Place info
Dark Castle
(59 routes)
The area of boulders to the north of Rambandit Valley.
Recently the area has not been very popular due to being closed.
The routes do not get much traffic and could be slightly greasy, and brushing is not encouraged.
The best climbs to orient yourself on are Rambandit (Rb)
The area of boulders to the north of Rambandit Valley.
Recently the area has not been very popular due to being closed.
The routes do not get much traffic and could be slightly greasy, and brushing is not encouraged.
The best climbs to orient yourself on are Rambandit (Rb)
The Dark Castle is CLOSED, mainly because it has been part of Castle Hill Station, and overlooks the house. Nothing has changed.
Climbs on the West side of the Rambandit Valley are okay but all other areas of Dark Castle and the Lime Quarry scarp are currently still closed.
| Reference | Name | Grade | Quality | Length | Comments | Actions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
25
|
|
1
 |
|||||||||
|
Left of SAYS Dave Fearnley 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
25
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
The wall to the left of Rt Pete Smale 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
21
|
|
 |
2
|
||||||||
|
The handcrack on the north side of the boulder. Generally soloed as the crux is at the bottom John Allen 1979 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Located in the Rambandit Boulder. Bridge the gully to the pock. Bryan Moore 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
27
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Nick Sutter 1992 |
|||||||||||
|
MB
|
24
|
|
2
|
||||||||
|
Found on the Rh edge of the south side of the Rambandit boulder. John Allen 1980 |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Found at the upper end of the Rambandit Valley. Climb the rounded arete. Dave McLeod 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Use same star as AB. Move L-wards to the pocks and up past the bolt. Simon Middlemass 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Start R of MMP.
Carry out short pock crank. Dave Fearnley 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
HW
|
19 ,6 ,23 ,20
|
|
8
|
 |
|||||||
Dave Fearnley, Sue French, Matt Evrard 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
26
|
|
||||||||||
|
The bolted line L of MfG Dave Fearnley |
|||||||||||
|
26
|
|
5
|
|||||||||
|
On the south face directly facing Rambandit.
Climb the arete Murray Hamilton 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
26
|
|
4
|
|
||||||||
|
The face to the R of MFG Murray Hamilton 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
24
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Found at the Lh-side of the gully behind Rambandit.
Ascend the wall and then puulover into a big scoop. Dave Fearnley 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Found at on the Rh-side of the gully behind Rambandit. Climb the arete. Dave McLeod 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
18
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Starts R of Sewerslide. Climb up and R-wards following bolts to ramp. Merv English 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
24
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Starts 10m R of Sewerslide. Climb the arete via the layback crack. John McCallum |
|||||||||||
|
17
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
Found on the large separate block. Start at the NE corner and go L-wards to gain the slab. Nigel Perry 1989. Simon Middlemass Direct finish.Karen McNeil, Direct start. |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
Uphill side of the Ewe2 boulder.
R-ward trending line. Ton Snelder 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
3
|
|
|
|||||||
|
AT the end of the valley. Climb the chimney crack. John Allen 1978 |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
1
|
|
||||||||
|
Startb at the top of Big Chimney. Clip the bolt then gain some pockets, go straight up or L-wards across the groove to the edge. John McCallum 1987 |
|||||||||||
|
27
|
|
||||||||||
|
On the Lh-side and near the entrance of Double Dick Canyon. Peter Taw 1991 |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
||||||||||
|
R of Atomizer. Climb overhung corner, then travers R-wards to pedastal and onwards up the arete Merv English 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
A short wall and slabby groove on the approach to EE Merv English 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
EE
|
23
|
|
5
|
||||||||
|
Approach via the rock path, to starting bolt.
Climb the wall to the flared groove then out L-wards onto the slab. Shares the same finish as the Big Chimney. Merv English |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Found on a small pinnacle , near the water runnel leads towards EE.
Climb the Lh-edge. Merv English 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Found on a small pinnacle , near the water runnel leads towards EE.
Goes up the middle Merv English 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
18
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Found on a small pinnacle , near the water runnel leads towards EE.
Climb the south side. Merv English |
|||||||||||
|
15
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
Starts out of Double Dick Canyon at the bolt belayers anchor. Climb up the L-wards to pocks and carry on upwards. Merv English 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
2
|
|
||||||||
|
Starts out of Double Dick Canyon at the bolt belayers anchor. The middle route. Sue English 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
21
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
Starts out of Double Dick Canyon at the bolt belayers anchor. Climb the Rh Arete. Merv English 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
AP
|
31
|
|
3
|
||||||||
|
The mono/fingery overhung wall Eric Talmadge 1991 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
On the main scarp, uphill from the Big Chimney.
Climb the orange Y crack, with your chioce of exit John Allen 1978 |
|||||||||||
|
21
|
|
3
|
|
||||||||
|
Found on the NE corner of the scarp, past a large arch (up high). The thin slabbish wall to the left of a cave. First bolt used to live under a rock at base of climb and was inserted into the hole on ascent. Robin Hood 1987 |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Found on the NE corner of the scarp, past a large arch (up high). Go up through the boulder cave to the Left of MA through srub onto the lslab above MA to belayer bolts. Climb L-wards then up the arete, and finishing on the slab. Robin Hood 1987 |
|||||||||||
|
18
|
|
4
|
|||||||||
|
Found on the NE corner of the scarp, past a large arch (up high). Using the same belayer bolts as ToaC. Climb straight up then move R-wards over a small roof. Robin Hood 1987 |
|||||||||||
|
20
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Found on a boulder opposite MA. Climb the Rh-side of the ledge. Dave McLeod 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
21
|
|
3
|
|
||||||||
|
Climb the yellow wall 40m R of MA Robin Hood 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
13
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
Climb the chimney to the R of LiaV Robin Hood 1985 |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
The Lh- slanting diagonal crack, to the R of BtC John Allen 1980 |
|||||||||||
|
20
|
|
3
|
|
||||||||
|
Downhil from WW. Climb the crack through the overhanging groove Chris Mansell 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
24
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
On the large boulder in the valley towards the Lime Quarry Srarp, opposite MA. Very technical. Dave Fearnley 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
19
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
On the north side of the large boulder in the valley towards the Lime Quarry Srarp, opposite MA.
Climb the short slab. Robin Hood 1987 |
|||||||||||
|
21
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
Up the gully opposite SoN and R of the chimney.Climb the pocked wall. Merv English 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
2
|
|||||||||
|
Opposite SoN, towards the reserve. Climb the paralell side feature. Dave McLeod 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
16
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
Opposite SoN, towards the reserve. An esoteric chimney. Mark Charlton 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
24
|
|
1
|
|||||||||
|
Opposite SoN, towards the reserve. Start up the chimney then head L-wards past the bolt and upm the face. Matt Evrard 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
23
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
On the NW side of the valley opposite WW. Climb the steep fist crack. John Allen 1980 |
|||||||||||
|
23
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
The route is in a gully, close to and to the L of EL.
Climb the undercling/fist-crack. John Allen 1980 |
|||||||||||
|
13
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Faces the reserve, L of EL, Ascend the easy slab. Claire Healing 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
10
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
Climb the yellow chmney that is formed by a blade of rock. Dave McLeod 1988 |
|||||||||||
|
23
|
|
3
|
|
||||||||
|
At the NW end of the Dark Castle.
Climb the grey corner. John McCallum 1989 |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
3
|
|
||||||||
|
Cliomb the arete to L of DM Tony Ward-Holmes |
|||||||||||
|
24 A1
|
|
5
|
|||||||||
|
Go towards the Lime Quarry Scarp, on a prominant tower.
The east facing wall (towards the road) Tim Wethy 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
25
|
|
6
|
|||||||||
|
Go towards the Lime Quarry Scarp, on a prominant tower.
The groove on the north side. Peter Taw 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
23
|
|
4
|
|
||||||||
|
Go towards the Lime Quarry Scarp, on a prominant tower.
Rh-side of the north face, climb the crack then move R-wards around the arete, finishing up RA. Peter Taw 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
22
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Go towards the Lime Quarry Scarp, on a the uphill face of a prominant tower.
Climb the curve and go letf to the arete at the top. Peter Taw 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
20
|
|
3
|
|||||||||
|
Go towards the Lime Quarry Scarp, on a the uphill face of a prominant tower.
Start at scoop and go L-wards or jump start, then upwards and R-wards. Peter Taw 1990 |
|||||||||||
|
17
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
Just R of the tower. Layback up the big rock waffer. Tim Wethy 1989 |
|||||||||||
