LANCASHIRE ROCK

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

Constable`s Overhang Area

  • 14 - Oak Leaf Wall

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 0

    The line of ledges four metres right of the corner.

  • 15 - Tea Leaf

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: (1974-75)
    Rating: 0

    From the highest point at ground level climb a thin crack to its end, then continue up the wall above and finish up a short groove.

  • 16 - Oak Leaf Crack

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 1

    The obvious straight crack immediately right.

  • 17 - Forked Cracks

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 2

    Sometimes dusty, but the moves have a real feel-good factor. Just to the right two cracks converge to form an inverted Y. Climb the right-hand one. A direct line from the bottom can be climbed at 5c.

  • 18 - Parallel Cracks

    Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 1

    Gain the hook then take the twin, parallel cracks on the left.

  • 19 - The Groove

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 1

    From the metal hook move up into a chimney/groove which is hard to enter but soon eases.

  • 20 - No Idea

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1997
    Rating: 0

    From the foot of The Groove climb directly up a small arête that forms the left side of Slime Chimney.

  • 21 - Slime Chimney

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 1

    The deep chimney which cuts the left wall of the recess opposite the quarry entrance. The capstone is negotiated on the right.

  • 22 - Get Off It!

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1997
    Rating: 0

    Climb the right-hand side of the arête left of The Grader.

  • 23 - The Grader

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1975-79)
    Rating: 3

    Finger-jamming at its best. Start from Slime Chimney, but swing right around the arête at six metres to the base of a diagonal crack. Start the crack by a hard move and follow it to join Lightning at its triangular block. Pass this by a further hard move and finish as for Lightning. A direct start is possible at 5c.

  • 24 - Lightning

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1974-75)
    Rating: 2

    Once the mid-way ledge is left, there is no going back on this racey finish. Climb the vertical crack in the wall just right of The Grader, then step right to join the ledge at mid-height on the back wall. Hand-traverse back left to a block and finish up a thin crack.

  • 25 - Thunder

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1962
    Rating: 0

    Climb the left corner of the recess to the ledge, then continue more awkwardly up the corner to the top.

  • 26 - Constable`s Overhang

    Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1974
    Rating: 3

    A fantastic route with quite a reputation. Climb the peg-scarred crack (or the wall just left; easier) in the back wall of the bay to a ledge. Step right from the ledge and climb a steep crack to a peg (Rock 3 above). Fight up the dogleg crack above to an entertaining exit on to the slab above.

  • 27 - Nameless Edge

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1976
    Rating: 0

    The corner which limits the recess on its right.

  • 28 - Slipshod

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1963
    Rating: 2

    When one quivers around the arête, it is interesting to note that this route used to be given VS! Climb the right wall of the recess until a scary and exposed move right round the arête leads to a finish up Green Slabs.

  • 29 - Green Slabs

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 0

    The aptly-named slabs are climbed until at a large detached block it is possible to traverse left and finish up the arête.

  • 30 - Fallout

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 0

    From Green Slabs climb straight up the overhanging wall above using a rocking block.

  • 31 - Pulley

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

    Climb the crack just to the left to a hard move on to a slab in the corner. A move over some blocks is then followed by a mantel to an exit gangway leading left.

  • 32 - Block and Tackle

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1963
    Rating: 0

    To the left of both The Arête and Central Crack climb the open blocky groove.

  • 33 - The Arête

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: (1974-75)
    Rating: 0

    The arête just left of Central Crack.

  • 34 - Central Crack

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1964
    Rating: 3

    The striking, near-perfect crack opposite the quarry entrance is one of the most popular routes here.

  • 35 - Mutual Peanut

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1976
    Rating: 0

    Climb directly up the wall two metres to the right of Central Crack to a flake crack on the right, just left of the large ledge. Continue up this flake, to an overlap, then swing left and join Central Crack at the top.

  • 36 - Crack and Slab Variant

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 0

    Gain the large ledge at half-height by climbing the flake crack that leads to its left-hand edge. From the ledge climb on to a large block and finish up the short crack on the right. The large ledge can also be reached at a slightly harder grade, either via the blunt arête itself, or by the first crack to the left of this. Ascendveass (VS, 4b): finishes up the short groove above the large ledge, immediately to the left of the normal finish.

  • 37 - Crack and Slab

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1960
    Rating: 2

    An excellent beginners` route. Gain the right-hand side of the large ledge by climbing the flake crack that starts just right of the blunt arête. Then finish over a large block and the short crack above, as for the previous route.

  • 38 - Chockstone Crack

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1964
    Rating: 0

    The short, dirty crack at the extreme right, which starts at a much higher level and leads to the top of Crack and Slab.