Wildcat Main Crag climbing 18 September 2022

[David Pendlebury]

Wildcat has the best collection of long limestone VS and HVS climbs in the Peak together with many easier routes. Many have two pitches. See Peak Limestone South or Peak Limestone guides.
Please note that access has recently changed.

The nearest public car park is on your right after leaving the centre of Matlock Bath (past the Mining Museum) heading south.
We intend to meet at New Bridge, the southern bridge in the riverside park at 10 am and walk up to the top of the crag. Hopefully, we will set up an abseil rope down Jackdaw Grooves.

Overall Grid Reference: SK296576

Call me if you want more info or need a lift
David

The text below is from the BMC:
Land from the broken wall southwards has recently changed ownership and the approach to Wildcat Main Crag has changed. All climbers must now approach by walking to the top of the crag (path to the left of the broken wall), abseil to the ground and not walk beyond the crag base. This is essential to maintain a good relationship with the new landowner and ensure continued access for climbers.

There is good reasoning behind the new approach. The crag falls within a parcel of land now being used for outdoor education of young people, so the new landowners need to prevent climbers and members of the public from coming into close contact with children on site for child safeguarding purposes. By limiting access only to climbers who will stay in close proximity to the crag, there is sufficient buffer zone between the crag and other areas of the site being used with children.

A new fence has been installed along the line of the old wall to prevent the public walking onto the site. This blocks off the previous approach path, but please do not climb over the fence and instead access the crag from above by abseil. It is imperative that climbers follow this new approach and self-police, as climbing over the fence is very visible to instructors using the river below and will jeopardise future access to the crag. If you see other people trying to climb over the fence, please inform them of the new approach – it is up to us as climbers to make sure we stick to the agreement and keep access open.

Currently four in situ abseil stations exist at the top of Jackdaw Grooves, Lynx, Tut’s Anomalous and Climacteric. It is hoped that additional dedicated abseil lines which don’t interfere with popular routes may be developed in future, but for now these existing abseil stations provide a solution. Once you abseil in, please stay in close proximity to the base of the crag where you will be well away from any children on site.

Due to their close proximity to areas being used by children, access is no longer possible to the four smaller crags south of Wildcat Main Crag (Upper Tor, Mill Tor, Woodbank Tor or Mole Trap Buttress). Other than Upper Tor, these crags have mostly returned to nature through lack of use.

Puma Buttress, Slippery Slabs and New Bridge Buttress are not included and access is still possible to these areas.

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