Aid Crag

Grid Ref: NY920838   Aspect: N   Routes: 17   Max Length: 14   Average Length: 8

Altitude: 300 mtrs   Walk in: 0 mins   Bike in: 5 mins   Bike out: 5 mins

When approaching the Wanneys from the north on the forestry track, the crag can be seen on the right. Keep to the track and this swings round above the crag. It is a little faster to approach along this same track from the A68, but the parking is a bit dodgy.

General:

The crag is a bit dirty and loose in places, but there are some good routes here. Getting between the buttresses is a bit of an heather thrashing ordeal but the routes are quite easy to locate. The 8 recorded routes are short and the rock is lichenous. There is scope for a few more of the same.

Rock:  

Ottercops Sandstones Carboniferous, Dinantian (Lower Limestone Group)

Poor

Access issues:

Peregrines usually nest here, they make themselves known - so please keep away if you see them , or more likely, hear their mewing call.

Routes/Bouldering:  

No recorded routes.

Problems:

Some traverses, but not really a bouldering crag

History:

Aid Crag was one of the first crags to be explored by the early Northumbrian climbers and many routes were recorded in the 1950 guidebook. This popularity may be due to the fact that in those pre-Beeching days the usual way to get to The Wanneys was to take the train to Bellingham and walk, passing Aid Crag on the way. In the 1960's Gordon Thompson and friends added half a dozen routes. A few more were added by S Nagy, J Dalrymple and S. Madgwick in 2001 and possibly the best 2, in the quarry were added by Simon Litchfield in Sept 2009.