Benscliffe Wood
Forbidden fruit
Forbidden fruit
Mentioned in the minor crags section of the 1993 Leicestershire Climbs guidebook for its flake and slab climbs. The crag is accessible by a well trodden path but it is made very clear to you that the landowners do not want you be there. The rock should not be climbed, regardless of the morality of restricting public access to places of natural beauty, as Benscliffe Wood is designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the lichen growing on the rocks. Lichen should not be removed from the rock under any circumstances.
Parking: Park on the verge on Benscliffe Road (52.7115889, -1.2374559).
Approach: Walk south along the road to the enterance of a track which runs parrallel and adjacent to the electricity poles. Follow this track up the hill, when it splits take the right hand fork and continue up hill, when it splits again take the left hand track. Follow this to the crest of the hill and a crossroads of paths. Take the left path southwards along the crest to reach the rocks, going right takes you to the summit of Benscliffe Hill. ViewRanger map.
Approach: Walk south along the road to the enterance of a track which runs parrallel and adjacent to the electricity poles. Follow this track up the hill, when it splits take the right hand fork and continue up hill, when it splits again take the left hand track. Follow this to the crest of the hill and a crossroads of paths. Take the left path southwards along the crest to reach the rocks, going right takes you to the summit of Benscliffe Hill. ViewRanger map.
Ben's-cliff is an admirable spot for pic-nics. The whole ridge of the hill, half-a-mile in length, is rocky and picturesque, and shut in by the wood which wraps it round on every side.
- Charnwood Forest, F. T. Mott (1868)
