Here we have news of a real rarity within the South Lakes Limestone region: a new crag. Developed and cleaned by Andy Hyslop and Pete Whillance, this small, natural crag is located on a minor hill sandwiched between Fairy Steps and Haverbrack Quarry.
Dog Hole Crag as it is known – being adjacent to the archaeologically significant but well hidden Dog Hole Cave – is essentially a crown of small limestone buttresses which ring the top of the wooded hill. Most of the climbs are in the 3 to 6B range, however one of the buttresses offers a compact, undercut barrel of excellent rock purveying two harder lines: Kugelblitz (7C) a tough direct up the left side of the buttress which starts on an obvious RH sidepull and Hard Cheddar (7A+), another good problem straight up the central shallow groove line, starting on a LH crimp. These two lines were both climbed by myself.
Approach
As for Fairy Steps, park in the lay-by at the apex of Cockshot Lane (54.212527, -2.793846), then follow the road east for 100m to a footpath entering the woods on the left. Take the LH track and keep left when it splits a short distance later, following the yellow arrow footpath markers. When you reach the sixth marker (from the road), take a trail into the trees on your right. Immediately, a cleaned vertical buttress with parallel breaks will be seen to your left – this offers a handful of excellent easier straight-ups and a couple of traverses. Continuing along the escarpment for a few more metres and you will reach a steep roof – featuring a 7A line (Rushing Roulette) direct through the widest section. As short distance further along the crag and the Hard Cheddar buttress is reached.
If you don’t leave the track at the sixth marker and continue along the footpath for a further 250m you will come to an open area on the left. Here you will find another crag line of small clean buttresses facing southwest, most hosting more good quality problems from 3 to 6B, all climbed by Pete and Andy.