Almscliffe Crag: Dramatic history of climbers' favourite location

In centuries past, the local legend explaining the crag’s creation was certainly sensational. It was claimed that a giant called Rombald was fighting with the devil, who picked up a great boulder and threw it at him, missing the giant and resulting in the creation of the crag.

Whatever the rather debatable truth of that myth, it is not in doubt that the large outcrop of Millstone Grit which stands above the Lower Wharfe Valley to the south of Harrogate has continued to exert a fascination to the modern day.

It became familiar to millions of viewers when it was used in the opening titles of long-running ITV soap Emmerdale between 1998 and 2005.

Its unusual appearance, which has been created by the erosion of softer surrounding stone compared to the hardier millstone, had previously led to the site being used as a stand-in for an alien planet in BBC sci-fi series Blake’s 7.

It also featured in The Beiderbecke Trilogy, an ITV
show that ran in the 1980s and starred James Bolam and Barbara Flynn as schoolteachers involved in a series of unlikely adventures.

But the striking views on offer have been popular for even longer with climbers than television producers.

The crag featured in John Laycock’s 1913 rock-climbing guide Some Gritstone Climbs and more than a century later is still hugely popular with climbers, some of whom describe it as ‘Yorkshire’s finest’.

As this picture taken by The Yorkshire Post photographer Bruce Rollinson shows, climbers and ramblers who tackle the crag are rewarded with spectacular views for miles over the rolling farmland of Wharfedale.

Those who have conquered the crag do not have too far to go to reward themselves with a hearty meal and a drink in the nearby village of North Rigton, where The Square & Compass pub is a popular draw for visitors and locals alike.

Technical information: Nikon D4 camera with 17-35mm Nikkor lens, exposure of 1/500th sec @ f11. ISO 320.