Turkey Dip Rocks

Situation

Ben Moon climbing Unleashed (7c) at Turkey Dip Rocks

Turkey Dip is the most northerly of the Matlock area crags, tucked away above a small lake stocked with carp. It is situated close to Darley Bridge near Matlock in a nice secluded spot surrounded by extensive woodland, where sightings of deer are not unusual.

Character

The extremely steep 45° plus overhanging nature of the crag makes climbing possible in even the heaviest rain. Unfortunately after prolonged wet weather it does suffer from seepage, but not all the routes are affected by this. The crag gets some sun in the late afternoon but stays cool in hot weather.

Climbing

For climbers operating at 7b and above, Turkey Dip offers some memorable climbing. Taking unrelentingly steep terrain, power endurance is well tested on these routes. Heel and toe hooks provide a substitute for a third hand in places. Removing gear is fun, as the lower-offs finish an impressive distance away from the base of the routes. A clip-stick and bouldering mat (for warm-ups) would be useful.

Approach

If travelling by car, parking is available by Darley Bridge itself, or on the road to Wensley, just beyond the ‘Three Stags Head’ pub. Take the road signposted to ‘H.J. Enthoven’ and Stanton Lees and follow this for 150m, until you get to the third gate on your left. Go over the stile into the wood and follow the track, which can be muddy in prolonged wet weather. After 200m branch left around the lake and, almost immediately, cross a small wooden bridge over the stream. The crag overlooks the lake, just up on the right.

Access

N.B. The crag is on land owned by H.J. Enthoven and there is no right to climb here. To avoid problems, please make as little impact on the local environment as possible.