Bouldering in the North York Moors is like a brilliant vacation from busyness, whether that is from the city or a packed bouldering spot.

There is a lot of great climbing on excellent quality rock that also happens to be surrounded by beautiful settings. What more could you ask for?

Northeast of Leeds lies the North York Moors National Park which aside from being wild and beautiful, is also home to countless crags and endless boulder problems. From upland heather moors to seaside boulders the park is a wonderland for the average tourist but an endless collection of problems for the boulderer.

About four hours from London and 2 hours from Manchester, North York Moors is easily accessible for a weekend jaunt.

The grading in the area is a mix of Fontainbleu and Hueco ratings so you will see both V and F rated climbs on the same crag. It all depends on who put up the route and how they graded it. Having a conversion chart on your phone isn't a bad idea if you are used to one grading system.

Area Highlights

Ravenswick

Just to the south of the park, you will find an old quarry that has been developed for climbing. This is one of the few limestone bouldering areas in North York Moors (which we’re a particular fan of!). From pockets and horizontal seams, to sharp corners and side pulls, there is a lot of variety typical of a limestone crag.

In wet conditions it tends to dry quickly. Unlike sandstone, you aren't likely to damage the rock if you climb when wet, but limestone becomes as slippery as ice in rain so approach with caution if the weather isn’t on your side. You may find popular problems become polished, leading to effective sandbagging, as the route may be much harder than it was for the first ascent.

The Black and White Wall boasts a good number of problems from easy to hard, with the highest density around Font 6a-7b.

Wainstones

Located about three miles south of Great Broughton, the Wainstones boast a collection of boulders on a ridge overlooking pass. This can make it rather windy, but quick to dry when wet and a perfect setting on warm days. This almost rules it out as a winter destination unless you are a glutton for punishment.

The rock is hard sandstone which gives good friction and doesn't weaken as much as soft sandstone when wet. The approach is about 30 minutes making for a nice warm up. Lots of problems are available to attempt from V0- to V11.

Captain Cook

Just a little to the east of the village of Easby, Captain Cook is a collection of natural crags and quarries in a small area, giving you a lot of bouldering and a very little walking. Combine these factors with Right Little Potters Quarry, a wall that boasts loads of easy climbs, and you have a perfect place to bring new outdoor climbers from your gym.

This hard sandstone crag generally drys quickly after rain, but there are some spots that stay perpetually damp.

Duck Boulders

Right in the heart of the park near Low Mill, Duck Boulders has over a hundred problems ranging from VB to V10. The approach is an easy 20-minute trek and the rock generally dries pretty quickly. This is another hard sandstone area so the rock should be given a couple of days to dry after rain but doesn't crumble when wet.

There are balancing slab problems as well as steep face climbing and tricky aretes, making it a great place to work your skills and styles. Exploring around the hillside you will find many boulders, so if one doesn't suit another is only a few steps away.

Ingleby Boulders

If you are looking for lots of climbing and few people then be prepared to walk a little longer. Ingleby Boulders are south of Easby with a 45-minute approach, many problems to attempt and beautiful sandstone. Boulders dot the hillside and forest, requiring a bit of exploration and walking to move between the problems.

Due to the length of the approach you will most likely have the area all to yourself. If you are looking for even more climbing then make a day of it and check out Ingleby Incline which is only about a kilometre to the northeast from the boulders.

Smugglers Terrace / Stoupe Brow

If you are ready to leave the moors for a seaside romp then Smuggler's Terrace and Stoupe Brow are an ideal spot to head to. Located close to the village of Ravenscar, Smuggler's Terrace has a selection of moderate boulder problems up to Font 7c. The approach is only a few minutes from town but you may have to scramble a bit to get down. Being so close to the village you can easily head to the pub if some afternoon rain rolls in off the Channel.

A few kilometres north you will find Stoupe Brow up on the high ground with a nice view of Robin Hood's Bay. The routes here go a little harder with problems up to Font 8a. The approach is pretty short as well, making it easy to hit both locations on the same trip.

Between the two areas there are over a hundred problems so if the grades are in your range it would be a fun location to spend so time.

Fairy Cross Boulders / Finkelstones

This is another collection of areas we have paired due to their close proximity to each other. Southeast of Ainthorpe, this group of boulders will give some exciting climbing in the heart of the moors.

The Finkelstones has more problems but you will pass the Fairy Cross Boulders on the way so it is worth the stop if you can climb up to Font 6c. This area has room for a number of new problems. If you want to get in the guidebook as a first ascentionist then a bit of exploring might be in order.

Once you have finished with the Fairy Cross Boulders continue on to Finkelstones. There are a number of boulders atop a hill so they will dry quicker due to the breeze. Problems from Font 4-7a are currently listed so there is something for all but strongest climbers. 

Special considerations when climbing on Sandstone

Most of the climbing in North York Moors is on Sandstone. It is known for great friction, unique features and brilliant climbing.

Sandstone comes in both hard and soft varieties, but both are easily damaged when they are wet. The water soaks into the rock and makes it weaker leading to holds breaking and texture flaking off. On soft sandstone this can lead to severe erosion if the outer crust is broken away.

Try to only climb on dry rock. This means waiting a couple days after it has rained in most cases. Check with the locals to find out about the drying times of specific crags.

Use a matt or towel to clean off your shoes before each climb to reduce abrasive wear on the rock.

If you are going to brush holds only use a brush with long soft bristles. Excessive brushing with a stiff brush can damage the rock.

Minimise the use of loose chalk. Use a chalk ball or liquid chalk to minimise the chalk build-up.

Logistics

When should I go?

Any time it is dry is good climb weather but can get pretty buggy in the height of summer. The more exposed areas can be nice in the summer due to the breeze while the more sheltered areas in the forest or quarries will be more enjoyable to climb in the cold.

Since this is a coastal area be prepared for rain as weather can change quickly along the water.

Which guide should I buy?

North York Moors and East Coast Bouldering covers 47 areas with over 2000 problems. The book is laid out with maps, colour photos and topos of the boulder problems. It makes it easy for you find what you are looking for and has everything you need to plan a trip to the area.

For a general guide for the area, there is Rockfax's North England guide which is written by the aptly named Chris Craggs. It has both roped climbing and bouldering, and covers the highlights of Yorkshire, North York Moors and Northumberland.

Or if you’re looking for a summary guide of the best crags in the North, Northern Rock by Wired Guides, released in 2022, is well worth a try. It covers 3500 routes across traditional climbing, sport climbing and bouldering in Yorkshire (grit and limestone), Northumberland, Lancashire and the North York Moors.

Handy URLs

UKClimbing: Look up North Yorkshire climbing to see the shear number of crags in close proximity to each other. Many of the problems are listed along with the grade but often don't have details of the problems so the guidebook would still be handy once you are at the crag. There is a lot of climbing but it is accessed on quiet backroads. Being able to zoom in on the map and then open it in Google Maps for driving directions can really help with finding some of the crags.

How do I get there?

If you are driving then just enter North York Moors into Google Maps and be on your way. Using the UkClimbing.com maps are useful in this way as they have a function so you can open in Google Maps for driving directions.

If you are flying in then Leeds in the closest city with an international airport. From there it is a one to two hour drive depending on what part of the park you are heading into.