Honley Quarry

Grid reference SE126121

Honley Quarry has been used for climbing since, and maybe before, the early 1960's. Members of the Huddersfield Phoenix climbed here regularly through the 60's.
Further developed by Simon Panton in the 80's when many of the old partly aided routes were improved and climbed free, Honley Quarry is mainly a routes venue. I say mainly as contrary to recent reports there are a number of boulder problems on the natural edges on either side of the quarry itself. These are very green, low in quality with dubious landings over steep, often muddy, slopes. There is a bouldering gem however, Asbestosis Font 7a a hard monster of a traverse buried in the back of the quarry. Almost perma-dry due to the above overhangs, a good project in dodgy weather.

The routes at Honley range from Diff to E6 6c and there are over 40 so plenty for everyone to have ago at.
There is still potential for new routes, especially along the back wall of the main bay if cleaned up.
There are a number of trees and fence posts at the top of the routes so good anchors are available.

ACCESS

From the library roundabout at the top of Westgate in Honley take Thirstin Road and follow it round until it turns into Old Moll Road. This progresses into some woods, just as you start to see the buildings at the far end pull up and park in the laybys on the left hand side. Various paths lead upwards on the left towards the skyline where the quarry is located.

An easy to print PDF TOPO guide to all the problems can be downloaded soon

BETA ALERT!

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The Problems & Routes

Hovering your mouse over, or clicking on, the name/grade of the problem will show the problem highlighted on the topo photograph below.

Left Natural Edge
This is the small outcrop high above the path about 50m left of the main quarry
1) Problem 1 Font 3 The small tower behind the holly tree
2) Problem 2 Font 3 The small overhang via the cracked face
3) Problem 3 Font 4 Just left of the crack climb the wrinkled face
4) Problem 4 Font 5 The small roof

Subsidiary Bay Left Wall
The left wall of the large bay on the left hand side after entering the quarry itself.
5) Phil's Traverse HVS 5a A rising traverse of the whole wall
6) The Devil's Steps MVS 4b Head up and left
7) Superstition E1 5b Directly upwards just left of the start of the corner
8) Ladders VD Start in the corner and head slightly left to finish high on the side

Subsidiary Bay Back Wall
9) Joe's Chimney D The chimney to the flaggy top
10) Square Head Phil MVS 4b The crack just to the right of the chimney
11) Zig And Zag MVS 4b A winding route upwards using the various breaks and vertical cracks
12) White Crack MVS 4b The middle of the face
13) Escape Route VD The bricked up crack
14) Smoking Slab E1 5b The often green slab to the left of the corner

Subsidiary Bay Right Wall
15) Clever Lever AKA Jenny's Corner HS 4b The corner
16) Watch Yer Back HVS 5b Up the cracks and flakes to the right of the corner
17) Evensong HVS 5b Flakes just right again
18) The Big Dig HVS 5b Just to the left of the middle of the wall
19) Sore Fingers HVS 5a The middle of the wall where the high flake is
20) Doing Time E2 5b Start as for Sore Fingers but head right to finish at the arete
21) Sticky Bum HVS 5b Up the wall and direct through the overhang
22) Kim Saigon S 4b Start as for Sticky Bum, follow the line of square cut holes at hand level leftwards and upwards toward the corner then up to the tree
23) Birch Climb MVS 4b n The left side of the arete

Main Bay Left Wall
24) Arete's Revenge AKA Arete Edge VS 4c The right hand side of the arete
25) Tress Pass MVS 4a The thin cracks following the line of the tree stumps
26) Bottle Neck MVS 4a The chimney direct
27) Elasta Plast HVS 5a The groove
28) Half Way to France E2 6a Head directly upwards from the starting crack

29) What Tree HS 4a Chossy crumblyness through the large hole
30) The Graveyard Shift E1b 5b Head up toward the quarryman's spike with a slight detour right around the overlap
31) Jammer HVD The wide jamming crack
32) The Can Can HVS 5b Just to the right of the crack
33) Better then Video Games VS 4c Head up the vertical crack lines
34) Border Patrol VS 4b The wall between the cracks to a flaggy finish
35) Timber! HS 4b The wall to the left of the chimney

Main Bay Back Wall
36) Sue's Chimney HVD The obvious chimney on the left of the wall
37) Shedpoojsize E2 5b Just left of the middle arete follow the over hanging flake rightwards to finish by the arete

Main Bay Right Wall
38) Asbestosis Font 7a From the corner traverse along sandy holds to an obvious footless section, hang sloping holds to a nasty crucifix onto an evil sharp edge, snatch down and hook a heel for a rest, the remainder to the arete is easy. Stays dry in all but the worst weather.
39) Triple Bad Acid E2 5c Start up the chimney before moving out right onto the main face higher up
40) Good News if you like Bad News E3 5c Up Triple Bad Acid to the chimney exit then head along the upper break all the way to the arete
41) My God Rides A Skateboard E4 5c As for Triple Bad Acid but sticking to the face all the way
42) Straight Outta Cleckheaton E5 6b Head steeply upwards from the overlap then head out right to finish up the Dog's Bollocks
43) The Dog's Bollocks E3 5c Steep, hard crack climbing all the way
44) Millions of Dead Christians E3 5c Follow the crack up to the break and finish up the arete

45) Jesus Loves America E3 6a Head leftwards up the arete
46) Joker Hysterical Face E4 6b The slabby sidewall

Prow Buttress
47) Undilutable Slang Truth E6 6c The left wall of the prow using the thin zigzag crack and through the upper overhangs
48) My Brain is In The Cupboard E3 5c The right hand arete of the prow starting low on the right side, up to the left side and finishing on the ledge

Right Natural Edge
This is the small collection of rocks just above the path about 30m right of the main quarry
49) Problem 5 Font 4 The centre of the high wrinkled wall
50) Problem 6 Font 6a The overhang at it's widest point followed by the arete

51) Problem 7 Font 4 The front face of the rather green wall

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