Robin Proctor’s Scar

Present: Colin Maddison, Mary Stuart and Lester Payne.

If you’ve never been to Robin Proctor’s Scar you should go ….. or more pertinently you should have been there on 25^th September!

Whilst once providing gnarly trad-climbing it is now a well-bolted sport crag with, quality routes, a sunny aspect and one of the best outlooks in the Dales; a good choice for an autumn day. 

In fairness to those that stayed at home (or skulked off to the Roaches) the forecast was not inspiring. But the scenery, cafes and pubs of the Dales are enticement enough in themselves so Mary and I headed north.

A week earlier Duncan and I had enjoyed the warmth of September sunshine as we walked the escarpment and climbed routes on Beggar’s Stile, Crummackdale, Panorama and Moughton Nab. But today the skies where dark and threatening and there was a somewhat Baltic wind as Mary and I approached the crag.

The rain hit at the fourth bolt of the third route forcing retreat. It would be misleading to describe ‘Gone with the Wind’ (F5) and ‘Living the Dream’ (F5b) as having been warm-ups; the fingers were already numbed by the wind as I set off up ‘Interloper’ (F5c).

The rain passed as we ate a butty but crag was now soaked and there was more rain approaching. So with the clock approaching 2.00pm and no sign of other KMCer’s appearing it seemed duty was done and we headed for Feizer café as the next shower passed through.

Later we learned that Lester had arrived at the crag after our departure having cycled through the rain. He deserves full marks and a tick for commitment and effort and my apologies that he found no one there.

Perhaps we’ll try again next year.

Colin Maddison  Yorkshire Limestone – Robin Proctor’s Scar       Sunday 25^th September 2016

The venue for this year’s late September Yorkshire sun-rock experience will be Robin Proctor’s Scar.

Formerly a rather serious trad-crag (known as Norber Scar) Robin Proctor Scar has been redeveloped as a well-bolted sport crag with plenty of good routes from F5 upwards (and in particular from F6a to F6c) to be well worth the drive north.

The view from the crag is one of the best in the Dales and the quick drying nature of the rock and sunny aspect ensure the Scar's popularity.

From the A65, you can take the turn-off for Clapham (between Settle and Ingleton). Head into the village and, at its centre, park at the information centre. Walk up the lane until a footpath on the right leads through a tunnel. Walk along the track for about 1km until a footpath sign to Norber is reached. The crag is very obvious from here. Walk across the field and up the short scree slope.

I expect to be at the crag from about 10.30am, but you don’t need to wait for me.

Guidebooks are Northern Limestone (Rockfax) or Yorkshire Limestone (Yorkshire Mountaineering Club).

For further details see - http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=1359