Back Bowden Doors
| Back Bowden Doors | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nearest city | Belford, Northumberland |
| Coordinates | 38°50′07″N 79°20′00″W / 38.83528°N 79.33333°W |
| Climbing type | traditional crag |
| Height | 200 above sea level |
| Rock type | Sandstone |
| Quantity of rock | months' worth (over 375 routes) |
| Development | well developed |
| Cliff aspect | west |
| Classic climbs |
|
| Stars |  |
Grid Ref: NU065336 Aspect: W Routes: 88 Problems: 1 Max Length: 23 Average Length: 10
Altitude: 170 mtrs Walk in: 15 mins Route quality: *** Bouldering quality: ***
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CD9Z4egDDg7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg>View this post on Instagram</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CD9Z4egDDg7/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">‘Thundering Apoplexy’ at Back Bowden. Back in an overcast Northumberland after a class week of climbing in Chamonix. Very glad to have missed the French Quarantine.. #climbing #climb #sport #sportclimbing #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #rockclimbing #climbingphotography #bouldering #boulder #klettern #bouldering_pictures_of_instagram #countryside #f4f #WeveGotYouSpotted #CAMclimbing #outdoors #northern #exploreoutdoors #northumberland #northumberland_uk #nationalpark #northumbria #scottishborders #border #3rdrocking #northumberlandcrushers</a>
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From Belford take the B6349 Wooler Road. Continue for 5 kilometres, turn right at the Hazelrigg sign and follow this for 1 kilometre to the brow of the hill and a large steel gate on the right. Pass through the gate and continue left to another gate. Follow the track and the main crag soon comes into view. This track can be very damp and muddy and approach footwear is recommended. There is no public right of way.
General:
Shown as Dancing Green Hill on the map, Back Bowden Doors lies approximately 5 kilometres west of Belford in an unusually sheltered position looking west across a shallow valley. The rock is Fell Sandstone of the same good quality as that found at Bowden Doors. The crag tends to dry very quickly with the exception of the North wall, which needs a number of days to fully dry after heavy rain. Routes on this wall can suffer from holds snapping, particularly after a damp spell and excessive use of the routes should be avoided at this time in order to prevent damage. This crag offers a fantastic selection of some of the best extremes in the area, with a superb contrast of climbs, including bold technical walls, intricate smearing tests and the legendary North wall, the crucible of steep and powerful climbs . Unusually many of the harder lines offer reasonable protection. While containing many routes in the upper extremes , plenty of routes exist in the easier grades.
Rock:
Fell Sandstone Carboniferous, Dinantian
Excellent
Access issues:
There have been issues with people obstructing the gate. Don't. Only part of teh crag is on open access land.
Routes/Bouldering:
Routes:
Protection on some of the middle E grades is a bit poor, not much (comparatively speaking) for the VS and below climber.
Problems:
Absolutely top notch. Some very hard stuff, lots of workouts and is often dry in the rain
Other interesting stuff:
There are some good plant fossils on the ledge at the top of Hazelrigg Wall area.
History:
Back Bowden Doors has a fairly early history with climbing first recorded in the 1935 Oxford and Cambridge Mountaineering Journals under its local name of Lion Rock. It mentions routes which sound suspiciously like those on the south end of the crag. Unfortunately the routes ascended up to 1965 are without documentation. In 1965 Rodney Wilson climbed the brilliant Arches, a soaring diagonal traverse on the north crag. 1968 saw Allan Austin and Dave Roberts climbing the ferocious Sorcerer which still demands respect today. Also around this time Ken Wood climbed The Sorcerer's Apprentice. In 1973 Hugh Banner, doing what he does best, jammed over Roof Route. 1974 saw the first ascent of the Central Wall on the north crag with The Witch by Malcolm Rowe and Nev Hannaby. In 1975 Bob Hutchinson and John Earl produced two bold companion routes for The Witch, The Enchanter led by Hutchinson and the Broomstick by Earl. 1976 saw four more routes climbed, Magic Flute and Glass Slipper by Hannaby and Rowe, and the bold On The Verge by Earl and Hutchinson. Later in that year Hutchinson climbed Black Magic. In 1977 Earl and Hutchinson came across The Duke of York. The following year produced a spate of fine hard routes with Earl and Hutchinson (again) climbing Broken Glass and The Wand. The same team, this time led by Hutchinson, climbed the brilliant Tube and Hard Reign. Unfortunately this was to be Bob Hutchinson's last route on the crag. Also in 1978 Steve Blake and Jeff Lamb came under The Spell. 1979 saw Tommy Smith going head over heels with the very impressive Lost Cause and Dwarfs Nightmare with brother Bob. Meanwhile Paul Stewart along with Earl stretched it out on the intimidating Outward Bound. 1981 was to see the first breach of the impressive overhanging North Wall with Merlin by Bob Smith and Earl. Later in the year Earl and Bob Smith collected Pyewackit and Shackletack with Ian Kyle. In 1982 the second route on the North Wall fell again to Bob Smith and Earl with the bold and technical Macbeth. On a summer's evening in 1985 Smith and Earl extended The Tube with Uncouth Youth and Smith stretched it even further with the relentless but well protected Right of Reply. The following year Bob Smith was at the North Wall again this time with brother Tommy producing Morgan. 1987 proved to be a popular year for bold technical routes starting with Bob Smith's ascent of the much sought after On The Rocks while Tony Courts smeared his way up Peak Technique in slippers. Karl and Graham Telfer woke up with Charlotte's Dream and the bulging When The Wind Blows. Leading up to the publication of the 89 guide, activity was rounded off with Bob Smith and Earl climbing the very sustained Mordreth also on the North Wall. Cutting edge development continued on the impressive North wall in the early nineties with a Scottish raid from Dave Cuthbertson adding the desperate County Ethics. In 91 Dave Pegg brought his new routing eye and not inconsiderable fitness to claim the very bold Pixies and the powerful but safe King Lear. Whilst working at Proctor and Gamble, Pegg added his last new route to the crag in the form of the very short and very hard Big Aerial Dynamite. 1994 brought two big routes with big numbers. I bet he drinks Carling Black Label added the longest and hardest route on the North wall to date, whilst Malcolm Smith picked of one of the Counties last great lines with the fantastic Transcendence. 1995 saw the addition of yet another fine bold climb on the Tube wall with Nick Dixon going Off the Rocks. Due to the bouldering trend, recent years have seen little activity in terms of new routes or significant repeats. It is hoped that the trend will reverse and that the routes on this crag, which offer one of the finest collection of outcrop extremes in the country will be enjoyed in the future. To this end, descriptions and accurate grading for on sight attempts have been carefully examined to encourage activity on the extremes.
| Name | Grade | Stars | Type | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagonal | VD | - | T | 27 |
| The Toppler | HVS 5b | - | T | 18 |
| Lichen Groove | D | - | T | 18 |
| The Tippler | HVS 5b | - | T | 25 |
| Tippler Traverse | f6C | - | B | 5 |
| Pedestal Problem | f6B+ | - | B | 7 |
| The Bogie | S 4a | - | T | 22 |
| Quarry Face | S 4a | 1 | T | 82 |
| Glass Slipper | VS 5a | - | T | 50 |
| Broken Glass | E2 6a | - | T | 9 |
| Twisting Crack | HS 4c | - | T | 18 |
| Route One | f6A | 2 | B | 1 |
| First Traverse | f5 | - | B | 1 |
| Black Triage | f8A | - | B | 0 |
| County Ethics | E7 7a | 3 | T | 12 |
| Merlin Traverse | f6A | - | B | 22 |
| Merlin | E5 6a | 3 | T | 14 |
| Hard and Low Traverse | f7C | - | B | 1 |
| Darth | f6C | - | B | 78 |
| The Pixies | E6 6b | 1 | T | 0 |
| Little Pixies | f7A | 1 | B | 163 |
| Little Piggies | f7C | - | B | 4 |
| The Emperor | f7B | - | B | 9 |
| Emperor RH | f7A+ | - | B | 4 |
| Morgan | E5 6a | 1 | T | 1 |
| Morgan (start only) | f6B | 1 | B | 133 |
| Lady MacBeth | f6B | - | B | 4 |
| I Bet He Drinks Carling Black Label | E8 6c | 2 | T | 1 |
| MacBeth Low Level Traverse | f6C | - | B | 19 |
| Black Mirror | E7 6c | - | T | 0 |
| The Dark Side | E9 7b | 3 | T | 3 |
| Empty The Bones Of You | f8A+ | - | B | 0 |
| Mordreth | E6 6b | 2 | T | 0 |
| Macbeth | E6 6b | 3 | T | 2 |
| Paradise Road | f7A | - | B | 3 |
| MacDuff | f7B | - | B | 2 |
| Easy Up | f6B+ | - | B | 29 |
| Sigurd | E6 6c | 2 | T | 1 |
| The Arches | E1 5b | 3 | T | 283 |
| The Arches (start only) | f6A | 1 | B | 12 |
| Low and Hard | f7B | 1 | B | 189 |
| Lower And Harder | f7C | 2 | B | 6 |
| Roof and Wall | f7A+ | - | B | 3 |
| Cauldron | E1 5c | - | T | 4 |
| King Lear | E6 6c | 1 | T | 0 |
| Hard Reign | E3 5c | 2 | T | 19 |
| Hard Reign Direct | f7B | 1 | B | 73 |
| Hard Reign (start only) | f6A | 2 | B | 85 |
| Underneath the Arches | f6A | - | B | 17 |
| Blood Gutters | E5 6b | 2 | T | 1 |
| Weird Sisters One | f7A | - | B | 57 |
| Weird Sisters Two | f7A | - | B | 81 |
| Weird Sisters Three | f6C+ | - | B | 18 |
| Holly Tree Corner | S 4b | 1 | T | 64 |
| Hollybush Crack | MS 4a | - | T | 17 |
| The Big Sister | f8A+ | 3 | B | 0 |
| Pyewackit | E4 6a | - | T | 9 |
| The Witch | E2 5b | 3 | T | 242 |
| Shackletack | E3 6b | 1 | T | 4 |
| The Wand | E3 5b | 1 | T | 27 |
| The Broomstick | E3 5b | 1 | T | 18 |
| The Enchanter | E3 5c | 2 | T | 49 |
| Low Level Traverse | f5+ | - | B | 36 |
| Bottle Arete SS | f5+ | - | B | 17 |
| Strange Brew | E3 5b | - | T | 5 |
| Bottle Crack | VS 5a | 2 | T | 179 |
| The Young Warlords | f6C | 3 | B | 35 |
| The Wizard | E3 5c | 1 | T | 29 |
| The Wizard (start only) | f5+ | - | B | 123 |
| Black Magic | E1 5c | 1 | T | 15 |
| Harry Potter | f7C | 2 | B | 21 |
| Dead Severus | f7C | 3 | B | 3 |
| Severus Snape | f7B+ | 1 | B | 96 |
| Movin' On Up | f6C | - | B | 14 |
| Merlins Pubes | f6B | - | B | 3 |
| Merlin's Beard | f6C+ | 2 | B | 2 |
| Pockets Traverse | f7C | 3 | B | 18 |
| Intermediate Traverse | f6C+ | - | B | 9 |
| The Vole Left Hand | f6A | - | B | 40 |
| The Vole Left Hand SS | f6C | - | B | 81 |
| The Vole | E1 5c | - | T | 15 |
| The Vole, Alternative Finish | E1 5c | 1 | T | 4 |
| The Vole Right Hand | f6A | 2 | B | 118 |
| The Vole Right Hand SS | f7B+ | 2 | B | 16 |
| Solastalgia | f7C+ | - | B | 1 |
| Sorcerer's Apprentice | E1 5c | 1 | T | 46 |
| Sorcerer's Apprentice (start only) | f5+ | - | B | 67 |
| Sorcerer's Apprentice SS | f7A | - | B | 20 |
| The Sorcerer (full route) | E1 5c | 3 | T | 215 |
| The Sorcerer | E1 5c | 3 | T | 147 |
| The Sorcerer SS | f6C | - | B | 49 |
| Pockets Extension | f7C+ | - | B | 0 |
| Under the Spell | f7A | 2 | B | 145 |
| The Charm | E1 5c | 1 | T | 22 |
| The Spell | E1 5c | 1 | T | 88 |
| Straight Crack | HS 4b | 2 | T | 203 |
| Solastalgia ss | f8A+ | 1 | B | 0 |
| Dead Sirius | f8A | 1 | B | 0 |
| Straight Crack, Alternative Finish | E1 5b | - | T | 3 |
| Magic Circle | HVS 5a | - | T | 6 |
| Golden Stairs, Direct Start | S 4c | - | T | 76 |
| Golden Stairs | VD | - | T | 120 |
| Magic Flute | E1 5b | 2 | T | 231 |
| Boulder Lands | E5 6b | 1 | T | 2 |
| Dead on Arrival | E6 6a | 1 | T | 0 |
| Short Wall | f6A+ | - | B | 77 |
| Pick Pocket | f6B+ | - | B | 10 |
| Savage Slab | E7 6c | 1 | T | 1 |
| Magic Leap | f6A+ | - | B | 123 |
| The Grim Creeper | f8A | 1 | B | 0 |
| Bubbles | f6C | - | B | 21 |
| Larn Streng | f7B+ | 3 | B | 6 |
| Thundering Apoplexy | f7B | 2 | B | 92 |
| Peak Technique | E6 6b | 3 | T | 16 |
| On the Verge | E4 5c | 2 | T | 68 |
| Woodcutters Crack | HVD | 1 | T | 117 |
| Wood Splitter | VD | - | T | 11 |
| Forester's Corner | D | 1 | T | 85 |
| The Tube, Left-hand Exit | E3 5b | - | T | 14 |
| The Tube, Direct Finish | E5 5c | - | T | 8 |
| The Tube | E4 5c | 3 | T | 116 |
| Uncouth Youth | E4 6a | 1 | T | 5 |
| Right of Reply | E5 6b | 3 | T | 3 |
| Charlotte's Dream Direct | E7 6b | 2 | T | 5 |
| Charlotte's Dream | E5 6b | 1 | T | 4 |
| On the Rocks | E7 6c | 3 | T | 18 |
| Off the Rocks | E8 6c | 1 | T | 3 |
| Duke of York | E1 5b | 2 | T | 111 |
| Transcendence | E8 6c | 3 | T | 1 |
| Leap of Faith | E6 6c | 1 | T | 1 |
| Lost Cause | E4 6b | 2 | T | 71 |
| Angle Corner | VD | - | T | 61 |
| Angle Corner, Alternate Finish | E3 6b | - | T | 2 |
| Back to Back | E5 6b | - | T | 1 |
| Gangway | VS 4c | 1 | T | 29 |
| Holly Tree Corner (Alt Finish) | MS 4b | 1 | T | 3 |
| Purgatory | E8 7b | 3 | T | 1 |
| Scabby Hand | E4 5c | - | T | 1 |
| When the Wind Blows | E6 6b | 1 | T | 3 |
| Peace at Last | E5 6a | - | T | 0 |
| Outward Bound | E3 5c | 2 | T | 64 |
| March Line | VD | 2 | T | 87 |
| Wall and Crack | S 4b | 1 | T | 192 |
| Roof Route, Direct Finish | E2 5c | - | T | 2 |
| Roof Route | E1 5b | 3 | T | 57 |
| Roof Route Traverse | f6B+ | - | B | 3 |
| The Dead Horses Tea Party | f6C+ | 2 | B | 15 |
| Door Mats Wall | f7C | - | B | 2 |
| Door Mats Wall SS | f8A | 1 | B | 0 |
| Four Mats Wall | f7B+ | - | B | 31 |
| Four Mats Wall SS | f7B+ | 1 | B | 4 |
| Stepped Flake | f3 | 1 | B | 79 |
| Smooth Wall | f7A | - | B | 1 |
| Hazelrigg Wall Left-Hand | E3 6b | 1 | T | 2 |
| Hazelrigg Wall | E1 5c | 1 | T | 235 |
| Hazelrigg Wall Direct | f6A | - | B | 93 |
| Pinup | E2 6a | - | T | 122 |
| Risk and Hope | E1 6a | - | T | 50 |
| Hazelrigg Wall Traverse | f7B | - | B | 3 |
| Original Route | VD | 1 | T | 205 |
| Original Wall Traverse | f5 4b | - | B | 7 |
| Highland Fling | E1 5c | - | T | 11 |
| Final Wall | VD | 2 | T | 92 |
| Bullet | E1 5c | - | T | 4 |
| Four Mats RH | f7A | 2 | B | 5 |
| Tree-way | V7 | 2 | B | 1 |
| Chiroptera | f6A | - | B | 11 |
| Big Aerial Dynamite | E5 7a | 1 | T | 0 |
| Dwarfs Nightmare | E2 6b | 1 | T | 4 |
| Vespertilion | f7B+ | 3 | B | 0 |
| Barbastelle | f7A | - | B | 60 |
| Brokeback Bowden | f7C | 2 | B | 1 |
| Bechstein | f6C | - | B | 53 |
| Brandt | f6B+ | - | B | 37 |
| Serotine | f6A+ | - | B | 77 |
| Pippistrellotine | f6B+ | 1 | B | 4 |
| Pipistrelle | f6B+ | - | B | 38 |
| A Short Sharp Shock | E3 6a | - | T | 1 |
| Griffon | HVS 5b | - | T | 12 |
| Rays Roof | VS 4c | - | T | 20 |
| Footless Fulmar | VS 4c | 1 | T | 11 |
| Ra's al Ghul | f7C | 1 | B | 1 |
| Sharp Arete | f6A+ | - | B | 53 |
| Sharp Arete SS | f6C | - | B | 56 |
| The Bitch | f8A+ | - | B | 2 |
| Potty Mouth | f8B | - | B | 0 |
| Undercut Arete | f5+ | - | B | 22 |
| Little Arete | f6A+ | - | B | 42 |
| Crimp Slab Eliminate | f6B+ | - | B | 12 |
| Crimp Slab | f6B | - | B | 78 |
| Warm Up Arete | f3 | - | B | 151 |
| South Wall | f6A+ | - | B | 126 |
| The Stud | f7C+ | 2 | B | 1 |
| Mini mouth | f7A | 1 | B | 0 |
| Mantel Miser | f6A+ | - | B | 78 |
| Mantel Misery | f6A | - | B | 67 |
| Mantel Underclass | f6B | - | B | 19 |
| Mantel Masterclass | f6C | 2 | B | 118 |
| Ripples | f4 | - | B | 67 |
| The Runnel | f4 | - | B | 121 |
| Slab Eliminate | f6A | - | B | 62 |
| Super Slab | f4+ | - | B | 101 |
| No Hands | f7A | - | B | 4 |
| Shallow Groove | f3 | - | B | 147 |
| The Craic | f3 | - | B | 193 |
| Smooth Wall One | f5 | - | B | 174 |
| Smooth Wall Two | f5 | - | B | 208 |
| Fickle Flakes | f4+ | - | B | 239 |
| Other Eliminate | f5 | - | B | 68 |
| Eliminate | f6A+ | - | B | 215 |
| South Arete | f6A+ | - | B | 215 |
| Upper Traverse (Boulder 3) | f6A | - | B | 65 |
| Low Traverse | f6A+ | - | B | 45 |
| Reverse Traverse | f6A | - | B | 25 |
| B4 Traverse | f6C | 3 | B | 45 |
| Springer's Mantel | f7B+ | 1 | B | 3 |
| Overlooked | f6A+ | - | B | 31 |
| Upper Traverse | f6A+ | - | B | 8 |
| Lower Traverse | f7A | - | B | 1 |
| Rawhide/Gate Traverse | f7A | - | B | 3 |
| Final Traverse | f7A+ | - | B | 2 |
| Lip Traverse | f5+ | - | B | 6 |
| Final Mantel! | f6B+ | - | B | 1 |
| Not the final traverse | f6C | - | B | 1 |
| The Long Run | f7A | - | B | 1 |
| Old Money For Old Rope | f6C | - | B | 1 |
| No Time For Caution | f7A+ | - | B | 1 |
| Slab Problem | f6B | - | B | 3 |
| The Heathen | f7A | - | B | 2 |
| The Argonaut | f6C | - | B | 2 |
| Bob's | f6B+ | - | B | 3 |