Climbing in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

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Millstone grit rock formations at Brimham Rocks (Public Domain Pictures/Pixabay)

You can certainly get an adrenaline fix while climbing in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where activities are largely set on spectacular crags and cliffs with views across scenic dales, heather moorland and limestone pavements. And it's not all the preserve of the experts, as climbing hubs like Brimham Rocks and Kilnsey Crag have routes for all levels, making this national park a great destination for families keen to inspire a love of climbing in their kids. 

Read on for Pitchup’s favourite bouldering, trad and sport climbing locations in the Yorkshire Dales, along with some tips on how to practise your sport safely and respectfully. 

Essential tips for climbing in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

It’s vital to check your equipment every time you climb (Jonathan Ouimet/Unsplash)

Always follow the Countryside Code whenever you’re out in the Yorkshire Dales, and add in some vital safety rules when you are climbing. 

Preparation

Thorough preparation is the key to successful and safe climbing. 

  • Ensure your climbing gear is in good condition, including ropes, harnesses and protective equipment.

  • Carry an app (there’s one specifically for the Three Peaks), guidebook or topo map to help navigate the routes.

  • Stay hydrated; take plenty of water.

  • Carry energy-giving snacks and a first-aid kit.

Safety

Following safety rules is absolutely essential when you are climbing; failure to do so can cause accidents, injury and occasionally even loss of life. 

  • Always check the weather forecast before heading out.

  • Wear a helmet and familiarise yourself with the route and descent.

  • Climb within your limits.

  • Ensure you have a reliable climbing partner.

Respect the environment

Combine your passion for the outdoors with a concern for the environment. 

  • Follow Wilderness England’s leave no trace policies by sticking to established footpaths and climbing routes and taking all litter home with you.  

  • Be mindful of nesting birds and seasonal restrictions.

  • Use public transport or carpooling wherever possible, or consider biking or hiking to your destination to reduce environmental impact. 

  • If you can’t avoid driving, park in designated spaces rather than in fields or blocking narrow lanes. 

Bouldering spots in the Yorkshire Dales

Bouldering – climbing without the use of ropes and harnesses but usually with a crash pad – is the UK’s most popular form of rock climbing, and it's excellent for physical and mental well-being. The north of England is a bouldering playground set on limestone and Millstone grit, and the Yorkshire Dales is home to scores of crags offering up thousands of problems.

Almscliff Crag

You’ll get stunning views over the Lower Wharfe Valley, along with great climbing, at one of the north’s best bouldering locations. Almscliff is affectionately known as ‘God’s own crag’ or ‘The Cliff,’ and has classic problems like Morrell’s Wall (V2), with its technical start, and The Crucifix (V4), a challenging overhang. There’s ample parking on Low and Merrybank lanes, less than five minutes’ walk from the crag,and a decent pub in North Rigton village, about five minutes’ drive away.  

Rock type: Gritstone

Difficulty: Intermediate

Best time to visit: The crag is exposed and gets a lot of wind, so it’s great for warm, sunny days but not so pleasant in winter.

Good to know: Both Almscliff Crag and its access route are on private land; please respect the landowner’s wishes for no drones or night-time climbing.

Brimham Rocks

This is a unique bouldering area with a variety of fantastical rock formations offering more than a thousand problems. It’s a short walk to the rocks from the car park, which is run by the National Trust, so it’s free for members, and there’s also a café for refuelling stops. The best problems include The Poem (V2), a well-loved arete climb, and while the climbs on The Escarpment are tough, Fag Slab (V0) has good holds for beginners; kids can have fun weaseling in between the rocks too. 

Rock type: Gritstone

Difficulty: All levels; there are occasional taster days for bouldering rookies. 

Best time to visit: All year round, but be aware that it can get very busy.

Sport and trad climbing in the Yorkshire Dales

Requiring great concentration and physical strength, sport climbing is executed on prepared courses with pre-placed ropes and bolts. Traditional (or ‘free’) climbing is performed in pairs without ropes, with team leaders placing chocks and bolts up a route as they go. Several destinations in the park offer both climbing options. 

Malham Cove

Using a highline to cross the gap at Malham Cove (Nate Williams/Unsplash)

One of the iconic landmarks of the Yorkshire Dales, this stunning limestone amphitheatre has a lot of demanding trad routes – including Wombat (E2 5c) with its challenging finish and the steep, aptly named Carnage (E4 6b) – on the peripheries of the rockface. There is also a myriad of bolted routes for sports climbing: Consenting Adults (7a) is popular with first-timers at Malham, while Raindogs (8a) is a well-known endurance route and Unjustified (8c) will give your strength and technique a severe testing.

Rock type: Limestone

Difficulty: Advanced

Best time to visit: The climbing is good all year around, but you can expect an audience of tourists over the school holidays.

Good to know: Please do not park on Cove Road beyond Town Head Barn. The road is not wide enough and any passing places must be left clear to let traffic through. There are pay-and-display car parks in Malham village (where there’s also a pub) from which you can access both the cove and Gordale Scar.

Gordale Scar

The deep gorge carved out by Gordale Beck at Gordale Scar (James Maxfield/Unsplash)

Anyone wanting to dodge the crowds can usually find peace at Gordale, a dramatic limestone gorge much loved by expert climbers for its muscle-wrenching, rope-stretching sport pitches. You’ll need a decent head for heights too as the overhang is severe – but at the top you’ll get an amazing view over dales upland all the way back to Malham. Test your mettle on the sustained climb up Face Route (HVS 5a), or accept the technical challenge of Holly Tree Wall (E1 5b). Be very careful with any route prep here, as there is a danger of loose rock falling.

Rock type: Limestone

Difficulty: Advanced

Best time to visit: Wait for clear, dry and sunny weather to dry the rock out so you can get a decent grip. 

Good to know: You can also visit the landmark Janet’s Foss waterfall on the half-hour walk to Gordale Scar from the car park in Malham.

Kilnsey Crag

Towering over its namesake village and family-friendly Kilnsey Park (which has a lakeside café for afternoon tea), Kilnsey Crag was formed by glaciation and is a premier sport and trad climbing destination with steep bolted routes. Generally it’s tougher than Gordale and Malham, so be prepared for strenuous, stamina-testing climbs on difficult overhangs and leaning walls. The trad climbs near the top of the crag are kinder for anyone new to the sport. Parking is on the side of the road; please don’t block field gates.

Rock type: Limestone

Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced

Best time to visit: Conditions can be cold and breezy as the crag is so exposed, and midges are a problem in summer. 

Good to know: Housemartins nest on the crag between May and September; please stay away from them until the young have fledged.

Indoor climbing in the Yorkshire Dales

Weather turned against you? Technique need some honing? There are indoor climbing centres available at several places around the national park. You’ll need to book in advance for Ingleton Wall, which is a well-established hub with two bouldering rooms and a circuit board as well as more than 40 lead and top-rope lines.  

Other walls include: 

Outdoor shops

You’ll have no problem finding climbing gear at outdoor shops in the Yorkshire Dales; there are stores in all the main hubs like Settle, Hawes, Grassington, Pateley Bridge  Leyburn and Sedbergh.  

You can also buy maps and guides from the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and download a climbing guide from the BMC.

Plan your Yorkshire Dales trip

Like its counterpart the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Dales has year-round climbing for all skill levels, with plenty of challenges often side by side with gentle routes for beginners. Any non-climbing members of your party can easily keep busy – for instance Brimham Rocks is 10 minutes’ drive from fabulous Fountains Abbey – and the region also has fantastic and challenging cycling routes.

Pretty Dales villages like Malham and Kettlewell make handy bases for climbers, and if you’d prefer a few more luxuries with your outdoor stay, Pitchup also has a selection of glampsites throughout the park.