LANCASHIRE ROCK

38 - Burning a Nun

Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 0

The counter line to Greg Rimmer. Start in the shallow corner nine metres left of Slanting Crack. From a ledge at two metres, traverse diagonally right, past a thin curving crack, to gain a hanging groove. Up this to a ledge then cross to join Sheer Heart Attack. Follow this to the horizontal break, step left and over the overlap to finish.

39 - Sirloin

Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1969
Rating: 0

Originally A2. Climb the shallow corner past a flake to a ledge, then move easily right until it is possible to climb up through an obvious gap in the overhang to The Pasture.

40 - Slime Corner

Grade: 5a,5a,4b | First Ascent: (1961-63/1972)
Rating: 1

An old A1 which has since become a classic Hoghton route.

40.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:

The broken wall in the centre of the amphitheatre, just left of Sirloin, leads to a large ledge just left of The Pasture.

40.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Ascend the corner to a ledge and small tree on the right.

40.3 - Pitch 3

Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Up the ledges to a large ledge from which it is possible to walk off to the right. Move left along this, then up the wall using old chiselled holds, and finish up the short wall above.

40.3a - Original Finish

Grade: | First Ascent:
Rating:

Continue up the groove over ledges to the top (easier and not in keeping with the rest of the route).

41 - Five Minute Traverse

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

From Slime Corner pitch two, traverse up and right on to The Pasture.

42 - Spleen Road

Grade: 4b,4c | First Ascent: -1976
Rating: 1

A high-level girdle of the left side of the Main Amphitheatre.

42.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start from the walk-off ledge near the top of Slime Corner. Stride across the corner then step down to gain an obvious line of ledges which lead to a blunt arête on Highway Star. Continue along the break to join Goliath`s Groove below the final flake. Nut belay.

42.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Traverse the ledge to the arête, then step onto the front face and continue left along the bad belt (peg in Rhododendron Buttress) to a ledge on the left side of the buttress. Finish easily to a tree belay at the top.

43 - Baron of Beef

Grade: A2,6b,– | First Ascent: (1974/1981)
Rating: 0

43.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: A2 | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start midway between Slime Corner and Fallout, below a short hanging groove and use skyhooks in bolt holes, until it is possible to peg up the wall above to the belay on Slime Corner.

43.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 6b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the shallow corner on the right and pull over the overhang to a good pocket, then layback the groove above to a ledge and tree belay.

43.3 - Pitch 3

Grade: | First Ascent:
Rating:

The short wall by a crack in its centre.

44 - New Wave

Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1980
Rating: 0

Starting up the thin crack just left, gain the hanging groove on the right (peg). Continue up the flake above to the large ledge.

45 - Fallout – Direct Start

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

Start up initial crack of New Wave and swing left into a flake/groove. Go up this to the roof, move right and go up to the large ledge.

46 - Fallout

Grade: 5b,5b | First Ascent: (1967/1976/1977)
Rating: 1

46.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the corner below the right side of the Main Overhang to a ledge (originally pegged at A1), then traverse right to the good ledge on New Wave. Go up this to The Pasture.

46.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

From the left side of the ledge climb up to an indefinite groove and follow this to a large ledge at its top. Ascend the short corner then finish up the break on the left.

47 - The French Lieutenant`s Marrow

Grade: 6b,4b | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 2

A strenuously thin and serious climb.

47.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 6b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start at Slime Corner pitch two and climb the steep slab between that route and Fallout to a grassy ledge and a bolt belay. Either walk off home or continue up.

47.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 4b | First Ascent:
Rating:

The old chiselled holds of Slime Corner to finish.

48 - Highway Star

Grade: 5b,5a | First Ascent: (1976/1982)
Rating: 1

48.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start as for Fallout pitch two, make a rising traverse beneath the groove of Fallout, to a bolt belay above the Main Overhang.

48.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:

The obvious crack in the blunt arête above the belay to a break. Step right and continue to the top.

49 - Main Overhang

Grade: A1 | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0

The obvious line of bolts over the large overhang, finishing on the belay ledge of Highway Star.

50 - Flight of the Rat

Grade: 5c,6a | First Ascent: (1956/1977/1987)(198
Rating: 2

Two contrasting, but equally interesting pitches.

50.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Start at the obvious easy chimney beneath the left side of the Main Overhang. Ascend this to a ledge on the right and climb a steep friable rib until it is possible to move right on to the left side of an undercut slab. Go up and right (Friend) over the overhang to the belay of Main Overhang.

50.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 6a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Step back left to regain the crackline and follow this with increasing difficulty to the top.

51 - Burning Desire

Grade: 6b | First Ascent: (1971/1983)
Rating: 3

This very strenuous route takes the crack two metres left. From a ledge, gain the crack and follow this until level with the lip of the overhangs. Finger-traverse right and move up to a borehole. Move left to regain the crackline and follow this to finish.

52 - Deaf School

Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1978
Rating: 1

Follow Goliath`s Groove for nine metres to a sloping ledge on the left of an overhanging scoop. Layback right past a peg on the lip, to a break. Traverse right for a couple of moves, and then up the top of Burning Desire to a break, which can be hand-traversed right to a rhododendron. Finish direct.

53 - Goliath`s Groove

Grade: 5a | First Ascent: (1967/1972)
Rating: 1

The deep corner groove at the left of the amphitheatre. At the top layback the flake on the left.

54 - When the Levee Breaks

Grade: 4c,5b,5b,5b,4c,5a,4a | First Ascent: (1969/1977/1982)
Rating: 2

Originally pegged in a similar line as Tobacco Road. A girdle of Hoghton Wall and the Main Amphitheatre, starting at The Wasp. A very worthwhile expedition, providing that the conditions are right.

54.1 - Pitch 1

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb The Wasp for 18 metres, to the horizontal break, then hand-traverse left past a small bush until beneath the short corner on Thespis. Move up to stand on the break and continue along to the belay ledge of Route One.

54.2 - Pitch 2

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

From the left-hand edge of the ledge foot-traverse the sandy break across to the flake on Mandarin. Climb down and across left to The Waiting Room (part of Ten Minute Traverse in reverse).

54.3 - Pitch 3

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

From the left-hand side of The Waiting Room, pull up and round the arête to a good hold (peg) and traverse across to reach Sirloin. Climb the crack on the left to gain the large ledge on Slime Corner, Peg belay.

54.4 - Pitch 4

Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:

Traverse left as for Highway Star to the hanging ledge above the Main Overhang. Step left into a crackline and follow this to the horizontal break and traverse left into Goliath`s Groove below its final flake. Nut Belay.

54.5 - Pitch 5

Grade: 4c | First Ascent:
Rating:

Cross the ledge on the left to the arête, then step on to the front face and cross at the bad belt (peg in Rhododendron Buttress) to a ledge on the left side of the buttress. Traverse left across the top of the corner on Visions of Jan to gain another small corner, tree and nut belay.

54.6 - Pitch 6

Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Reverse mantel down to a break, then make an awkward move left to where the ledge widens (pegs) and traverse left to a bolt belay below the groove on Zig Zag.

54.7 - Pitch 7

Grade: 4a | First Ascent:
Rating:

Climb the corner on the left to a muddy ledge then take the crack in the steep slab above, as for Cave Route, to finish.