Climbing at Castle Naze

MEET AT
Cowlow lane, IMPORTANT (parking here is very limited). Area postcode SK23 9UB, coordinates 53°18'16.3"N 1°55'24.6"W. Road side free parking, on the left from Sheffield and South Yorks areas and on the right from Manchester areas, a couple of miles West of Dove Holes, 6 minutes by car, around a few miles South, 10 minutes from Chapel-en-le-Firth. Around 15 minutes, 5.5 ish miles North of Buxton.

ABOUT CASTLE NAZE
Originally a prehistoric hillfort, sat on top of Combs Moss, Castle Naze is another great looking set of crags. Visibly standing at just over 500metres asl, as you know, if you've already been there, and therefore can see, the views are spectacular, with an over look of Combs reservoir. The walk-in is a good ole challenge, just like the beginning of any of our scrambles and rewarding, because at the top, the crags layout is clear and straight, staring low to high as you go along. further around, there are E (Extreme) climbs. Unless you love insane climbs, we won't be going near them.

EVENT'S PLAN
Not much to this plan. Over the stile, we'll make our way up the distinctive grass path. On top of here, the low crags come into view, we'll start here, working our way along the clear and straight layout. As this place is surrounded by boulders below, if you feel like it, you can carefully head down to them and explore any bouldering and free-climbing, but the main focus is on the trad climbing. After our day of climbing, we'll simply head back down the grass path and back over the stile.

WHAT EQUIPMENT TO BRING THEREFORE IMPORTANT
You will need and therefore must bring a HELMET, which is of first importance and an obvious piece of equipment. Seen some people, not this group but strangers, at a crag whether they're climbing or belaying, mainly belaying, not wearing one. This is a massive (excuse the terminology) schoolboy error and is annoying. At any time around a climbing crag, a helmet must always be worn in case of a slip or a boulder from the top of a climb could come crashing down, you just never know. CLIMBING SHOES and a BELAY DEVICE, also known as a belay plate for belaying the climber and a HARNESS. These four bits of equipment are the essentials.
If you have a rope and gear (also known as safety), great, please bring these along also, as we'll most likely need a few ropes anyway. A 40metre max is ideal, but only for the lower climbs at the beginning. the higher climbs, will need around a 60metre, because the anchoring points are safely far from the slate edge. Bring half ropes as well, just in case they're needed, as apposed to a single one, which we'll be bringing, because they are of use on their own. As stated, if you have any safety gear, please bring this, as the more we have the better, to use amongst us all, not to mention slings etc, especially in different sizes and more bits help.

OTHER NOTICE
This time, if you can contribute £2, so we can pass it onto Gerry. This is always very much appreciated. Many thanks.