Back in the ‘bad old days’, when it never seemed to stop raining during the British Spring and summer, Chatsworth Edge was pretty much regarded as a no-go area in anything but exceptional drought conditions. Its north-westerly orientation and extensive tree cover ensured the crag stayed green and slimy most of the time and if you wanted to try one of its mythical crack climbs, green and slimy was definitely not helpful...
However, the recent spate of exceptionally dry summers has given Chatsworth a new lease of life and more and more climbers are now realizing just how good it is, especially if you’re up to trying the ‘mythical’ cracks.
Conditions and Aspect: Mostly north or northwest facing, the crag only receives sunshine during late-afternoons and evenings from spring to early autumn, and this needs to be taken into account when estimating how fast it will dry out after periods of rain. At an altitude of around 200m Chatsworth is one of the lowest-lying edges in the region and is thus very well sheltered from strong winds.
