This site is a digital copy of the 1997 BMC guidebook to rock climbing in Lancashire
Grade: | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 0
The dirty, broken groove and deep-set chimney above.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 1
Start below a crack on the left, and surmount the overhang using a large hold on the left (strenuous), then continue up the crack above to a ledge. Traverse the ledge to the right and limb the edge of the wall above.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1976
Rating: 0
The obvious corner on the left. Traverse right to finish.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
The first big crack left of the easy way down. Climb for a few metres, then using a subsidiary crack on the left continue until a hard move can be made on to a small ledge. To finish, either go right using a flake and mantel on to a pointed block, or climb the shattered headwall.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 0
The left side of the arête left of Bay Horse is gained from a couple of metres up that route.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1984
Rating: 1
Climb the wall left of Rock Lobster, passing a thin crack and a peg. The top wall feels bold.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
Really a variation start to Cotton Terror, taking the thin crack three metres to the right of Terror Cotta.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1990
Rating: 0
Climb the flake of Cotton Terror, then continue up the yellow wall above taking the roof at its extreme right-hand end.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: (1975-79)
Rating: 2
One of the classics of this wall. Although the rock can be friable, it is not as difficult as it may at first appear. Start as for Terror Cotta, then step right immediately to a thin flake rack and ascend this to a small ledge. Go up the grooved wall to a large ledge below the top (peg). Finish straight up.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 0
The open corner right of Terror Cotta. Climb the open corner direct (peg clipped on Terror Cotta) and go straight over the capping roof.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1971
Rating: 3
Terror Cotta must rank as one of the big adrenalin surges for anyone moving up through the grades in the quarries. All the way up the steep bottom wall the capping roofs look impenetrable, but the holds are there ‘honestly. On the left is a big yellow wall with some jutting overhangs above. Start in a short yellow corner and climb up and left on to a platform. Swing left around the arête, on to a blank wall and go up (peg) to the overhangs. Pull into the groove above and finish up this.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 1
A direct start to Terror Cotta. Start three metres to the left, below a crescent-shaped hold; climb directly past this feature and move right to join Terror Cotta and finish up that route.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1983
Rating: 0
A high-level girdle of Terror Cotta Wall; climb this route quickly ‘like a volcano it self-destructs from time to time. From the break on Terror Cotta traverse left beneath the roofs to finish up Zarke.
Grade: 5b,4c | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 1
An interesting girdle of the main section of Left Wall.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:
Follow Terror Cotta to the platform, then step on to the front wall and traverse horizontally to Double Trip (peg). Continue traversing in a more strenuous manner to the crackline of First Finale. Go up this past an in-situ peg to the overhang, then arrange protection and semi-hand-traverse left along the break into the corner of Birthday Crack (peg belay).
Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:
Step up and move on to the left wall, continue to an ancient peg, then step down and move out to the arête. Swing round on to the wall of Metamorphosis and follow the obvious horizontal break left past Punchline to finish just right of the broken corner on the left of the wall.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 2
This rather tedious old peg climb now provides one of Anglezarke`s gems. However, bits do sometimes fall off it, so protect yourself carefully. Start in the centre of the yellow wall, one metre left of a V-shaped groove in the top overhang. Climb the snappy wall past two pegs to the overhang (peg on right) and from the break beneath the roof, reach over the roof to reach a good hold just over the lip and pull boldly on to the upper wall, finishing slightly left. The shattered holds at the base of the overhang self-destructed just before guidebook work was completed. This has slightly increased the grade of the route. However, the route can still be climbed with an alternative exit via the V-groove on the right, at its previous grade, E2, 5b.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1988
Rating: 0
Supersedes Liptrip by adding an independent start. Climb the very faint crack just to the left to a peg below the roof. Climb over the roof on loose holds to a good move to finish.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1976
Rating: 1
Climb the thin broken crack two metres to the left, to an overlap and finish up the shattered groove above.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1975
Rating: 2
An interesting route at the left end of the wall. Although it avoids the intimidating overhangs and the rock is less friable, there are some exposed and technical moves. Start as for First Finale. Mantel on to a sloping hold to reach an overlap at four metres, then move left and go up to a small ledge at the left side of the overlap. Move left on to a large ledge, and from the right of this climb up to another ledge. Make an exposed crossing of the wall on the right until possible to finish straight up through an obvious break. Evil Digits (6c): is a direct start.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 2
The name says it all ‘a fine, fingery route. Take an almost direct line up the bold wall just left of First Finale with a long reach to gain a good hold. The crux entails leaving this hold to gain the break, way, way above the protection.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1974
Rating: 0
The corner on the left. Traverse out left along the obvious break to finish.
Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1988
Rating: 0
Climb the centre of the wall to a vague, right-leading crackline and follow this to the top.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1974
Rating: 0
Climb the crack in the middle of the wall on the left.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -2001
Rating: 0
Climb Many Happy Returns to halfway, then follow the left-slanting weakness out to the arête to finish.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1991
Rating: 2
Puzzling, reachy, and a little bit bold ‘this one`s a must for connoisseurs of arêtes. Climb the crack left of Many Happy Returns to its end (peg), then reach up the arête (crux) to good holds and finish above using holds to the left.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent:
Rating: 0
Continues up the wall, instead of the arête.
Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1997
Rating: 1
Climb the direct line up the nose of the arête, taking advantage of a nut placement on the left and the peg on ANtI.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 0
Climb ledges just left of the arête to gain a thin crack above a peg. Follow this crack to the top.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1968
Rating: 2
Although this route keeps changing, as the top skin has peeled back over the years, it still remains a classic. Many VS leaders may well hesitate on the first steep moves. Climb the previous route to a ledge at three metres, then move left to a higher ledge (peg). Step right, then go back left and continue directly to the top.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 1
The thin crack on the left with a loose finish.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
Start just to the right of a small niche. Climb the wall until almost level with the porthole, then go diagonally left to the porthole. Finish on the left.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: (1979-83)
Rating: 0
Climb straight up past the niche.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 0
The deep corner on the left.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1984
Rating: 0
The crack in the left side of the wall to the left of Coconino.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1989
Rating: 0
On the left there are two small corners which contain some suspect rock. Climb the wall on the left of these.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Climb the left edge of the steep, left arête. The telegraph pole has now been moved back and so it can no longer be seen from the bottom.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0
The next arête, past a dirty corner is at an easier angle, but is still loose.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: (1986-87)
Rating: 0
From a square footledge just left of the arête, climb up and over a bulge, then finish direct.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 1
Climb the left-slanting weakness three metres to the left of the arête. Where the cracks end move up to a break then go right to finish.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 0
Climb the wall two metres to the left via an obvious flake.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
Start at the foot of a groove that leads to the ancient railway sleeper and climb the bulging wall on good holds.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0
Climb the dirty groove that leads to the old railway sleeper. Some of the holds are suspect.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: (1975-79)
Rating: 0
Climb the groove and crack at the right-hand side of the wall.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 2
The prominent crack two metres to the left acts as a magnet to lower-grade visitors.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1983
Rating: 0
The boulder-problem wall and crack that finish just left of Wedge.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 1
The converging cracks at the left side of the wall, crossing the break just above mid-height.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (Mid 70s)
Rating: 0
The wall just to the left gaining the ledge which gives the break in the wall.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
The short crack at the left edge of the same wall.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
This is the low-level traverse of the wall from Mark to Mini.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1968
Rating: 0
The blunt arête at the right-hand end of the wall.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
The wall has four cracks. This is the rightmost one.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 2
The second crack to the left, is short, but sweet.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: (1974-75)
Rating: 0
The wall is taken directly from the small block.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
The third crack, just left of the fallen block. Hard to start.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
The fourth crack is less well-defined. Climb to a bulge which is avoided by a long step left, and escape by a narrow ledge.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 0
The wall just left again is climbed direct.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 0
Traverse the wall at mid-height in either direction.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 0
Hidden by the trees about 50 metres farther left is an isolated buttress, which can be identified by an iron spike low on its right wall. Either climb the front arête, or slightly harder, climb the wall beside the spike.