A magnificent steep crag with many superb routes. Much of the climbing is in the higher grades but there are a few worthy routes at about E1 level. Above that the quantity and quality increases reaching a peak with the magnificent Northern Lights - 9a. The popular climbing is on the sport routes although there are plenty of great trad routes as well. The crag faces east and receives the sun in the morning which can make it a handy hot summer venue.

Photo: The Bulge Area © ROCKFAX

ROUTES

27 trad routes (E2...E7) 79 sport routes (3...9a) Graded List of Routes List of First Ascents

Buttress (click for routes)	No. of Routes	Route Type	Sunshine or shade	Approach walk	Other	Page
South Face This is the side of the crag facing the village of Kilnsey. To the left of South Buttress capped by...	6			2 mins		-
Directissima Area The huge umbella of Kilnseys main overhang shelters some of Yorkshires great pitches. The lower...	30			1 min		262
The Bulge Area The dominating bulge of Ecstacy and the corner of Balas are the main features of this wall. In...	13			1 min		264
Dihedral Wall Area The distinct overlap of Dihedral Wall itself and the wall to its right provide for most tastes,...	15			1 min		265
Biological Need Area The subtly-featured compact grey rock of the right-hand walls provide some extremely sustained and...	14			1 min		266
Central Wall The towering vertical wall of magnificent grey and white streaked limestone is broken only by some...	4			2 mins		267
North Buttress The leaning mass of Kilnsey’s North Buttress is one of the UK’s most impressive crags. The...	10			2 mins		268
Grooved Arete Area The final buttress at Kilnsey is often overlooked in favour of its better known near neighbours....	14			2 mins		270
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Another Clip in the Wall
"nice route up to the second bolt, then descends into contrived sharp moves and o..." 01/Aug

Floccipaucinihilipilificatious
"Re-bolted today. Few cool moves. One to do if you have done everything else. (Or..." 18/Jul

Pantomime
"Harder move than its neighbour but less sustained in its upper section. I'm havi..." 11/Jul

The Diedre
"Line in rockfax is wrong. From belay you move right then back left. Also higher ..." 10/Jul

Quiet Flight
"underrated, and better than it looks on fine rock with interesting climbing for ..." 13/Jun

The Diedre
"Currently bone dry. A few ascents would clean it up nicely. Direct up the Diedre..." 22/May

Smooth Torquer
"Correction, a million miles from 8a, only 48 miles from 7b." 21/May

The Directissima
"If you werent impressed you obviously only went to the first lower off." 16/Sep

Sticky Wicket
"I did this after Frankie and found it OK, easier for the tall I think which mayb..." 12/Sep

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