length/grade/stars : V0
Climbers : Thomas Stone
Start location:
1m right of Outer Corner.

Pitch descriptions:
Climb up the middle crack gaining the upper slope for the finish.

Additional info:
Onsight boulder by Thomas Stone, second by Jamie Tew

Submitted by : Jamie Tew
Crag : Staple Edge Quarry Boulders
Date of ascent : 17/04/2014
Route name : 1 Shot Wonder
Length/grade/stars : V0
Climbers : Jamie Tew
Start location:
1m left of Stoney Crispy Corner.

Pitch descriptions:
Use the central large pocket to climb to the same finish as Stoney Crispy Corner.

Additional info:
Onsight Boulder Jamie Tew, second by Thomas Stone

Submitted by: Matt Hammersley
Crag: Huntsham Crag, Bus Stop Boulder
Date of ascent: 20/04/17
Climbers: Matt Hammersley, James Moverley

Return to Sender

Length/grade/stars: 6m HVS 5b

Start location:

The Bus Stop Boulder is a long over looked boulder situated a mere 20 meters away from the bus stop turning circle at the bottom of the hill at Symonds Yat East. It is highly visible from the road and must be the most looked at, yet least climbed, boulder on Huntsham Crags. An evenings cleaning revealed some great short routes in the lower grades.

Pitch descriptions:

Return to Sender takes the right hand arête on the road side wall. Start at the base of the arête, careful not to disapear completely down the old badger set! Pull on on the large bucket hueco hold and the small pebble around the corner, make your way up the arête using the arête itself and some small finger pockets until you can reach the slopey jug hold on the top of the arête, mantel shelf over and grab the top of the boulder and climber over to finish. Walk off the top of the boulder.

Additional info:

Don’t fall down the badger set! You may not be seen again! Good landings and very close to the road! Ideal for those who do not want to walk very far!

Comfortable Place on the Couch

Length/grade/stars: 10m traverse, 6m ascent HVS 5b

Start location:

The route starts at the left hand side of the ‘road side wall’ and traverses rightwards on the large hueco holds to the right hand arête.

Pitch descriptions:

Using the initial large hueco hold traverse on the bucket shaped hueco holds, small pockets and the odd pebble (do not use the long hand traverse ledge above) to reach the arête. Stay low on the initial traverse across the wall until you reach the large Fang Hueco holds towards the right arête, then continue up the arête as per ‘return to sender’ to finish with the mantel shelf and climb over the top of the boulder.

Additional info:

The ‘Bus Stop boulder’ has been over looked for many years, may or probably had had the odd fleeting visit on the ‘Bus Stop Wall’ nothing recorded anywhere and is very green, but the ‘Road Side Wall’ seems to have never been explored, judging by the number of small flakes and pebbles that looked crucial to any ascent, then then detached themselves from the wall when weighted. The depth and age of the ivy, dirt, green colour rock and general debris covering the boulder and the road side wall, would suggest it has never been looked at. There is no recorded routes in any of the proceeding 3 guide books that Huntsham Crag has been in, it doesn’t even make the map in the sandstone outcrops guide, despite being probably one of the most obvious boulders highly visible from the road at the crag. I think, it has been generally over looked on the walk up the tracks to the main crag and boulders. But it provides a good number of short but fun problems, many lower in the grades or of a height that would be a good introduction to the crag and the style of climbing found on the local sandstone.

Place Without a Postcard

Length/grade/stars: 5m HVS 5b

Start location:

Place Without a Postcard – (refers to the often over looked boulder and as pretty much everything else in the area is on a postcard, being roadside, overlooked and a little green, it will never appear on a postcard haha). The route starts 2/3rd along the Road Side Wall on the obvious Fang Hueco holds.

Pitch descriptions:

Climb directly up the scoop on the large Huecos and small pockets to the two side pull holds, step up carefully and pull through to a ledge and then the top with good holds over the lip. Do not fall down the badger set on landing! you may never return! Well place mats will help for the nervous non caver!

Climbers: James Moverley

Yat Snap

Length/grade/stars: 5m HVS 5b+

Start location:

Yat Snap’ starts in the centre of the Road Side Wall to the left of the Hueco holds.

Pitch descriptions:

Step up on good foot holds to a 3 finger pocket out right, reach up for the obvious large white quartz pebble on the small sloping ledge, step up and reach again for the sloping ledge above (not as good as it looks from below) and a pebble filled scoop, pull up carefully without dislodging the pebbles and climb up to the higher sloping ledge, pull up gingerly for the top, good holds over the back of the lip of the climb.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

The End Is Coming

15m MS
29-Jul-2020, Muny Baborovsky and Donna Thompson
One of four new routes on the slabs right of Death Disco, the approximate line of which is included for reference in the attached picture. The End Is Coming. Starts some 5 or 6m left of “The End Game“. The crack near the slab centre is overgrown at the bottom but clear higher up, where it steepens. Some loose rock but good protection.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

The End Is Nigh

15m HS 4b
29-Jul-2020, Donna Thompson and Muny Baborovsky
One of four new routes on the slabs right of Death Disco, the approximate line of which is included for reference in the attached picture. The End Is Nigh. Starts some 2 or 3m left of “The End Game“. Up the centre of the slab, within reach of a silver birch (?) sapling at mid-height. Some loose and suspect rock.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

Postillion

15m HS 4b
10-Aug-2020, Tony Raphael and Muny Baborovsky
One of four new routes on the slabs right of Death Disco and Pony & Trap. Postillion. Starts between two trees, approx. 1m right of “Pony & Trap”. Climb directly up the slab using the right edge & crack only for placing protection. Continue straight up past two horizontal lines of weakness until a traverse L to a corner and two large blocks at the top gives access to the top ledge.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

The End Game

15m VD
10-Aug-2020, Muny Baborovsky and Tony Raphael
One of four new routes on the slabs right of Death Disco, the approximate line of which is included for reference in the attached picture. Start below the diagonal crack on the right. Up from a double-trunk silver birch to the crack, then along the right edge of the slab to the top. Much loose rock.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

Interloper

12m VS 4b
06-Jul-2020, Tony Raphael & Muny Baborovsky
Follow the faint crack line just L of ‘Thank You Laura’ and exit just R of the trees. Poorly protected.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

The Avenue

14m HS 4b
Start halfway between Thank You Laura and Trash, just below a silver birch tree. Climb the slab following a line just to the left of a shattered crack.
M Ward (Solo) 04/Jul/2018.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

The Diagonal

20m HS 4b
15-Sep-2020, Muny Baborovsky & Tony Raphael
R to L rising traverse of the ‘Thank You Laura’ / ‘Trash’ slab. Follow the R edge of the slab for ~4 m, traverse left below small trees and climb up to the bore hole (takes Friend 4.5) on ‘Trash’. Continue up left to above a stout tree and traverse to another tree. Climb a short wide crack for ~2m, then traverse L below a break to yet another tree. Follow ‘Interloper’ to the top. Well protected.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

Probably ‘It’s A Rock Out’

21m VD
03-Sep-2020, Muny Baborovsky & Tony Raphael
Climbed trying to follow the rather vague description on UKC of ‘It’s A Rock Out’. Start some 15m right of ‘No Use Crying’ (no.18 in the 2010 CC guide). Scramble and climb easily to a break in the overlap guarding an upper slab. Gain the upper slab via the break, which is filled with loose blocks. Continue straight up the slab to a small birch tree, then veer off slightly to the right, then step left onto a block and climb the final slab.

Shake mantle Quarry > Lower Lift

Goodbye Lockdown

17m VD
10-Sep-2020, Muny Baborovsky & Donna Thompson
Climbs the left arête of the slab L of ‘Wasted’ (no.22 in the 2010 CC guide). Gain the arête from the L and continue up (some loose rock) until almost level with the top of ‘Death Disco’ (no.23). Climb the block on the R and finish up a steep little wall, just left of a helpful silver birch sapling.