LANCASHIRE ROCK

This site is a digital copy of the 1997 BMC guidebook to rock climbing in Lancashire

Yarnsdale Delf

  • 1 - Ku

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1964
    Rating: 0

    At the left end of the complex wall are two `eyeballs` above a two-metre high pedestal. From the top of this pedestal, step right and go up trending slightly right to a short wall and the top.

  • 2 - Time Out

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1987
    Rating: 0

    Start five metres right at a small corner/groove. Climb this to flakes on the right then gain the short slab above on the left (peg). Finish directly. The flakes can also be gained by a finger-traverse from the left.

  • 3 - Yarnsdale

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1976
    Rating: 0

    The next shallow groove to a ledge, step left and through a narrow chimney to easy ground.

  • 4 - Klux

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1964
    Rating: 0

    Just right is a square-cut overhang at three metres; layback around this to a ledge and take the shallow recess above.

  • 5 - Baptism

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: (1975-79)
    Rating: 0

    Start at the base of the rib at the left side of the amphitheatre. Climb up to a ledge and the flake above, turning the overhang on its right.

  • 6 - The Mog

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1968
    Rating: 0

    Climb easily up a series of ledges in the left corner of the amphitheatre until it is possible to traverse left across the cracked wall near the top, to finish up the arête.

  • 7 - Baboon

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 0

    Start seven metres to the right and go up the corner to a ledge at three metres. From a higher ledge (peg) make an awkward move right and surmount the butterfly overhang above to reach a large ledge. Finish up the crack in the short steep wall above.

  • 8 - The Ape

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 2

    An eliminate that takes in some interesting mantels. On the right is an overhang at four metres, with a hanging groove on its left. Gain the groove and climb it to its top, then step left to a small ledge on the slab of Orang-Outang, or, from halfway up the groove go diagonally left, below a bulge, then pull up right and make an airy mantel on to the same ledge. Mantel on to the ledge above, then finish up the arête immediately right of Baboon.

  • 9 - Orang-Outang

    Grade: 4c,4b | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 2

    A classic outing on this quarry. On the original ascent a filed-down brass nut offered the main protection and the slab above was considered airy. Sadly, the route was recently desecrated by two bolts, but fortunately these have now been removed, to leave the route in its original condition.

  • 9.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb up to the overhang at four metres, then hand-traverse right until a gymnastic mantel can be made on to a large ledge. Climb the wall above on its left to a large ledge. Nut belay.

  • 9.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Gain the large ledge on the left and make an exposed swing on to the ledge on the skyline. Finish up the short wall as for Baboon.

  • 10 - Green Slab

    Grade: 4b,4c | First Ascent: -1958
    Rating: 2

    When the route is dry, the top pitch gives good climbing which is easier than it looks.

  • 10.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Start at a V-groove below a bulging arête. Climb the groove to a ledge on the left (on Orang-Outang), then take the thin crack in the shallow corner to the belay ledge of Orang-Outang.

  • 10.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb the steep slab by its corner.

  • 11 - Slap Happy

    Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1987
    Rating: 1

    Climb the edge just left of the start of Green Slab to the ledge of Orang-Outang. Step right and slap up the bulging arête directly to a ledge then step right and ascend the left side of the slab.

  • 12 - Rhesus Negative

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1969/1976)
    Rating: 1

    The leaning crack in the slab to a ledge on the arête. Stand on the flake and move up to a small overlap (peg), move right and pull up at a short crack to gain easier ground above.

  • 13 - O-Zone

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1987
    Rating: 1

    Takes a direct line up the centre of the slab. Go up to a thin dog-leg crack in the slab left of Gibbon. Climb this and move up leftwards to gain a tiny ledge on the horizontal break. Carry on direct up the slab (bolt on left) to a short crack, then finish diagonally to the left.

  • 14 - Gibbon

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: (Pre-1964/1967)
    Rating: 0

    The oft-damp corner which bounds the long slab on its right.

  • 15 - Gorilla

    Grade: 5b,4c | First Ascent: (Pre-1964/1976)
    Rating: 0

    Takes a line up the centre of the back wall of the amphitheatre, just left of the old mineshaft.

  • 15.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb the overhanging crack to a ledge. Peg and nut belay.

  • 15.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb the wall behind to a small ledge near the top, then traverse off right to finish behind a tree.

  • 16 - Salamander

    Grade: 4c,4a | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 2

    After a committing move to get established on to the wall, the climbing gradually relents. Start at the left side of a square recess, behind blocks where the mineshaft used to be.

  • 16.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb the crack in the left wall of the recess to a ledge on the arête. Continue up the corner above to a large ledge on the right. Nut belay.

  • 16.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Finish up the corner on the right. Belay on trees well back.

  • 17 - Little X

    Grade: 4c,5a,4b | First Ascent: (1966/1996)
    Rating: 0

    A right-to-left girdle of the main part of the quarry.

  • 17.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb the first pitch of Salamander to a ledge on the arête, then move left along ledges to the belay on Gorilla.

  • 17.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Move easily to the corner, then cross the wall on the left using a horizontal crack (peg) and move down to a triangular block on the arête. More unprotected for the second.

  • 17.3 - Pitch 3

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Move up the corner of the slab to a horizontal crack, then traverse along this to the ledge on Baboon and finish up this route.

  • 18 - Resurrection Shuffle

    Grade: 5b,4a | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 1

  • 18.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    The right corner of the recess, over several roofs to a large ledge. Nut belay.

  • 18.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Up the corner behind, as for Salamander.

  • 19 - Primate

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1968
    Rating: 0

  • 19a - Original Start

    Grade: | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Followed the waterfall until a traverse left could be made to the ledge at eight metres.

  • 20 - Waterfall

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1967
    Rating: 0

    Takes the series of clean rock steps by easy though often wet mantels, to a loose finish. The route is graded for dry conditions, otherwise it will be found to be an ungradable exercise in masochism.

  • 21 - Bandarlog

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1972
    Rating: 0

    At the top of the mound on the right is a deep hanging V-groove; climb this to a finish on the right

  • 22 - Klud

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1964
    Rating: 0

    Three metres right is another groove; climb this over a bulge then go up past an overhang to exit on the left.

  • 23 - Delusion

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: (1964/1973)
    Rating: 2

    The variation start to Klud has now been extended into a completely separate climb, which is interesting throughout. Go up the shallow groove a metre right to a ledge on the right (peg runner), then traverse diagonally right for three metres to finish straight up past a break.

  • 24 - Monkey Crack

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1966/1978)
    Rating: 0

    Take the left-hand crack.

  • 25 - Monkey Business

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1967/1977)
    Rating: 2

    The impressive crack just to the right gives sustained and strenuous climbing.

  • 26 - Marmoset

    Grade: 6c | First Ascent: (1969/1985)
    Rating: 0

    Follow the desperate thin crack on the right to its end, cross the blank wall and go left to finish.

  • 27 - Chimpanzee

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1967
    Rating: 0

    The right-hand corner of the wall, stepping off to the right at the top.