Harrison’s Rocks is a sandstone rock formation that features five crags for you to check out. The most noticeable one being Harrison’s Rocks, but a short walk away, you also have:

• North Boulder
• Unclimbed Wall Area
• Isolated Buttress
• And Crucifix Wall

What makes the area so special is it’s an excellent place to start outdoor climbing. Due to the crag being formed with sandstone, you can’t lead climbs there.

Instead, the area focuses on top-roping, which most people use when they go to indoor climbing walls.

Another great thing about the area is how many routes you have available at your fingertips. Harrison’s Rocks alone has over 400 routes, which include bouldering and top-roping.

When you combine the other four crags, you can add another one hundred routes to the list.

To make things better:

Thanks to all these routes, you can easily find a grade that suits your needs no matter how busy the crag is.

What does it look like?

Location/Parking

Harrison’s Rocks is owned by the BMC and managed by the Harrison’s Rocks Management Group (HRMG).

The area has become one of the most famous sandstone crags and is found about one mile from the village of Groombridge, which is in the county of East Sussex.

You’ll find the crags in the woodland, which the Forestry Commission owns. They also own the main car park, toilet facilities, and the camping area.

If you’re planning to drive to the crag, you’ll have to use the car park for the easiest access to the rocks.

The car park has a warden on-site in case of emergency, but they’ll also be checking that people are paying and displaying.

When it comes to paying, it depends on what type of vehicle you have or if you want to pay for the year. Here’s what you can expect:

• Cars: £1 per hour, £4 per day, £6 for 24 hours
• Minibusses: £2 per hour, £6 per day, £8 for 24 hours
• Yearly Pass: The Discovery Pass is £27 per year

You’ll also have to consider the opening and closing times of the car park if you don’t want to get stuck. And the times depend whether it’s summer or winter:

Summer Opening Times – April 1st to October 24th: 8 am – 10 pm

Winter Opening Times – October 25th to March 31st: 8 am – 5 pm

From the car park, you can take various paths to the which lead to the crag. The walk will take you around 10 minutes.

It’s also possible to camp in the location, although as of now, it’s closed due to Covid restrictions and will be reviewed later this year.

The prices are pretty low, and when it opens back up, you can pay at the “Pay & Display” machine.

It will cost you £5 per night for an adult, and for a child, it will cost you £2.50.

Good Climbing Spots

So, you know a bit of the area, but you probably want to know which spots are the best to hit up when you’re there.

When it comes down to it, it probably depends on what you’re looking for. For example, are you looking to boulder, climb something tall, or have lots of options?

Well, in this section I’m going to explain everything for you:

North Boulder

If you’re looking to get some bouldering done, then this is the best place in the area to go. The boulder is made with very soft sandstone, which can make it difficult to climb.

You’ll find North Boulder west of Harrison’s Rocks and slightly north.

The boulder is no high than 5 meters at the highest point, which makes it an excellent place to start.

To make things better:

You’ll find around 20 routes, all with varying levels of difficulty. That makes it an excellent place if you want to start from the beginning and work your way up. You’ll find anything from V0-V6+.

The area can get pretty boggy during wet weather, so you might want to bring a tarp to protect your bouldering mat. I’d also bring a small towel to dry your feet before you start climbing the boulder.

Unclimbed Wall Area

The Unclimbed Wall Area is South of Harrison’s Rocks. The rock is around 12 meters high and has approximately 48 routes for you to try out.

At the top of the wall, you have plenty of locations to set up anchors for top-roping, which makes it an okay place for people with basic rope work knowledge.

An important thing to note is to make sure your anchors rest over the edge, so you don’t damage the sandstone wall.

When it comes to grades on the rock, you have quite a few options ranging from 3a to 6c+.

Harrison’s Rocks

Harrison’s Rock is the main crag of the area. Most people can find the crag relatively quickly from the car park by following the path. It features many different crags with a total of 420 climbs, all with varying levels of difficulty.

Again, the rock is sandstone, so be extremely careful when setting up your anchors so you don’t damage the stone for anyone else.

Where’s Good For Beginners through to Advanced Climbers

Okay, you know the best spots, but what are the best climbs for beginners to advanced.

So, in this section, I’m going to pick out a few climbs I think you should try:

• Beginner Unclimbed Wall Area: Birch Tree Wall 4c
• Beginner North Boulder: South Island Surprise V0
• Beginner Hangover: Dark Chimney 2a
• Intermediate Unclimbed Wall Area: Half-Crown Corner 5b
• Intermediate North Boulder: Trigger 5+
• Intermediate Hangover: Slab Direct 5b
• Advanced Unclimbed Wall Area: Baskerville 6a
• Advanced North Boulder: The Sheriff 6b
• Advanced Hangover: Hangover III 6a

That should give you a few places to get started on your climbing journey of the Harrison’s Rock area.

Final Thoughts

We hope this has helped you understand the area and given you an insight into where to go and what to expect.  It’s a fantastic place to learn and enjoy climbing.