Crag Lough lies about 30 miles west of Newcastle and two miles north of Bardon Mill. A very suitable map is the O.S. 1 inch to 1 mile, Sheet 6, "Hexham."
High Shield Crag faces north overlooking the Lough, on the line of the Roman Wall. The Wall lies parallel to and half a mile north of the Newcastle - Carlisle Military Road.
The crags can be reached from the road running north from the cross-roads east of the Twice Brewed Inn, turning off east at the first cottage on the right, and following the Wall for 1 mile. Alternately, follow the private road to Hotbank Farm which leaves the Military Road 1½ mile east of the Inn. A well-worn track leads from this road through a wood on the left to the top of the crags.
These crags are outcrops of the Whinsill and the rock is quartz dolerite. It is hard, smooth, and lies in a formation of large and small blocks piled on one another at an angle of approximately 80°
Accommodation can be had at the Once Brewed Y.H., Twice Brewed Inn and the Bognor Guest House, all in close proximity on the Military Road. Accommodation is also available in Bardon Mill at the Fox and Hounds and the Bowes Hotel. Barden Mill Railway Station is the railway station nearest to the Crag. Newcastle - Carlisle United 'buses pass through Bardon Mill.
The crag has a frontage of approximately ½ mile , and it stretches from the pine wood at the east end to a breach in the escarpment at the west end, occupied by a solitary Sycamore tree.
Owing to the length and continuous nature of the Crag, the climbs are described in relationship to the following landmarks:-
IVY TOWER.- A conspicious, ivy covered squat pinnacle halfway up the crag at the east end
THE APPIAN WAY.- A wide gully of grass and scree dividing the crags at the west end.
CENTRAL BUTTRESS.- The largest and highest mass of clean cut rock.
TARZANS BUTTRESS.- The left side of the Appian Way is bounded by Hadrians Buttress. The next prominent buttress, 50 yards east, is Tarzans Buttress. It is deeply crevassed at the foot and reaches down to the path.
TWIN TREES.- Between Central Buttress and Ivy Tower at the top of a grassy bay. They are quite large and conspicious trees growing close together.
DEEP GULLY.- To the east of the Cairn, there are two conspicious buttresses divided by a large grassy bay. From the top of this bay a narrow dirty gully leads to the top of the Crag. This is Deep Gully.
For any climb on these Crags the leader will not need more than a 100 feet of rope.
Each group of climbs is described from right to left, facing the crags.
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