Ham Hill Quarry

Avon and Somerset

Limestone quarry (the rock is called Ham Stone, a shelly limestone which is relatively soft and friable), with a number of clean faces up to around 20 metres high. About a dozen obvious lines and various eliminates exist with the best lines around English 5a to 5b. 

Crag information
Climbing Area: South West & Southern Rock Type: Limestone
Importance: Local CRoW Land: No
Ownership: Unknown No. of Routes: 40
Within National Park: No Year Developed:
Grid Reference: ST480166.000

As with Southern Sandstone the prevailing ethic has been top-roping or soloing due to the nature of the rock (the rock is quite soft) and some of the top-outs. Therefore no leading must take place on the rock, your gear probably won't hold in any case. Ham Hill Quarry is a bolt free zone. Belays can generally be arranged on substantial trees set back at the top of the faces for which a spare rope for use as an anchor line is essential.

There is an almost certain risk of rockfall from above Ivy Buttress while setting a top belay and extreme care should be exercised by all users of the quarry at such a time. Even during climbing, belayers should stand well back; this situation alone recommends the use of helmets.

There are also a few easy obvious boulder problems around the base of the quarry.

Parking and Approach

Situated in Ham Hill Country Park with nearby parking and good access.Access is via a sunken track from the northwest. Being surrounded by trees and below the level of the road its existence is not immediately apparent to the casual visitor. However, since being made a feature on one of the official trails around Ham Hill the entrance is nowadays much more obvious and displays a sign warning of steep quarry faces. Once upon a time it was possible to confuse it with a smaller adjacent quarry on the north side. This has now been fenced off for safety reasons and confusion should no longer be possible.
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