Stanage Left

In contrast to Stanage’s busier and more popular areas, the far left-hand side offers a noticeably quieter and more secluded atmosphere. It’s not unusual to spend an entire session here without seeing another climber, making it an ideal escape from the crowds. The boulders are spread out along the gently curving edge and, although the area doesn’t boast the same concentration of well-known classics as the main crags, there are still plenty of worthwhile problems for those prepared to wander a little further.

The crag faces southwest, receiving sunshine from mid-morning onwards. As the edge curves further left it gradually turns more westerly, allowing the final section to hold the evening sun and making it an excellent choice for a relaxed afternoon session.

Route Recommendations

Rusty 5
Microbe 5+
Pig's Ear 6A+
New York, New York 6B
Iain's Prow 6C
Monad 6C+
Icarus in the Shadows 7A+
Low Rider 7C+

Stanage has a long and rich climbing history. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, quarrymen worked sections of the edge for its exceptionally high-quality gritstone, leaving behind the scattered buttresses and boulders that climbers would later explore. The earliest climbers began by tackling the easier lines before standards steadily increased.

By the 1950s, the golden era of gritstone climbing had arrived. Climbers such as Joe Brown established many of the routes that have since become some of Stanage’s most sought-after classics.

Bouldering developed much later. While problems had been climbed for decades, many of today’s modern classics were not established until the early 2000s. Credit to John Allen who developed the area a lot in the 80s