LANCASHIRE ROCK

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

North Pole Buttress

  • 3 - North West Passage

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 0

    Start at the right side of North Pole Buttress, behind the trees, and climb the deep groove stepping right near the top to a ledge and exit.

  • 4 - Rust Never Sleeps

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1984
    Rating: 1

    Start left of the trees, below a sentry-box at four metres. Gain this via a ledge on the right, then climb the groove above until it is possible to step left on to the wall above the overhang. Finish up the right edge of this.

  • 5 - Rust Never Sleeps Direct

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1993
    Rating: 1

    Start at the short arête on the left and climb up to the sentry-box. Step left on to a higher ledge and climb the overhang above to finish up the wall.

  • 6 - Vega

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1978
    Rating: 1

    Start in the deep corner just to the left and finish up the V-groove which cuts through the overhangs.

  • 7 - Arctic Circle

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

    Three metres to the left, ascend the blunt arête to the break.

  • 8 - Shale Surprise

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

    The wall just to the left again to the break.

  • 9 - Eskimo Nell

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 1

    The wide crack to the roof. Move left through the roof to finish.

  • 10 - Spitting Image

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

    The wall on the left, moving left into the centre at the crux. Continue to the roof and a peg, then follow the flake above leftwards to the lip and finish above.

  • 11 - Subzero

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

    Climb the wall on the left, directly to a hole below the break, and finish directly over the roof above.

  • 12 - Peary

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 1

    Start at an obvious curving crack and either climb the crack, or the groove on its left to the overhang (peg). Climb the overhang directly by exciting moves.

  • 13 - Energy Vampire

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

    Climb the thin crack to a peg, then move diagonally right to the large ledge and finish up the wall above on good holds.

  • 14 - Nansen

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 0

    From a ledge at one metre climb the wall on the right, eventually gaining the blunt arête on the left just below the large ledge, then continue to a drill hole on the large ledge. Ascend the overlap one metre right of the corner crack (peg) on good holds.

  • 14a - Hudson

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating:

    A variation start to Nansen. On the left is a glacis (scoop); gain this from the left and continue to the drill hole.

  • 15 - Bering Strait

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 0

    Climb the chimney crack to the top of the `Icicle`, then take the wide corner crack above to finish.

  • 16 - Abruzzi

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1979
    Rating: 1

    Climb the rib on the left, then the crack above.

  • 17 - Aurora

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1996
    Rating: 1

    Follow the faint right-slanting weakness which leads to the top of the rib. At the large ledge, step slightly left and climb the short wall above via four small overlaps.

  • 18 - Baffin

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

    From a slot in the centre of the wall, follow the very shallow depression to the large ledge, then finish up the crack of Abruzzi.

  • 19 - Ross

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

    Climb the wide crack at the left of the wall, then move up left to finish easily up a short corner.

  • 20 - Barents

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1977
    Rating: 0

    Starting one metre to the left, climb up the centre of the wall and continue up the short corner above.

  • 21 - Scorched Earth

    Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1996
    Rating: 1

    Climb the right side of the wall on the left, which contains some bore holes.

  • 22 - Blacky Woo Woo Bon Bon Pipkins

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

    Climb the centre of the wall trying not to be distracted by the route name!

  • 23 - Pack-ice

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1978
    Rating: 0

    The flake crack just to the left.

  • 24 - Melt

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1987
    Rating: 0

    The wall on the left. Gain a sloping ledge at three metres then finish up a short corner.

  • 25 - Spitsbergen

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1981
    Rating: 0

    Start down to the left and take the shallow groove and corner.