UK crags
45 classic UK crags with live conditions, rock and aspect data. This is a growing, community-built database — help us expand it.
Lake District
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Shepherd's Crag
The ever-popular roadside crag of Borrowdale, minutes from the Lodore Falls with views over Derwentwater. Clean volcanic rock gives a dense collection of valley classics at amenable grades, including the much-loved Little Chamonix. Low altitude and a quick approach make it the Lakes' most reliable bad-weather-dodging trad venue.
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Gimmer Crag
The finest crag in Langdale, a clean grey barrel of rock high on the flank of the Langdale Pikes. Perfect rough rhyolite gives sustained, delicate climbing with tremendous exposure, and the south-westerly aspect makes it one of the sunnier mountain crags. Kipling Groove is one of the great HVS pitches of Britain.
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Dow Crag
A great wall of buttresses and gullies above Goat's Water in the Coniston fells, one of the birthplaces of British rock climbing. Long mountain routes on sound, blocky rhyolite, with the multi-pitch classics of the Ordinary and Eliminate routes drawing climbers for over a century. North-easterly aspect keeps it cool and slow to dry.
North Wales
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Dinas Cromlech
The great open book of the Llanberis Pass, its rectangular walls framing Cenotaph Corner, the most famous corner in the world. The concentration of historic hard routes on the two walls is unmatched: Brown, Whillans, Livesey and Fawcett all left their masterpieces here. South-facing and quick to come into condition for a Pass crag.
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Gogarth Main Cliff
The centrepiece of Britain's greatest adventure climbing area, a huge sweep of golden quartzite falling into the Irish Sea below Holyhead Mountain. Long, steep pitches on weird, creaky-looking but generally solid rock, with an atmosphere of commitment that defines 'Gogarth E-grades'. Sea, sun and seabirds all add to the experience.
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Tremadog (Craig Bwlch y Moch)
The famous roadside dolerite crag above the Porthmadog road, blessed with its own dry microclimate in the rain shadow of Snowdonia. Steep, juggy and superbly protected climbing on immaculate rock, from multi-pitch V Diffs to Ron Fawcett's era-defining Strawberries. The traditional wet-weather saviour of North Wales.
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Rainbow Slab Area (Llanberis Slate)
The jewel of the Dinorwig slate quarries: a vast, smooth purple slab rippled by a rainbow-shaped quartz vein. Slate climbing at its purest - tiny edges, perfect friction and serious run-outs - made famous by the 'slateheads' of the 1980s and Johnny Dawes's visionary routes. The industrial amphitheatre setting is like nowhere else in Britain.
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Idwal Slabs
The great grey sweep of slabs above Llyn Idwal in Cwm Idwal, where generations of British climbers have learned their trade. Long, easy-angled padding up water-worn volcanic rock, with the harder walls above holding pre-war test-pieces like Suicide Wall. Drainage lines mean the slabs stay greasy for a while after rain.
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Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
'Cloggy' - the black cliff of Snowdon and the most revered mountain crag in Britain. Huge overlapping slabs and walls of perfect rhyolite hold a roll-call of historic routes from Colton and Brown through to Dawes's Indian Face, the first E9. North-facing and high, it needs a proper dry spell but repays the wait like nowhere else.
Northumberland
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Bowden Doors
The showpiece of Northumberland climbing, a long rampart of immaculate fell sandstone on a moorland crest with views to the Cheviots. Rounded breaks, flared cracks and bold walls demand a distinctive technique, and the county's famously stiff grades keep visitors honest. Exposed to the wind, it dries fast, but the soft sandstone should be spared when damp.
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Kyloe-in-the-Wood
Northumberland's forest bouldering mecca, a line of sculpted sandstone walls hidden among the pines of Kyloe Woods. Crimpy, powerful problems on flawless rock made famous by Malcolm Smith's ferocious test-piece Monk Life. The trees shelter it from wind and rain alike, so it stays climbable in drizzle yet holds greenness after prolonged wet.
Peak District
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Stanage Popular
The most famous stretch of the longest gritstone edge in the Peak, and arguably the busiest crag in Britain. Impeccable natural gritstone with cracks, slabs and rounded breaks at every grade, steeped in climbing history. The classic ticks here form the backbone of most UK trad apprenticeships.
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Stanage Plantation
The connoisseur's sector of Stanage, home to soaring aretes and some of the finest hard gritstone routes and boulder problems anywhere. The boulder field below the edge is a world-class venue in its own right. Catches afternoon sun and dries almost instantly.
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Burbage North & South
Twin gritstone edges lining the pretty Burbage valley just outside Sheffield. The North end is a friendly venue stacked with low and mid-grade cracks, while the South end and its quarries hold fierce test-pieces and a dense concentration of quality bouldering. Quick-drying and a reliable evening venue.
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Froggatt Edge
A beautiful wooded gritstone edge famous for immaculate slab climbing. Home to some of the most photographed pieces of rock in the Peak, from the Pinnacle to the bold padding test-pieces that defined a generation of gritstone slab climbing. Sheltered, quick-drying and pleasant even in winter sun.
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Curbar Edge
Froggatt's burlier neighbour, with taller buttresses, wider cracks and a reputation for stern struggles. The scene of many landmark ascents in gritstone history, from brutal off-widths to bold modern head-points. Faces west for afternoon sun and dries in minutes.
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Millstone Edge
The finest quarried gritstone in the Peak, a series of clean-cut bays above Surprise View with soaring crack lines named after London streets. Once a peg-climbing venue, its blank walls and perfect cracks now give some of the best jamming and boldest wall climbs on grit. Tall by gritstone standards, up to 20m.
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Raven Tor
The most important hard sport crag in Britain: a savagely overhanging wall of pocketed limestone in Miller's Dale. Almost everything here is a piece of climbing history, culminating in Hubble, arguably the world's first 9a. The steepness keeps rain off, but winter seepage streaks can shut down key lines for months.
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High Tor
A magnificent tower of steel-grey limestone rearing above the Derwent gorge at Matlock, and the grandest cliff in the Peak. Long, exposed pitches on generally excellent rock make it the district's premier limestone trad venue. The big wall ambience belies its short approach from the tourist paths.
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The Roaches
The great gritstone escarpment of the Staffordshire moorlands, with two long tiers, the atmospheric Skyline and a wealth of quality bouldering. Rounded, sculpted rock gives everything from friendly V Diffs to fearsome roofs and bold modern slabs. One of the most complete venues on grit.
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Birchen Edge
A friendly, low-lying gritstone edge above the Nelson Monument, long the Peak's favourite beginners' crag. Short, well-protected routes on rounded rock, most with a nautical name in honour of the admiral. An ideal first taste of gritstone leading, and quick to dry after rain.
Pembroke
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Saddle Head
The friendliest headland on the Range East coastline, with easy-angled walls and slabs of clean grey limestone above a non-tidal platform. The go-to Pembroke venue for lower and mid-grade sea-cliff mileage, with abseil approaches that make a gentle introduction to the style. Blue Sky is one of the finest VSs on the coast.
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Stennis Head
A compact, immaculate headland of steep juggy limestone between Saddle Head and Stennis Ford. Sunny, quick-drying and largely non-tidal, it packs a remarkable number of three-star routes into a small space, with the flying groove of Pleasure Dome among the best E3s in Britain. A perfect first taste of steep Pembroke climbing.
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Huntsman's Leap
A dramatic knife-cut zawn slicing into the Range East plateau, so narrow a horseman is said to have leapt it. Sheer, smooth walls give sustained, well-protected wall climbing in an atmospheric slot where the sea booms below. The greatest concentration of quality E-grades in Pembroke, with escape only by climbing out.
Scotland
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Dumbarton Rock
A brooding volcanic plug on the Clyde beneath Dumbarton Castle, and the crucible of Scottish hard climbing. Its glassy basalt boulders bred generations of crimp strength, while the main face holds Dave Cunningham and Dave MacLeod history: Requiem and Rhapsody, the world's first E11. Urban, graffitied and utterly iconic.
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Polldubh Crags (Glen Nevis)
Dozens of sunny schist outcrops scattered up the flank of lower Glen Nevis beneath Ben Nevis. Clean, quick-drying slabs and walls give the best roadside trad climbing in Lochaber, from beginner ridges to technical test-pieces. A traditional saviour when the high mountain crags are out of condition - just bring midge repellent in summer.
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Dunkeld (Craig a Barns)
The schist crags of Craig a Barns rise through the pines above Dunkeld, giving Perthshire's best roadside climbing. Polney Crag offers friendly slabs and grooves, while the steep Upper Cave Crag holds classic hard trad and Scotland's first generation of sport routes. A sheltered, quick-drying inland venue that works when the Highlands are wet.
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Auchinstarry Quarry
A flooded dolerite quarry beside the Forth and Clyde canal at Kilsyth, the central belt's favourite evening crag. Clean-cut cracks, grooves and walls up to 25m rise straight from landscaped paths, giving well-protected trad climbing minutes from Glasgow. The quarry pond and picnic benches lend it a friendly country-park feel.
South West
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Portland - Blacknor
The longest and most popular stretch of sport climbing on the Isle of Portland, a west-facing wall of pocketed limestone above the boulder beach. Sustained vertical wall climbing on sharp, friendly rock with quick drying sea breezes and winter sun. The one-stop venue that made Portland the South's year-round sport destination.
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Cheddar Gorge
Britain's biggest inland limestone gorge, its 100m walls looming over the tourist road through the Mendips. Long, imposing trad routes - headlined by Bonington's Coronation Street - share the gorge with modern sport climbing on the upper tiers. The shady north-facing side is slow to dry but magnificent in summer.
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Avon Gorge
Bristol's urban crag, a great quarried limestone gorge beneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Famous for delicate, polished wall climbing where footwork and nerve count for more than strength, on ledgy walls up to 90m high. A historic trad venue with a unique city-centre atmosphere and quick evening access.
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Haytor
Dartmoor's most famous tor, twin domes of coarse golden granite crowning the open moor above Bovey Tracey. Rounded cracks, slabs and steep walls give the best routes on the moor, with Low Man's hidden north face surprisingly imposing. Superb friction, big views and rapid drying in the moorland wind.
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Bosigran
The greatest of the West Penwith granite sea cliffs, a clean golden face rising 70m from a wild Atlantic zawn. Perfect rough granite gives sustained crack and wall climbing, from the alpine-style scramble of Commando Ridge to the celebrated wall pitches of Suicide Wall. A Cornish climbing pilgrimage in a magnificent setting.
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Sennen
A friendly wall of golden granite above the boulders just north of Sennen Cove, near Land's End. Short, perfectly protected single-pitch routes on rock like a giant's climbing wall, ideal for a first taste of Cornish granite. Sunset sessions above a turquoise sea are the stuff of West Country climbing memories.
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Chudleigh Rocks
Devon's traditional limestone teaching crag, a wooded ridge of walls and buttresses above the Kate Brook valley. Solid, water-worn limestone with generations of polish on the classics, giving technical face and groove climbing at all grades. A sheltered inland alternative when the coast is out of condition.
Southern Sandstone
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Harrison's Rocks
The most famous of the southern sandstone outcrops, a long wooded edge of soft Wealden rock near Groombridge. Generations of south-east climbers, including a young Joe Brown era of Londoners, learned to climb on its rounded walls and cracks. Climbing is strictly top-rope or solo: the fragile rock must never be led on gear or climbed wet.
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Bowles Rocks
A sunny, south-facing sandstone escarpment in the grounds of the Bowles outdoor centre near Eridge. The cleanest and quickest-drying of the southern sandstone crags, with well-maintained faces, cracks and aretes that suit beginners and technicians alike. Like all Wealden sandstone it is soft and must be treated gently and never climbed wet.
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High Rocks
The tallest and most atmospheric of the southern sandstone outcrops, a maze of mossy walls and canyons near Tunbridge Wells. Its shady faces hold the area's most celebrated hard problems and steepest walls, but the sheltered woodland setting means the soft rock stays green and damp for long periods. Strictly top-roping and soloing, and only when bone dry.
Yorkshire
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Almscliff
Yorkshire's most famous gritstone tor, a proud lump of rock on a hilltop between Leeds and Harrogate. Steep cracks, burly roofs and superb bouldering on rock like sandpaper; the traditional testing ground of Yorkshire hard men for over a century. Exposed to every wind, it dries almost as soon as the rain stops.
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Malham Cove
A vast curving amphitheatre of white limestone and the greatest sport crag in Britain. The sun-trap Catwalk gives world-class routes from 6a to Rainman, the UK's first 9b, and the central wall is pure sport climbing theatre. Seepage after wet spells can plague the harder routes, but the cove takes little rain itself.
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Kilnsey Crag
Wharfedale's iconic roadside cliff, its huge main overhang jutting out over the valley floor. Steep, technical and fingery sport climbing on bulletproof limestone, with an unrivalled concentration of 8s beneath the famous roof. The steepness shrugs off rain but deep-seated seepage keeps many lines wet well into summer.
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Gordale Scar
A colossal limestone gorge a mile from Malham, its overhanging walls towering above a waterfall-fed beck. The atmosphere is as intimidating as anywhere in England, with long trad pitches and steep sport routes threading the leaning walls. Slow to dry and prone to seepage, but unforgettable in condition.
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Ilkley (Cow & Calf and Quarry)
The famous Cow and Calf rocks and their adjacent quarry on the edge of Ilkley Moor. The quarry's sheer walls hold some of gritstone's most celebrated hard cracks and aretes, including John Dunne's legendary New Statesman. Good bouldering scattered across the moor edge completes the venue.
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Brimham Rocks
A sprawling wonderland of weird and wonderful gritstone towers scattered across Nidderdale moorland. Hundreds of short routes and problems on wildly sculpted rock, with buttresses facing every direction so something is always in the sun or shade. A National Trust honeypot, but the rocks absorb the crowds.
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Caley Crags
Yorkshire's premier gritstone bouldering venue, a hillside of blocks and buttresses scattered through the trees above the Otley to Leeds road. Powerful roofs, technical walls and famous highballs have made it a proving ground for generations of Yorkshire boulderers. The tree cover keeps it cool but means it holds damp after rain.