Black Rocks is a neglected cliff, sitting above Cromford and not far from the limestone crags of High Tor and Willersley. The cliff has a selection of lower grade climbs, some good mid-grade routes and a whole bunch of the hard stuff up the bald aretes, slabs and walls. It is lacking in the lower extreme grades but there is the ultra-classic sideways shuffler of Promontory Traverse as compensation. The rock is very even-textured gritstone, almost devoid of big pebbles and often smoother than elsewhere. This gives climbing that is often strenuous, precarious and rounded in the extreme, with many flaring breaks and sloping holds. Getting your hands on a full set of cams is a good idea before a visit.