LANCASHIRE ROCK

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

Pool Area

  • 1 - Ashimoto

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 0

    From the centre of the end wall follow an obvious line of ledges and a ramp to a finishing groove.

  • 2 - Waldo

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1972
    Rating: 0

    From the foot of the ramp on Ashimoto, mantel onto the left wall then up to a large ledge (and the first and only runner, in a borehole) finish easily right.

  • 3 - Short Circuit

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1988
    Rating: 1

    Climb the wall between Waldo and Our Man from Cairo direct via a borehole at half-height.

  • 4 - Our Man from Cairo

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1973
    Rating: 1

    Climb the left-facing groove for four metres, high peg, then make an awkward pull out right onto a small sloping ledge. Move across to another small ledge on the right then up left, finishing past three prominent nebs.

  • 5 - Gnomely

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 0

    From the sloping ledge on Our Man from Cairo move up and left to ledges, then follow the weakness above.

  • 6 - Narrow Slab

    Grade: | First Ascent: (Pre-1966)
    Rating: 0

    Climb the centre of the narrow slab to the left, turning the capping overhang on the left.

  • 7 - Splash Arête

    Grade: | First Ascent: (Pre-1966)
    Rating: 1

    The top of the arête is pleasantly exposed, but the holds are all very positive. Just above and left is a large ledge, gain this and then up to a further two ledges and traverse left to the arête and disproportionate

  • 8 - Last Day but One

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

    From the large ledge, climb the prominent right arête of the pool, on its right side to the notch, then cross over and climb the left side, to an easy finish up Splash Arête.

  • 9 - Wet

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 0

    From the corner traverse right, moving down slightly to reach the right-hand corner, climb this over large ledges.

  • 10 - Damp

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

    Follow Wet to the centre of the wall, then reach up to a mantel ledge and climb the shallow groove above to the terrace. Finish directly up the wall behind.

  • 11 - Acapulco

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1988
    Rating: 1

    The shallow groove in the wall left of Damp is gained from below on creaky flakes. From the terrace take the problem wall left of Damp via two pockets.

  • 12 - Dry

    Grade: 5b,4b | First Ascent: (Pre-1966/1971)
    Rating: 1

  • 12.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Climb the corner recess without respite, to the terrace.

  • 12.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Move up left to a ledge on the arête, then take the stepped ledges on the right to finish.

  • 13 - Flick of the Wrist

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

    Sustained and delicate moves on steep rock lead to the horizontal break, then the climbing relents. Climb the corner for a couple of metres to a swing left around the slabby arête. Surmount the bulge above with difficulty, past an ancient bolt, to the horizontal break. Pull over the overhang to a ledge then finish up the arête.

  • 14 - That`s All it Takes

    Grade: 6b | First Ascent: (1973/1977/1980)
    Rating: 1

    Originally pegged as Sticky. Start four metres left of the arête and gain a footledge at two metres. Use peg slots and small flakes to reach an overlap. Cross this on its left to a cave in the break. Leave the cave by a flake in the roof and climb the upper wall on widely spaced but positive holds. Actually the route takes more than most people have to give!

  • 15 - End of Time

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1973/1977)
    Rating: 2

    A cool approach will pay dividends on this route. From the large ledge mantel onto a small ledge on the right at three metres, then move up rightwards to gain the break with difficulty. From the left side of the cave, climb the overhang on large but awkward holds and finish direct.

  • 16 - Time

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1973
    Rating: 1

    From the mantel at three metres on the previous route, continue direct via a pocket to the break. Go diagonally right a couple of moves, passing another pocket, then climb a shallow scoop and finish to the right above this.

  • 17 - Mad Karoo

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1969
    Rating: 1

    Follow Time to the horizontal break, then trend left and climb the wall on flakes, just right of the shallow corner.

  • 18 - Complete Streaker

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1973
    Rating: 2

    A little naked in the way of protection. Climb Concave Wall to the obvious horizontal break. Traverse this almost to the arête (peg), gain the ledge above the overhang and streak up the blunt arête in a fine position.

  • 19 - Concave Wall

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

    Climb easily over ledges in the angle of the wall, then finish up the shallow groove which forms the corner.

  • 20 - Bevel

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
    Rating: 0

    From the ledge, traverse left across ledges to where D.C. left his mark for posterity. Go up and right to a large ledge then follow the diagonal break leftwards, finishing over poor rock.

  • 21 - Monk Puzzle

    Grade: 5c,4c | First Ascent: -1978
    Rating: 0

  • 21.1 - Pitch 1

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Start six metres left of the angle of the wall, directly below the chiselled D.C. Climb up past a curious hole to a ledge then go up right to a large ledge and a poor tape belay.

  • 21.2 - Pitch 2

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
    Rating:

    Follow the flake above to a small overlap then climb straight up passing some friable rock.

  • 22 - Brittle Nerve

    Grade: 6a | First Ascent: (1983-86)
    Rating: 0

    The obvious right-slanting weakness four metres left is climbed (peg) to the large ledge. Continue up the easier wall above.

  • 23 - Timepiece

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1973
    Rating: 1

    From a circular rock feature just to the left, climb the steep wall on slots to the left end of a large ledge. Hand-traverse out to the left along the break, passing an obvious groove. Traverse left round the arête to finish up a short crack.

  • 24 - Mohammed the Morbid Mogul

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

    Left again is a shallow corner; climb this to the large ledge then traverse easily right to D.C.`s epitaph. Step up and left then go direct to finish up a crack in the short wall above.

  • 25 - Private Palpate

    Grade: 6b | First Ascent: (1986-87)
    Rating: 0

    From where Timepiece traverses off left, climb the thin crack in the wall above past two pegs (not in-situ).

  • 26 - Going for the One

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1980
    Rating: 0

    Start midway between the two Mohammed climbs, move up to a small overlap and step right to climb the left side of the thin flake above. Traverse off left to Mad Monk and stride across its groove to gain a thin crack. Climb this until it is possible to swing left to finish.

  • 27 - They Don`t Sell Bolts at Glacier Sports

    Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1989
    Rating: 0

    Start as for the previous route, but climb direct past the overlap and shallow groove, then continue past a break (peg, not in-situ) and finish up the blunt arête above.

  • 28 - Mohammed the Mad Monk of Moorside Home for Mental Misfits

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: (Pre-1966)
    Rating: 2

    The appealing right-leaning groove at the left side of the Pool Area should not be missed by any visiting VS climbers. At the top finish slightly right, or follow the old peg crack.

  • 29 - Mohammed Arête

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1986
    Rating: 0

    From the base of the groove-proper on the Mad Monk, climb the arête on its right-hand side.

  • 30 - Mohammed the Mediaeval Melancholic

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

    Climb the left side of the arête to finish up a short crack.

  • 31 - Mick the Quilt

    Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1990
    Rating: 0

    Start in the centre of the narrow wall on the left and climb to the obvious ledge at three metres, then continue to the top with side runners first in Green Finger Crack then in the Melancholic. Much of this climb is close to the vertical sandy streak where top soil washes down the rock and so the holds may be very sandy.

  • 32 - Green Finger Crack

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

    The obvious loose-looking flake crack at the left side of the wall, is gained by delicate moves to start.

  • 33 - Cyclops

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1983
    Rating: 0

    Just left of the Pool Area there is a small isolated buttress with a prominent hole at half-height. Start just right of the hole and surmount the initial overhang using a drill hole, then continue direct to the top. Stake belay.