Northumbrian Climbing Guide

Hidden deep in a forest Kyloe in the Wood was only discovered in the sixties, the earliest recorded route being Zed Climb by Frank Montgomery in 1966. Three years later, in January, the very good lines of Fluted Crack and Crack of Gloom were climbed by Allan Austin with Dave Miller and Dave Roberts respectively. When the 1971 guide was published, however, forty routes were recorded the efforts of Hugh Banner, John Earl, John Hiron, Geoff Jackson, Dennis Lee, Malcolm Lowerson, Ken McDonald and Jim Patchett. Notable routes climbed during this period were The Elf, The Harp, Thin Hand Special (since mistakenly called Thin Finger Special) and The Crucifix, the latter two routes by Hugh Banner showing local climbers the niceties of jamming technique. Dennis Lee was responsible for writing up and renaming many of the climbs. The 1976 supplement recorded a number of less significant new climbs although Bob Hutchinson and John Earl had added Badfinger, the first of the overhanging, fingery routes. Following the 1976 supplement routes fell thick and fast. The Pearler, Entertainer and Red Rum fell to Hutchinson and Earl (Earl leading the first one) while Paul Stewart fell in with Bad Company, later given an independent finish by Earl, and Sieve Blake bouldered out Elf Direct. Scottish invader, Dave 'Cubby' Cuthbertson raised bouldering standards with the free ascent of Monty Python's Flying Circus although introducing chalk for the first time on a new route in the county. In 1978, Hutchinson and Earl invited all to High T, a very fine addition to the crag. In the build up to the 1979 guide, Paul Stewart climbed Trouble Shooter whilst Steve Blake claimed the first ascent of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The fine Bobby Dazzler wall was initially developed by Bob Hutchinson and John Earl and completed by Paul Stewart and Bob Smith. It was 1981 before any further routes of significance were added with John Earl digging out Bad News, Bob Smith on the hard stuff with Hard Liquor and Smith, Earl and lan Kyle completing Jocks and Geordies, the initial crack having been climbed by Dave Cuthbertson and Murray Hamilton. The crag lay fallow until late 1986 when Tim Gallagher terrified himself with the fine lead of High Society an often eyed line. Bob Smith swiftly responded with the Upper Crust, another fine addition to the High T wall.