Description

A gem of a crag, offering superb routes on some of the best Gritstone in the Peak! Its situation, perched on the edge of Bamford Moor, overlooking Ladybower Reservoir and the upper reaches of the Derwent Valley, is equally memorable. Although not the highest of Peak Gritstone edges, the climbing is extremely varied: classic middle-grade jamming cracks share space with the thinnest of slabs and most powerful of roof-climbs.

Conditions and Aspect: High-lying and fully exposed to the elements, this is not a crag for blustery weather. In fact Bamford is one of the few Eastern Edges where climbing in full-on summer conditions can feel perfectly fine, even though its southwesterly orientation ensures plenty of sunshine from midday onwards.

Routes on Bamford Edge
138 trad 13 boulder 4 Likes
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Hanna Vartia
H. Vartia
from Europe
Pete O'Donovan
P. O'Donovan
from Sheffield
Tim De Mazière
T. De Mazière
from Europe
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Bamford Edge

The area is access sensitive!

Although subject to CRoW (the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2,000) granting statutory public access, Bamford Edge is a special case. The landowner actively manages Bamford Moor as a grouse shoot, meaning walkers and climbers must adhere to certain rules and regulations, as agreed between the landowner and the British Mountaineering Council (BMC):
1) Absolutely no dogs are allowed.
2) For reasons of land management the owner has the right to close the moor for up to 28 days a year (excluding bank holidays, summer weekends or more than four weekend days outside the summer period).
3) The approach described below is the ONLY way climbers should access the crag.
New Road is a small lane, which starts 200m south of the Yorkshire Bridge Inn on the A6013 Bamford-to-Ladybower road and runs uphill to the Dennis Knoll parking area (Stanage). Approximately 1.7km from the junction with the A6013 (1.5km from Dennis Knoll) there is a wooden gate and stile on the northern side of the lane. Park in grassy lay-bys as close to the gate as possible. Cross the stile and take the left-hand of two well-marked paths. After 30m the paths split: again take the left-hand alternative, following a trail diagonally leftwards across the hillside to reach the Gun Buttress Area at the right-hand end of the crag (10 minutes from P). Well-marked paths lead leftwards from here along the base of the crag, running as far as the K Buttress, but beyond that the going becomes more indistinct. The far left-hand buttresses (Great Tor Area) are better reached by dropping down from the major path running along the top of the crag.