Rock Climbing

The region’s mountains and hills provide a range of natural features to test even the most experienced climber, whilst quarrying from the area’s industrial past has created numerous more rocky places to test you.

The Lake District is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern climbing with the ascent of Nape’s Needle on Great Gable in 1886. Climbs in Cumbria range from easy-access roadside crags in Borrowdale to remote cliffs flanking the highest peaks of Scafell and Pillar.

Great End, near Ullswater, and Helvellyn’s eastern corries are the most reliable winter climbing sites south of the border, both containing numerous ascents.

Trowbarrow Quarry, near Silverdale, with cliff faces rising 165 feet, has been used by international rock climbers for several years and includes over 200 routes, some of which are nationally important.

Hoghton Crag, in the West Pennine Moors has over 100 traditional routes and is hugely popular.

The two most important sandstone outcrops in the North of England, Helsby Hill and Woodhouse Hill at Frodsham in Cheshire, are also real favourites with ‘crag rats’.