Ice Climbing North Yorkshire Coast

When the temperature drops below -4 or -5c and there's no wind, there's no need to go far in search of ice on the North Yorkshire Moors. Just look at some of the sea cliffs, especially where they are not too vertical.
The picture on the left shows a typical ice climb just south of Stoupe Beck at Robin Hood's Bay near Whitby on the North East Coast. This one is about 45 to 65 ft tall and is around grade iii/iv.

There are many others, many incomplete.

Last night it got down to -8c









And if you don't fancy anything quite as exposed as that there is plenty of scope for short problem routes.

OK, it might not appeal to everyone but then these routes were only 40 minutes from my house on foot!!

Yes, bugger the Christmas shopping, I spent the morning climbing on these cliffs before running back home before I got cut off by the tide.

A day out on skis

A beautiful sunny day and with so much snow around I went to Goathland. Dug a little space for the van at the side of the road up to New Wath and skiied over the moors to Wardle Green a few miles to the south and back.

Perfect snow, the skis waxed to perfection, fast going we even had time to go to the old sheep beild at Wardle Green before turning back to the van. The sun was low in the sky and not a breath of wind. Apart from the distant darkness of the forests the only objects to be seen above the deep but hard snow were the odd grouse feeding on exposed tips of heather.

Left the van at 1:30 and was back at 4pm with plenty of photo shots. Surprised to find the van showing an outside temperature of -8c - that'll explain the ice on the inside of the roof then!

The snow on the North Yorkshire Moors is probably the best for skiing I've known as the cover is complete, extensive and firm.

But for my companion, Jilly, a day out on skis with me means a fast trot, sometimes in deep snow where she sinks in up to her belly. But she loves it!!