Continuing the “local, little and often recovery tour”, we headed east to spend a few days in the Yorkshire Dales. There’s plenty of accessible and amenable sports climbing which fits the bill, and Giggleswick is at its epicentre, so a starting overnight at The Plough in Wigglesworth (free van parking if you use the pub) was a win-win.

We met up with Jim and Claire to add good company into our lodging and victuals plan, so we just needed the weather to play ball for the perfect mini-break. Sadly, Sunday started with a bit of a washout, but a wander up to Ingleborough Cave was another good test for the ankle and provided some kind of offset to the Sunday Roast to follow. As beer-o’clock approached, the clouds parted, leaving the temptation of a YECTOYD. If only there was a super-accessible crag within handy reach…

Castlebergh Crag

It doesn’t get much more user-friendly than this, with signposting from the town centre, a manicured walkway up to the crag, and routes named after the local businesses who’d chipped in for the bolting. Positively Continental! We hadn’t visited for quite a number of years, and didn’t stay long, but our general impression was that some of the initial looseness has settled down and it would be worth another visit.

Meanwhile, it was perfect for our purposes, with Settle Festival, 4a…

… and Three Peaks Bunk Room, 5a, providing just enough sandbaggy sport to work up a thirst.

Giggleswick North

Another near-roadside option, although a bit dank and damp after the drenching of the previous couple of days, especially with the extensive tree-cover. Nonetheless, we put our hired-for-the-day rope-gun Jim through his paces for a couple of routes on Yew Tree Wall, including the eponymous 5b.

Troller’s Gill

It’s a really pretty walk up to Troller’s Gill, and if you press straight on instead of diverting left into the Gill itself you get to Old Man’s Crag.

About 15 routes from 5a to 7a, covered in the latest Yorkshire Limestone supplement. A number of these have been retro-bolted, which as well as no-doubt enhancing their popularity, also serves to highlight some prior sandbaggery in local trad grades.

Manky Way, 6a+ (was HVS), Methusalah, 5c, and Bright and Breezy, 5a (formerly Severe) were all very worthwhile.

Having reached my three-routes-per-day quota, I swapped into belay bunny mode while Helen did a bunch more routes on the Right Wall of the Gill proper.

Dib Scar

We were a bit surprised to find we’d never been to Dib Scar before – probably because of its mostly shady countenance. With the thermometer bursting its bubble around the 30C mark, it looked like the perfect option.

It’s fair to say that it is somewhat overshadowed by its illustrious neighbour…

However, the approach walk is delightful (if a bit of a sweaty 20mins on the day) and there’s no denying its shady aspect…

The crag itself is hidden in a narrow horseshoe cleft, and you drop down quite steeply to reach its base before picking your way through ferocious nettles to the foot of the routes. We got away with it in shorts, but long trousers might be safer!

Once there, you’ve got almost 40 routes, from 6a to 7c+. We were very much constrained to the entry level on this visit, but I’d rank Actual Bolt Runners and Stinging Cracks, both 6a, amongst the best of the grade in the county – both worth their couple of stars, and the latter especially not to be underestimated!

With temperatures having exceeded our climbing tolerance, we went for a quick paddle on Grimwith Reservoir – not really grim, there’s a lovely outlook, and the sailing club members were really welcoming.

We’d certainly worked up a thirst, and where better to quench it than the Craven Arms in Appletreewick?

Even if the evening tranquility was interrupted by the local Morris Dancers.

Our base for the second part of the trip was the Masons Family campsite in Appletreewick – eye-wateringly expensive, but a temptingly short stroll to the aforementioned hostelry…

… and from options to splosh in the Wharf.

Another week on the comeback trail, and while I’m still only leading 6a, it’s Yorkshire 6a rather than Lakes. Also my range has extended from a few hundred metres to a couple of km. Onwards and upwards 😎 but gently!