UKC

Does anyone know of any wheelchair accessible crags around Hathersage/that sort of area?

Bolted or trad. Access to the crag/crag bottom is the issue here, ignore the climbing aspect.

Stoney I would have thought would mostly be fine.

Burbage you can get reasonably close on a good path but only the small buttresses at the north end are right on it. 

Horseshoe quarry was the only one I could get to when I was in a chair. Windgather at a push. Sort of no pun intended. 

aldery

Is getting to the crag base important? Or would being able to access the top tick some boxes? If the latter, Froggatt might fit the bill. It's a fairly long path along the top but pretty flat and a decent surface as far as I recall.

Looks like the National Park have some all-terrain wheelchairs available, if that's any help: 

https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/planning-your-visit/access-for-all

Baslow/ Curbar from the Curbar Gap car park.

Millstone might be accessible from the lower track? 

Stoney/ Horseshoe (if the wheelchair fits between the boulders)

Possibly Yarncliffe?

I don't know if they count as a crag, but the Burbage South boulders from the other end as well maybe.

Not really Hathersage area, but Rheinstor?  It's only about 300m ish along a fairly decent-ish track from the road, level after the not especially steep initial descent from the road.

Craig-y-biceps - sport climbing where you talk to the climber while still sitting in the car.

Blackwell Dale - Bouldering where the car is actually in the cave.

Stoney (Garage Buttress) - sport climbing with very easy access, but right next to a grim road.

Rubicon- sport & trad near the car, along a short flat path (This also has the benefit of being in a lovely spot, which someone in a wheelchair will enjoy being at compared to the others lol).

Raven Tor - Sport and bouldering parked right next to the crag in a pretty dale. The climbing is hard!!!

Limestone doesn't seem to have as many styles as grit. 🤣

Top of Froggatt might be tricky because of the gates across the path - I have a feeling that they're locked but that would probably need checking.

Might depend on whether the wheelchair user is capacity limited or mobility limited.

If climbing is currently allowed there, the far (from the A6) end of Willersley has very flat easy access and plenty of space.

Not in the immediate Hathersage area though.

The path along the top of Froggatt/Curbar is now a permissive Bridleway so the gates are accessible to horse riders. And therefore a lot of wheelchairs and pushchairs too. It's a bit rocky in places and a bit boggy in others though

Thought I might be out of date with that.

A lot of it (and I don't wish to pry from the OP) depends on whether the wheelchair user is going to be climbing, belaying, spectating or "just" in a nice environment whilst their partner/mates/group/friends climb.

Was at Froggatt last night and it's dry at the moment. Hardest bit would be the initial bit from the road (there is a gate to a track further down the bend but think it's locked). Might be a bit of carrying to get to the good wide track and then the first ~50m is narrow path with grass/bracken either side. After that, it would be plain sailing but there isn't an easy way down to the base of the crag (down by Chequers Buttress probably easiest descent to an accessible area). 

Willersley is a great shout though climbing isn't technically allowed I don't think (I've never been challenged). 

Staden may also be possible? I can't remember if there is a gate or a stile though. 

I also can't remember whether it is a gate or a stile to get onto the old railway line into Lawrencefield (I think a gate?). That would also make that an option (though it is along a grassy track) and probably the closest one to Hathersage. 

In reply to ash_sak:

Hi all

Thank you for responding. I don’t know the specific access needs atm though I’m told the wheelchair user has climbed outside before.

I’ll pass on all these suggestions so they can make a decision based on their own understanding of their abilities.

Rheinstor. is accessible I seem to remember but a limited selection of routes

Perhaps, a bit further from Hathersage than you'd ideally like but I have thought New Mills Tor would be an option.

You might want to contact the Climbing for All Sheffield charity https://climbingforallsheffield.com/ although most of their sessions are indoors, climbers who are more aware of disability needs may be more attentive to access at crags.

Obviously wheelchair needs can vary hugely from incredibly heavy electric models with users who can't stand, to lightweight folding models with users who can walk short distances. With the latter an easy style 'may' not be a problem, but the former will require a fully (unlocked) gated approach.

I know when we climbed at Horseshoe with a couple of wheelchairs we were unable to fit of them between the boulders to stop cars. Hopefully the BMC would be able to prove a key to the gate for disabled climbers, as otherwise although bumpy (and difficult parking) it was great.

Regarding Burbage I just remembered that the last time I paid any attention to the gates at either end of the Green Drive they were big steel kissing-gates that could be unlocked with a Radar key for wheelchair access.  I might be out of date with that info though, it's been a while.

(You can just buy a Radar key and they're not expensive, if you're a guide/coach/whatever who'll be looking after disabled clients it might be worth getting one yourself.)

3rd shout for Rheinstor (Youlgrave near Bakewell) - easy flat access, lovely little crag over a peaceful meadow next to the Bradford. Great place for a picnic.

https://images.app.goo.gl/FD1HVAAM2SXMBMPn9

That's a brilliant idea, would be fantastic if more places adopted a similar approach. Although with keys available to buy, maybe there is then a risk of access being abused by the kind of user that made the lock necessary in the first place.

Railway Slab at Black Rocks

Black Rocks

They are a great motorbike deterrent and more accessible to legitimate users than traditional motorbike barriers. But they take up more room, which isn't always available on narrow paths, and make a lot of noise when being open or closed, so they're not ideal on suburban footpaths surrounded by houses. The risk from motorcyclists wanting to make mischief getting hold of radar keys is not significant. They also appear locked and completely unusable to some legitimate users so often have stickers on them explaining what the lock is there for! 

Now you mention it, yes I've seen the stickers on gates along the canal tow path. As I said great idea

I've been part of a team helping Michelle Mudhar - a wheelchair user and adaptive athlete - on her ambition to climb the Old Man of Hoy. You can learn more about Route to the Sky here:  https://www.routetothesky.co.uk/about

We've had training sessions at  Hobson Moor Quarry https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2019/11/20/route-to-the-sky-via-hobson-moo...

... and New Mills Torrs https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2023/07/16/just-another-week-in-the-peak-p... - both of which are incredibly wheelchair friendly. 

... and  Dovedale https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2021/08/25/ilam-rock-paraclimbing/ which isn't!

I hope that's helpful and if there's any interest I'm sure Michelle would be happy to connect to share experiences of climbing as a wheelchair user. PM me and I can make an intro. Cheers, Dom 

Hi all. We used Burbage North in the end. The chair user could walk very short distances so they could walk to The Chant after wheeling down the track. Thanks all for your responses and offers of further discussion.