Isolation: New Routing in Rural Northumberland

By Cameron E. Smith

April 4^th, 2022

While some of the more popular north Northumberland crags attract climbers from Edinburgh and Newcastle, other border crags and areas are often overlooked. These isolated crags contain quality bouldering routes, with many potential first ascents to be discovered.

I was born in Scotland. I grew up in a house with a Scottish postcode but paid English council tax. I went to a Scottish school but couldn’t get free tuition fees at a Scottish University… I went to an English University instead, but received a fee waiver because they thought I was Scottish… It is safe to say I have a bit of a nationality identity crisis. But whether I’m technically English or Scottish, one thing’s for sure; I spend all my time exploring Northumberland’s abundance of rock as the Scottish Borders lack any form of boulderable rock!

My passion for climbing started after returning home from University during the summer holidays. The little crags like Berryhill, Goats Crag and Dovehole were walking distance from my summer work and the grandparents, so I’d head outdoors as much as I could. After two months at home, most of the problems at these local crags were all ticked, providing the perfect training ground for an amateur climber like myself. The popular crags such as Bowden Doors, Back Bowden, Kyloe and Shaftoe are known for commuting convenience for climbers from the nearest cities of Newcastle and Edinburgh, as well as containing some of the most sought-after (and difficult!) lines in the county. But I really enjoyed the peace from climbing at the smaller crags, which can deliver both phenomenal routes and bouldering lines, accompanied by beautiful panoramic views of the Cheviot range or over towards the Scottish Borders.

‘Fare Thee Well’ First Ascent. f7c. Photos by Mark Savage.

From this, the idea of the Northumberland Bouldering Volume videos came to life with the intention to promote the seldom-climbed crags of North Northumberland in an entertaining way, as well as simply sharing my “short-arse” beta for some of the more popular crags. These videos are all available on YouTube and feature a combination of rediscovered problems, first ascents, unrecorded crags and the process of tedious projecting. And of course, if you know where to look, there is much more ‘new’ rock to be climbed. As my years of climbing experience developed I spread my wings and travelled further afield. With no indoor gyms nearby (50 miles to Edinburgh or Newcastle), I’d spend as much time as possible climbing outdoors.

I have a real contradictory mindset into the isolation of living in the rural borders. The videos I create may show it’s idyllic, but living in the middle of nowhere and not particularly seeing anyone while out climbing can be a pretty lonely experience. You don’t realise that climbing is such a social sport until you’re completely alone. Safety-wise, bouldering on your own without a spotter is also very stupid and I’ve had some very close calls and miraculously walked it off when I shouldn’t have. When climbing as a group you share the psyche and your technical expertise with others around you, so naturally problems take longer to figure out when you’re on your own. But on the other hand, when I’m working in York, I crave the peace and isolation I get from the esoteric crags, and it was through the Covid lockdowns that I realised that Northumberland really is a special place.

The first lockdown of 2020 was truly grim. Stuck working from home, family business going under and the biggest heartbreak of them all; no climbing advised by the BMC. The ‘Government-mandated exercise periods’ were the only salvation, which I put towards walking through Hepburn woods, exploring and hunting new lines to be climbed. With so much rock close to home I was, of course, tempted to climb during the lockdown, but I patiently waited and made a log of stuff I found, and then when Lockdown 1 ended, I went about tackling these potential new problems. The whole process of finding, cleaning and climbing new lines completely transformed climbing for me.

The first major change for me was I didn’t really care about aiming for the hardest grade possible. You have absolutely no idea how hard the problem is under the moss and undergrowth, therefore the whole Font grading system becomes irrelevant. It’s just about finding a good line and figuring out how to do it. Climbing outdoors is often said to be problem-solving, and I’ve found this last year that focusing on new routing has taken my technique and route reading to another level.

Of course, some problems I’ve uncovered end up being easier than originally thought, but I don’t get disheartened spending a few cleaning sessions on a problem only to ‘flash’ it on the first climbing session. It’s all a part of the process and completely counter-balanced by other lines which turn out as great physical and mental battles.

The first real battle was a large free standing boulder in Hepburn Woods above the Gruffalo area. I’d attempted this shortly after Lockdown 1, but then realised the slopey top-out was going to be atrocious in the warmer summer weather. I sidelined it, but it was always at the back of my mind. In the meantime I cleaned up a selection of problems near the old quarry below ‘A Northern Soul’. Two free-standing boulders in the undergrowth, aptly named ‘The Twins’ now contain a variety of slab climbs, as well as a difficult overhanging prow. ‘Pair Of Eighters’, around the f7b+ range was certainly my favourite.

I was very lucky to be living close to Hepburn during the third lockdown. This proved a lifeline for me, with winter blues kicking in and psyche low, missing friends and social life. After scaring myself climbing ‘Preparation H’ on my own, I decided to scale my climbing back a bit, and went into projecting mode again. I went back to the free standing boulder problem above Gruffalo and started attempting it. Oh what a battle... so much forearm skin gone! But there was another issue. Northumberland can have some pretty crappy weather in the winter, and there were many walk-ins with three bouldering pads to find a damp or snow covered top-out. Never a day wasted in Hepburn though, as I just continued into the forest and looked for more boulders! Or if it was still, I captured some aerial photography of the forest.

The Hepburn Picnic area from above, New Year’s Day 2021

During a winter weather window in February, I was finally able to finish off this stunning boulder. The final tally was 9 sessions attempting this boulder. I named this ‘Fare Thee Well’, after Mark Knopfler’s county song, and graded this at the f7c (/+).

In those snowy wet winter days I had also uncovered ‘The Wave’, a large overhanging bulging block below the rift area. This was perfectly concealed in the forest, covered in moss and the remains of a fallen tree. After many days of cleaning I uncovered bullet hard sandstone and the perfect combination of minimal chicken heads and slopers… the closest feeling I’m going to get to Fontainebleau this year. With the sacrifice of even more forearm skin, ‘The Wave’ has provided some great additions to Hepburn forest.

With the summer heat, sloper friction is at an all time low for the harder Hepburn projects, so I’ve moved onto cleaning other lines in the forest. No matter the grade, I just thoroughly enjoy uncovering a bloc, cleaning it up and sharing it with others. When cleaning and climbing alone during this tiring and tenuous lockdown period I’ve strangely felt quite at one with the scenery around me. Cleaning up quality lines must have the same satisfaction as to discovering stone carvings. Brushing the moss off what looks like a blank face, and then discovering a perfect mono pocket or a chicken head. You realise that you’re very insignificant, that these County crags have seen human use for a very long time. You think about the rock formations around you, how many thousands of years it took to create them, and what the chances actually were of them being naturally shaped like animals or objects that we commonly use in everyday life. You get a different perspective of ‘respecting the rock’.

Before shot of ‘The Wave’. Cleaning begins.

After shot of ‘The Wave’. Looking much cleaner and climbable! [ED.]

The lockdowns have proved how much we need our countryside for mental and physical health, and I honestly can’t think of a better place to be than in Northumberland; a hidden gem to many in the country, with plenty of spaces to explore. Let’s hope the honeypot spots aren’t too overwhelmed by the tourists this summer...

It’s fantastic that we still continuously see new climbing areas and blocs being discovered, or for some of the veterans of Northumberland scene, re-discovered. Crags that were once ‘under the radar’ or omitted from the guidebook can’t be hidden from development forever, as any keen climber roaming on Google Maps will eventually spot them! If you know where to look, you’ll find new rock and new lines. Get out and explore.