LANCASHIRE ROCK

1 - Lamentably Gentlemanly

Grade: 6b | First Ascent: (1968/1982/1983)
Rating: 2

Sustained climbing up an old peg route, finishing in a fine position. Start six metres right of The Wasp. Climb the short wall, with care, to the sandy break. Climb the crack above past three pegs to the stepped overhang. Pull over this (Friends in the break) then move leftwards and sprint up the short, hairy groove to finish.

2 - Getting Rid of the Albatross

Grade: 6c | First Ascent: -1983
Rating: 3

An atmospheric route with a superb top wall. Start between Lamentably Gentlemanly and Wasp, below a small niche. From the sandy break follow a thin crack to the niche and continue up flakes and slots on the right to the left end of a stepped overhang. Move left and fight up an intermittent peg crack (crux) to finish in a fine position.

3 - The Wasp

Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 2

Good exercise in bridging, but unfortunately it can be slow to dry out. The impressive corner at the quarry entrance is climbed in its entirety to a large ledge on the right.

4 - The Sting

Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 0

The short continuation corner above The Wasp.

5 - Goulash

Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1967/1977)
Rating: 0

Originally pegged (A1). Climb the thin crack two metres left of The Wasp, then traverse right along the horizontal break and finish up the final section of Wasp.

6 - All Roads Lead to Rome

Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1983
Rating: 3

An excellent route requiring a certain amount of faith in friction and some commitment. Start two metres right of Boadicea and climb the thin crack and wall to a slight overlap (bolt) with increasing difficulty to a grassy ledge, traverse left along the break on poor rock and finish up Boadicea.

7 - Boadicea

Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1968/1977)
Rating: 3

Originally pegged (A1). A well-protected but sustained route with two distinct cruxes, which gives one of the all time classic quarry climbs. Climb the obvious crack six metres left of The Wasp, past two breaks to finish up a bulging crack, passing a tree near the top.

8 - For God`s Sake Burn it Down!

Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1983
Rating: 1

Climb the crack left of Boadicea, past a small overlap to a break. Step left and go up to a peg, then make some thin moves to gain a second break. Move right to a crack, finishing up the last few moves of Boadicea.

9 - Every Face Tells a Story

Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1966/1978)
Rating: 2

Originally pegged as Hazard (A1). Start at a crack just right of Thespis. Climb the crack past a bulge then continue to the first horizontal break. Climb the wall above to the peg on Burn it Down. Either go left to a finish up Lady, or use the peg for aid to gain a second horizontal break and follow this right to finish up Boadicea. The aid peg can be omitted at E3, 6b.

10 - Thespis

Grade: 4c,4c | First Ascent: -1968
Rating: 1

10.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the right-facing flake groove in the centre of Hoghton Wall, then traverse left along the obvious ledge to a peg belay.

10.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the wall and short corner above to a break. Step right to a peg (possible belay), then up the shallow groove to a tree at the top.

11 - Burning the Phoenix

Grade: 5b,6a | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 2

A good introduction to the harder climbs at Hoghton. Requires faith in Friends.

11.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the crack two metres left of Thespis to a ledge at 10 metres, continue in the same line to the grassy break. Step right to a peg belay.

11.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 6a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Traverse left for three metres and climb the wall (pegs) to an overlap (Friend). Over this on the left and up a short awkward wall to a ledge. Belay on the right at the tree.

12 - Lady

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

12.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

The crack a metre left of Burning the Phoenix to belay as for Thespis.

12.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Traverse right to the end of a narrow ledge, then climb straight up the wall above to the first horizontal break. Follow cracks above to the second horizontal break (peg), then foot traverse this right for three metres to the final peg-scarred crack of Boadicea and finish up this.

13 - Route One

Grade: 4b,4c | First Ascent: (1950s/early 1960s)
Rating: 2

The classic peg route of the Fifties has now become the trade route of this wall.

13.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start about two metres right of the arête which forms the right boundary of the Main Amphitheatre. Climb up the obvious crack, then up the wall diagonally left to a large ledge and bolt belay.

13.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Up the corner to a mantel, then follow a line of ledges right to a peg below an obvious square overhang. Climb the overhang on its left.

14 - Golden Delicious

Grade: 5c,5c | First Ascent: (1981/1983)
Rating: 3

Steady climbing with gradually increasing exposure. The moves out of Mandarin are particularly memorable.

14.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the thin crack (peg), just right of the arête, to the large ledge. Bolt belay.

14.1a - Variation Start

Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1985
Rating:

The slanting crack on the left that joins the parent route at the peg.

14.2 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:

From the left of the ledge climb to the roof. Pass this on the left and gain the traverse ledge of Mandarin (in-situ peg) go up to the overhang and move left onto the exposed arête. Climb up to a small triangular overhang and step left (crux) to finish up a crack. Trend right to the tree belay on Mandarin.

15 - The Knickertwister

Grade: 6a,6b | First Ascent: (1969/1978/1986)
Rating: 2

A hard version of Golden Delicious.

15.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 6a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start as for the alternative start to Golden Delicious, but climb the corner, then bear left to a vertical crack which leads to the large ledge and bolt belay.

15.1a - Direct Start

Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start up the corner, but instead of bearing left, continue up the wall to the belay ledge.

15.2 - On the Brink

Grade: 6b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the crack above the belay, to the roof and move right under this. Make a long reach to a slanting hold on the lip (bolt) and make a dynamic move on to the wall above. Go up this and trend leftwards to finish up the easier top section of Mandarin.

16 - Blind Eye

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

Takes the diagonal overlap on the right, starting up Let`s Go Play and finishing up Knickertwister (bolt). Serious towards the top.

17 - Let`s Go Play

Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 1

From a metre up the corner, gain the thin crack in the yellow wall on the right. Up this to a poor peg and up to another peg. Finger-traverse right along the break to the large ledge and a bolt belay. Abseil off.

18 - Ten Minute Traverse

Grade: 5b,5c | First Ascent: (1955/1966/1977)
Rating: 2

The traverse which was originally pegged at A1 proves every bit as good as it looks.

18.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the corner to an iron spike then up and move right to gain a large flake; foot-traverse the horizontal break right until it is possible to step round onto the belay ledge of Let`s Go Play. It is also possible to hand-traverse the break (harder but better protected).

18.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the corner at the right end of the ledge to the roof, then straight up the crack above (pegs).

19 - Mandarin

Grade: 5b,5b | First Ascent: (1960/1967)
Rating: 3

A superb climb, that defies all superlatives. The climbing is maintained at an even grade with adequate protection and some really impressive positions. Few climbers will forget an ascent of Mandarin and most will consider it one of the best quarry climbs in the country. The route is described as it was originally climbed, but it is probably best climbed as one pitch by avoiding the traverse to The Pasture.

19.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Follow Ten Minute Traverse to the large flake, then climb up this and the square-cut overhang above. Continue up a short wall to the roof, then traverse left onto the large grassy ledge (The Pasture) and a bolt belay.

19.1a - Patella

Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1967
Rating:

Instead of crossing Ten Minute Traverse to reach the flake, climb straight up a short chimney and over another overhang to reach the square-cut overhang.

19.2 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Traverse back under the roof to gain an obvious traverse ledge. From the end of this bridge up to the overhang and pass this on the right then continue to a niche. Exit left round an arête to an exposed finish up easy rock to a tree belay.