Climbing
With fascinating geology, the North Pennines offers good opportunities for climbing. You will find quiet spots with challenging climbs. There are access agreements in place for some crags.
Climbing in the AONB is mainly on three rock types: gritstone; limestone; and dolerite. Best known of the gritstone crags is Goldsborough in Baldersdale. Limestone is represented best at some of the more southerly locations such as Brough Scar and Windmore End, whilst dolerite can be enjoyed at Holwick Scar, near Middleton-in-Teesdale. There are indoor climbing walls at Barnard Castle Leisure Centre and Wolsingham Sports Hall.
Climbing is a permitted activity on Open Access Land. Visit the Natural England website for details of temporary closures. See the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) site and follow links to the Regional Access Database for up-to-date crag access information. The BMC also has volunteer Access Representatives covering the Eden Valley, Durham and Northumberland. Access arrangements for Holwick Scar have become a nationally important model for the reconciliation of access to ecologically important sites. It is really important that the published guidelines are followed correctly. Visit the BMC site for up to date details. Rock climbing courses in the AONB are also available from some licensed providers
Alston Training and Adventure Centre
The Alston Training and Adventure Centre is a family run centre offering a range of options from a full package of outdoor activities based at our residential centre. These are led by our highly skilled, experienced and qualified staff and are ideal for school and youth groups. The vast majority of the activities are carried out in the natural environment of the North Pennines. These activities include climbing, abseiling, canoeing, mine exploration, gorge walking, problem solving and team building. Alston Training and Adventure Centre offer facilities for ski hire and accommodation for those travelling further and wishing to stay for a weekend or mid-week break when the slopes are open.
We stock a range of skies from children’s (100) to adult (190)
These can be hired on a daily or weekend basis.
We also offer accommodation only for groups who wish to carry out their own programme of activities be it a mine exploration group, university canoe club or a walking group wishing to explore new areas.
The centre is also highly popular for cyclists on the C2C route and walkers on the Pennine Way.
Location:
Garrigill, Alston
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BECKs Training at Deneholme
Tony and Linda Beck run BECKs Training Ltd, headquartered at their outdoor activity centre and group accommodation venue Deneholme in Allendale. Traditional adventurous activities are delivered within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and beyond in rural Northumberland. Activities are facilitated to groups of at least 8 people and they include ghyll scrambling and gorge walking, mine exploration, rock climbing and abseiling, canoeing and raft building. Mountain biking, bush craft orienteering and navigational fell walks, archery and high ropes activities.
All activities are facilitated by experienced, local instructors who hold all the relevant NGB qualifications, are additionally in house and site specifically trained and have undergone all required checks to work with children and adults alike. They are passionate about their activity, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about passing on their skills.
BECKs can provide transport and packed lunches, whilst always providing all relevant equipment – no prior experience is required.
Location:
Deneholme, Allendale in the East Allen Valley
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Brough Scar
Brough Scar is the name given to the limestone escarpment near Brough. The Main Buttress gives by far the best climbing offering very steep and fingery routes through bulging rock. This crag was first developed by Robin Curley and his gang from Appleby in 1984.
Location:
Park near the quarry above Brough and follow the main track up the fellside to a small quarry. Follow a path along the fellside to below the crag. The crag is on Access Land. There are 8 routes here ranging from E1 to E4.
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Canoes, Mountains and Caves
Canoes, Mountains & Caves is run by husband and wife team: Mal & Marion Tabb. Based in Carlisle, Cumbria they offer outdoor activities across northern England. In the North Pennines they offer mine exploration trips as well as climbing. The under world is a speciality - from a gentle introductory half day/evening to more challenging vertical trips in the area. Adventurer or mine historian - make use of our local knowledge and up to date gear to enjoy your underground adventure.
Location:
Canoes, Mountains and Caves are based in Carlisle. Their mine exploration trips are often in the mines around Nenthead on Alston Moor in the Cumbrian North Pennines. Contact Mal and Marion on 01228 319894 / 07539 733681 / cmcmmt1@gmail.com for details and advice.
Terrain:
Boggy ground, Off road sections, On road sections, Steep sections
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Cumrew crag
This crag is a small part-quarried outcrop of generally compact limestone on the west side of Cumrew Fell, with a superb view over the Lower Eden Valley and Solway Firth beyond.
The crag was developed by members of the Eden Valley Mountaineering Club in the 1970’s and 1980’s and is comprised of 29 trad and bouldering routes. The trad routes range from V.Diff to E2 and the bouldering grades range from V0 to V5. Further details about this crag are featured in the FRCC Guidebook called Eden Valley and South Lakes Limestone.
Location:
The crag is approached from Newbiggin. At the head of the village a track leads up, just past the last bungalow on the left. Follow the track up onto the fellside and after passing the third gate follow the drystone wall leftwards through a gate and along a track to eventually reach the crag. The crag is on Access Land however no dogs are permitted.
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Eden Outdoor Adventures
Eden Outdoor Adventures is a small, friendly, family company run by Ian and Melanie. We provide tailor made courses for individuals, families and groups. We believe that by tailor making your course we can offer quality instruction and guiding with the personal touch, allowing people to get the most out of their time with us.
We work hard to understand your needs and to design days to offer a challenge and to make your dreams come true. To help do this, Eden Outdoor Adventures draw upon a great deal of knowledge and experience from working in the outdoors and the areas in which we operate. They also hold National Qualifications in the activities we offer to ensure you the highest standards. We offer half day to multiple day trips in the Lake District, Eden Valley, Northern Pennines, Scotland and Wales as well as further afield. From guided tours, low level family walks through wooded valleys, introductory climbing and canoeing to demanding mountain and river trips in wild places. Wherever your dreams take you, let Eden Outdoor Adventures help make them come true.
Location:
Ousby, Penrith, Cumbria.
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Gelt Boulder
This is a 6 metre high boulder which is situated on the side of the River Gelt, first climbed by Stewart Wilson in the 1970s. It is made of a fine grained quartzite and there are a total of 10 routes on the boulder ranging from V0 to V2. Further information about this route can be found in the Fell and Rock Climbing Club Guidebook called 'Eden Valley and South Lakes Limestone'.
Location:
From Castle Carrock a road leads east, past two pubs, then uphill, to Geltsdale. Park at the obvious bend in the road from where a track leads down to the river, then turn right and follow the east side of the river past a natural pool to the Boulder.
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Kingsway Adventure Centre
A family run multi-activity centre based in Middleton in Teesdale. For GROUP BOOKINGS ONLY. Minimum group size - 8 people.
Location:
Alston Road, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Co. Durham, DL12 0UU.
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Murton Scar
A single steep limestone wall banded by overhangs which occupies a prominent position overlooking the Upper Eden Valley. It offers few easy options and will appeal more to the lover of technical limestone. The crag was first developed in the mid-1970’s by members of the then newly formed Eden Valley Mountaineering Club, who picked the easier lines. In 1983 local young climbers from Appleby, led by Robin Curley, attacked and developed the hard lines. There are 19 routes in total ranging from HS to E3+. Further details about this crag are featured in the FRCC Guidebook called Eden Valley and South Lakes Limestone.
Location:
Park at Murton; set sights on the crag; head down and up you go. The crag is on Access Land.
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Pinpoint Adventure
Pinpoint Adventure is an adventure activities company run by father son Ian and Tom Hopper based in Northumberland, the North East of England and Cumbria. They run a wide selection of adventure activities using their experience and knowledge to help create 'days to remember'.
In the North Pennines they offer amazing underground journeys through one of the old lead mines at Nenthead; this truly is an adventure in all respects and a visit to a very different ‘lost world’. There will be ample opportunity to look at the skills and determination of our ancestors and try to empathise with their working conditions.
There are three main trips available: Smallcleugh Mine, Nenthead: Smallcleugh provides a wonderful 4/5 hour underground adventure, with a visit to The Ballroom for a candlelit dinner – well, bacon sandwiches anyway! Tyne Bottom Mine, Garrigill: Tyne Bottom is a super half day trip, with some interesting crawls and wetter sections; we often combine Tyne Bottom with a canyoning adventure in the afternoon. Rampgill Mine, Nenthead: Rampgill provides a very wet couple of hour’s underground, with some wonderful calcite formations.
Ian and Tom also offer the following activities: walking, trekking, snowshoeing, climbing, Forest Schools and bushcraft.
Location:
Pinpoint Adventure can provide activities at a variety of locations in the North Pennines. Their mine trips are at Nenthead and at other mines in the Cumbrian North Pennines. Contact Ian Hopper on 07786 872060 (ian@pinpointadventure.com) for details.
Terrain:
Boggy ground, Off road sections
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Weardale Adventure Centre
The Centre – Functioning around a 80-bed, fully catered residential centre, Weardale Adventure Centre offers a multitude of high-quality, outdoor and adventure education, activities. Founded in 1978, the centre has been an integral part of the local community and as such utilises local venues alongside on-site activities to provide groups with a thoroughly enjoyable experience. As such, the centre regularly welcomes back groups that have been utilising the facilities, in some cases for over 20 years!
The centre can cater for just about any group, with any needs, however we tend to spend much of our time delivering high quality educational programmes to school groups between the ages of 8 and 18. Whilst these groups may be the staple of centre life, we have a wealth of experience delivering activities to just about any range of clients. We offer a multitude of activities and packages as well as being in the fortunate position of being able to offer bespoke and custom programmes to prospective clients, these can take place on-site, locally within the Weardale area, or further afield.
Location:
Ireshopeburn, Co. Durham, DL131HB.
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White Mines-Rusty Wall
This is a short steep limestone wall in a disused mine on the south side of Gasdale. Appleby’s finest, Leo Houlding and Robin Curley, teamed up in 2000 climbing the two routes here including the hardest route in the Eden Valley – Scrogbank Ravers (E7/8). The other route is graded E1.
Location:
Park at Murton and head to the valley of Gasdale where the crag is on the south flank. The crag is on Access Land.
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Windmore end
A long escarpment of quarried limestone, just about the road from Brough to Middleton-in-Teesdale. Routes from boulder problems up to 13 metres with a huge spread of climbing. Unfortunately there is no access to the left hand section, which is owned by Stainmore Parish Council. There is access to the central and righthand sections, for which climbers are very grateful. Local climber Peter Day climbed here in the 1960’s and together with other developments an initial guidebook was produced by Kelvin Neal in 1976, detailing 50 – 60 routes. Over the years all its sections have been developed. There are a total of 125 accessible routes with trad and bouldering grades in the ranges of Diff to E5 and V0 to V3 respectively.
Location:
Park at a layby towards the righthand end of the crag and approach through a gate further right again – do not climb over any walls!
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Interests:
Arts and craft 
Bird watching 
Bushcraft and adventure 
Canoeing and kayaking 
Climbing 
Culture 
Cycling 
Fishing 
Food trails 
Horse riding 
Information points 
Nature watching 
Outdoor education 
Picnicking 
Running 
Sailing 
Stargazing 
Walking 
Winter sports