Area Locations

Areas

The Castle Hill Basin is made up of nine areas as described below. There are three different land owners / access arrangements - please read about each area before you visit.

Part of the Conservation Area - Castle Hill (s.25 - Stewardship Area) – a conservation category which provides protection based on the natural and historic values of the land. Gorge Hill and Prebble Hill were once part of Castle Hill Station but were purchased by the Nature Heritage Fund and returned to the Crown. Another piece of public conservation land within this location is Scenic Reserve Prebble Hill (an 8 hectare section within the boulders).

Castle Hill Station has a grazing lease on both Prebble and Gorge Hills but outside of lambing public access is allowed. Please be mindful that it is an both a working farm and a conservation area.

Castle Hill Station has lambing from October 1st to the 1st of December, please do not access this area in that time.

Access

From DOC: Access to Gorge Hill and Prebble Hill, on public conservation land (PCL), is possible by following the marginal strip along Porters River (from the Porter River Bridge) or from Cave Stream (Either along the river or through Gorge Hill). The marginal strip along Thomas River does not provide practical access which can mean people inadvertently enter private property. Check https://www.doc.govt.nz/map/index.html for details of boundaries and marginal strips.

doc land

This is a small field, but somehow a few excellent problems have been cleaned & climbed.

Part of the Conservation Area - Castle Hill (s.25 - Stewardship Area) – a conservation category which provides protection based on the natural and historic values of the land. Gorge Hill and Prebble Hill were once part of Castle Hill Station but were purchased by the Nature Heritage Fund and returned to the Crown. Another piece of public conservation land within this location is Scenic Reserve Prebble Hill (an 8 hectare section within the boulders).

Castle Hill Station has a grazing lease on both Prebble and Gorge Hills but outside of lambing public access is allowed. Please be mindful that it is an both an working farm and a conservation area.

Castle Hill Station has lambing from October 1st to the 1st of December, please do not access this area in that time.

Access

From DOC: Access to Gorge Hill and Prebble Hill, on public conservation land (PCL), is possible by following the marginal strip along Porters River (from the Porter River Bridge) or from Cave Stream (Either along the river or through Gorge Hill). The marginal strip along Thomas River does not provide practical access which can mean people inadvertently enter private property. Check https://www.doc.govt.nz/map/index.html for details of boundaries and marginal strips.

doc land

The Cave Stream Scenic Reserve is home to one of the most outstanding natural features in the Canterbury region - a 594 metre long cave which visitors can walk through (please take note of the warning signs about entering the cave - it has claimed lives).

There are a handful of boulders just south of the cave entrance and two nice boulders next to the river by the cave exit.

We are privileged to climb here, please follow guidelines set by Flock Hill Station here:  *Safety Notice*

Flock Hill is the premier bouldering area in the Basin. With its huge twisted forms and water-worn limestone boulders, Flock Hill offers perfect terrain for proud modern bouldering problems. Although people have been climbing here for over 40 years, Flock Hill is still under-developed.

With a long approach to ward off the masses and lichen covering past climbers’ test pieces, Flock Hill has always been an area for adventure. The names and grades of problems are passed around like Chinese whispers from climber to climber, so only a handful of locals have a grasp of who has climbed what problems and where all the established classics are.

We are privileged to climb here, please follow guidelines set by Flock Hill Station here:  *Safety Notice*

Please be extra attentive to the fact that Flock Hill Station is expanding its operations in this area, especially in the Valley around the picnic table.

Dry Valley has become the forgotten area in recent years because the access has changed - now climbers must park at Flock Hill gate and walk back to Dry Valley. Pre-2005 it was a quick jaunt from Cave Stream to the boulders and the area was bustling with activity (well, comparatively). Now it is hard to even find boulder problems that don’t require cleaning.

The boulders here have a ‘Quantum Field blankness’ to them which makes the lines that do exist stand out all the more.

Just north of Rambandit Valley, Dark Castle features more routes than boulder problems. Some classic lines include the 3-star Rambandit crack, and Eric Talmadge’s Angel of Pain.

A special part of Kura Tawhiti Reserve that has predator fencing - please shut the gates!

Please be very careful of the fauna and flora if you are venturing in the area. There are many extremely rare plants in the area (like the Castle Hill Buttercup ). We would suggest only climbing on boulders well clear of plants around the south and west of the field. Best to stay away from the more fragile area to the north.

Wuthering Heights is the silhouetted line of boulders above Quantum Field that you cannot miss, part of the Kura Tawhiti Reserve. With a concentrated number of 2 and 3 star problems, and featuring at least 100+ must-do problems, it is well worth the short sharp hike up the hill.

Part of Kura Tawhiti Reserve.

A close second most popular field, Spittle Hill has stacks of boulder problems including many interesting moderates. Polished holds are rife here unfortunately, due to ease of access and popularity.

Part of the Kura Tawhiti Reserve, Quantum Field is the most popular field in the basin. With about 1500 graded boulder problems to keep you entertained and an easy 10 minute stroll from the carpark, it is guaranteed to be a good day. There are plenty of established route climbs as well, but further bolting is prohibited.

This is the land of the mantle topout, on the most frictionless rock.