Harrison's Rocks is a sandstone crag approximately 1.5 kilometres (1 mi) south of the village of Groombridge in the county of East Sussex. It is popular with rock climbers, and is the largest of the cluster of local outcrops known as Southern Sandstone.
Harrison's Rocks is owned by climbers and is managed on their behalf by the British Mountaineering Council with funding from the English Sports Council.
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There are approximately 200 short climbs at Harrison's Rocks, ranging widely in difficulty. A good list can be found here.
The most widely used guide book is Southern Sandstone written by Mike Vetterlein and published by the Climbers Club.
Climbing is exclusively protected by means of a "top rope". This is the same as at all Southern Sandstone outcrops. Lead climbing is prohibited for two main reasons. Firstly, it is dangerous because the rock is too friable; any gear placed in the sandstone cracks would easily rip out in the event of a leader fall. Lead-climbing is also discouraged for reasons of conservation - it is unacceptable for climbers to risk further damage to the thin rock crust on the surface of the crags. Unconsolidated and friable sand lies beneath this crust. Deep rope-grooves can be seen in places at Harrison's Rocks and are testament to the fragility of the rock.
All of the climbs are quite short, with the highest at approximately 30 feet (9 m) and the lowest at 15 feet (5 m). Most climbs have a ring drilled and set into the rock at the top for setting up a top rope, but some rely on the use of tree trunks for protection. Slings are to be used for draping over the edge of the rock. This system reduces the friction between the rock and the rope or sling.
Harrison's Rocks is composed of a soft sandstone, which is prone to being worn away. It is therefore important that climbers keep erosion to a minimum. Top ropes should be set up so that the "sawing" effect of rope movement is kept away from rock surfaces as much as possible. Bolts at the tops of climbs have been placed to help with this, a long sling must always be used so that the karabiner with the moving rope hangs away from the rockface. A full code of conduct produced by local climbers and the B.M.C. is available.
The ground at the base of the climbs is maintained, as the topsoil is prone to being washed away. Mats of meshed fibre have been placed on the ground to help stabilise the soil.
A campsite was set up at Harrison's Rocks as a memorial to Julie Tullis, a former club member, who died on K2 in August 1986 after reaching the summit with Kurt Diemberger. The campground is wardened by Chris Tullis, Julie's son.