LANCASHIRE ROCK

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

Northern Section

  • 10 - Schmarren

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 0

    Start below a large sandy bowl and climb the wall using a crack on the left. Finish directly above the bowl, taking care with the rock.

  • 11 - Star

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 0

    Climb the wall on the right-hand side.

  • 12 - Skull Climb

    Grade: | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    Climb the flake crack to reach a cave on the left of the man-made wall, then move rightwards to finish up a groove.

  • 13 - The Iliad

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 0

    Start about one metre right of the man-made wall and climb directly up the wall via thin cracks and a wide horizontal break.

  • 14 - Retreat

    Grade: | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    10 metres to the right is a corner capped by a triangular roof. Move rightwards across the slab, then climb up to the overhang which is avoided on the left.

  • 15 - Midas

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: (1965-74)
    Rating: 0

    Start on the right-hand side of a sandy bowl. Trend leftwards to a ledge, then go up a short crack to finish up the arête.

  • 16 - Midas Direct

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1981
    Rating: 1

    Start as for Midas, then gain the shallow scoop with difficulty and finish directly.

  • 17 - Lethal Lemon

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1981
    Rating: 1

    The vague arête one metre to the right is gained and followed directly.

  • 18 - Geoff`s Groove

    Grade: | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    The obvious V-groove on the right.

  • 19 - The Great Scoop

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1962
    Rating: 2

    Start at a lower level, below a distinctive orange slab, near a boulder on the ground. Step up and traverse right across a slab to gain a hanging corner, then make a long reach to gain the ledge above and to the right. Step right and finish up the top wall.

  • 20 - Godspell

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 2

    Gain the hanging corner of Great Scoop directly and continue to the ledge above. Traverse left to a flake at the centre of the large roof. Hand-traverse wildly leftwards until a foothold on the arête can be gained, then finish up the steep wall.

  • 21 - Sandy Hole

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1986-87)
    Rating: 0

    Climb the short, overhanging crack that leads to a sandy hole three metres farther right, then continue over the blocks above.

  • 22 - Annual Route

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    Gain a ledge at head-height, then layback the corner to reach an overhung ledge which is quitted by a wide crack on the left.

  • 23 - The Bulger

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 1

    Start two metres right of Annual Route. Climb the bulging wall to reach a ledge just below the break. Move right, then finish up Dedfer or its left-hand edge.

  • 24 - Dedfer

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    Start around the arête and climb the hanging corner, passing a ledge to finish up a V-shaped groove. The ledge can also be gained by the arête to the left of the corner.

  • 25 - Blood Finger

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1981
    Rating: 1

    Start just right of Dedfer and climb a short overhanging finger-crack, moving right on a ledge to finish up the wall on the right of a faint rib.

  • 26 - So Sew

    Grade: | First Ascent: (1986-87)
    Rating: 0

    Start about four metres farther right and climb the left-hand side of the slab, then step right to finish up the centre of the wall.

  • 27 - Sew

    Grade: | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    Climb the right-hand edge of the slab to gain a ledge, then traverse left for three metres and finish up the centre of the wall as for So Sew.

  • 28 - Wall and Flake

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: (Pre-1965)
    Rating: 0

    Start to the right of the arête and follow the cracked wall leftwards past a small cleft to reach a ledge. Finish up the wide flake.