A Taste of the
Peak District
Peak District, Derbyshire climbing, bouldering venues, Harboro Rocks, near Wirksworth and Carsington Reservoir …
Harboro Rocks.
Harboro Rocks. This small crag is situated about 10 mins drive
from the centre of Wirksworth and is next to the High Peak Trail overlooking
Carsington Reservoir. The rocks are on private land but there are no known
access problems. Please remove
your rubbish in order to maintain the goodwill of the local farmer whose
sheep graze the area.
The rock at Harboro is dolomitic limestone with plenty of pockets and flakes. It tends to be rather friable so be warned - it is more so after the winter or spells of wet weather. The majority of climbing there is either top roped or bouldering. It is a favoured venue for taking family groups or groups of novices owing to the ease with which top ropes can be set up (slings round huge spikes). There are boulder problems of all grades though many of these are becoming very polished, especially on the easier walls. You can give your fingers and arms a good work out - there are plenty of overhanging problems. The cave has provided evidence of ancient settlement going back to the bronze age and nowadays provides shelter if caught out in the rain. Please do not be antisocial by using it as a toilet. It is possible to escape the crowds by heading to some of the areas round the back but more holds tend to fall off and the nettles have huge teeth. There is a constant noise from the local factory but after a while you don't really notice it.
The image to the right is of the trident area, the tallest section at Harboro.
I cannot think of any really classic problems, some of the best are traverses
that you can make up yourself. Try getting from the cave to the small brick
building (or beyond) in one go, but mind that you don't knock it down!
Have fun! The image below is of the lower tier walls.
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