This site is a digital copy of the 1997 BMC guidebook to rock climbing in Lancashire
Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Climb the corner and the arête above on its left-hand side. Pleasant, but disjointed.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 0
An eliminate line, starting from the large foothold on Route One. A hard move or two enables the break to be gained. Continue past a pocket and horizontal crack to a rounded finish.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 2
From a large foothold step up delicately right to holds. Climb directly to the break, then follow the groove above. A fine bold route which requires good footwork.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 1
An eliminate line just to the right again. Climb the slab, go over a steepening and on to the break. Finish up the second of three grooves. Delicate and fingery, requiring an honest, if blinkered, approach.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 2
Boulder on to the slab below a groove. Continue with a step left then move back right and go up to the break. Finish by climbing the right-hand groove. A thought-provoking crux.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Climb the shallow groove at the right-hand side of the slab to a ledge, then continue direct past slots, or go left from the first slot and pull up the wall steeply (5a) to join Route Two.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Follow Slabmaster to the ledge, then trend rightwards to finish up Chimney Route.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 1
The horizontal break can be traversed at foot level in either direction. Various starts and finishes are available. Traversing the break with hands at break level is equally good and is slightly harder (VS, 4b).
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 0
Climb Route One to the break, then traverse to the third groove on the upper wall and follow this to the top.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 0
Climb left of the grass directly to the final, awkward chimney.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1965
Rating: 0
The disjointed corner right of the grass is climbed to a capstone. Exit right to finish.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 3
An excellent, challenging climb that is both bold and technical. On the first ascent a semblance of safety was provided by an old bolt that appeared to be stuck into a rotting piece of wood. In fact, it barely held the weight of a sling and had disappeared by the third ascent a week later! Start at a flake on the left. Traverse right then move up to a standing position. Go over a bulge to a pocket then traverse right until below another pocket. Finish direct. No protection.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1984
Rating:
Follow the faint crackline, then join the parent route.
Grade: 6b | First Ascent:
Rating:
Climb more, or less, direct from the first pocket to the top.
Grade: 6c | First Ascent: -1991
Rating: 2
A bold route that takes a direct line up the wall just right of Daytona Wall, joining that route at its last move. Start up the Direct Start to Daytona Wall, but instead of stepping left to the bolt, make some hard and slopy undercut moves past a peg to reach some `monos` on the upper wall. Crank on these only looking at the bolt runner out to the left, to reach the top.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 1
Climb the first crack to a groove. Step left and finish direct.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 1
Start as for Overlapper, but continue direct.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0
The crack right of Overlapper has a hard start.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 1
Climb the wall to the right of Dessers.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
The third crack. Climb with difficulty past a niche and continue direct.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
The left-slanting break is followed to its end, then climb directly to the top.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1967
Rating:
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Gain the triangular niche on the right, and leave it by a thin crack.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 0
The corner chimney is followed to either a left-hand or a right-hand finish.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 1
A traverse from right to left. Climb Cracked Wall Chimney, go past the niche of Seazy and downward to Dessers. Ascend to the hand-traverse into Overlapper and finish as for that route.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Start at Cracked Wall Chimney, then go rightwards past a nose to a ledge and finish rightwards.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
The crack on the right leads to a wider crack above.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1973
Rating: 1
The obvious rib down and right of Calf.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Ascend by laybacking just right of the rib to gain a thin crack and the top.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Climb Cow`s Hide to the ledge, then finish rightwards.
Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 1
The impending wall leads the climber to a thin crack from which a relenting finish leads, tauntingly, to the top.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1968
Rating: 0
Gain a ledge on the arête, then continue steeply up the flakes to finish. Some suspect rock makes this route a serious lead.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Climb the overhanging corner on the right. Gain a ledge with difficulty, then finish up the crack on the left.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Two metres to the right climb the crack then the wall above.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1965
Rating: 0
Start below the bore-hole. Climb the wall to a ledge then climb just right of the bore to finish left of the arête.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1965
Rating: 0
Climb the flake to a ledge on the left of the prow.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1965
Rating: 0
A groove on the right, has a jammed block at its base. Follow the groove to a square-cut groove which leads to the finish.
Grade: | First Ascent: (1979-83)
Rating: 0
The steep wall right of the groove.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0
Climb to a ledge, then follow the groove to a second ledge. Traverse left for two metres and climb the wall.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Make difficult moves up the wall to the overhang, then go more easily direct to ledges. Traverse off, or follow the groove.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0
From a slabby boulder, climb the groove to ledges, then finish as for Groove, or traverse off.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
Start up Groovin`, then traverse thinly right to below a sloping ledge. Gain this, then step delicately up to the break and finish direct, or duck out leftwards.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1984
Rating:
Leads to the sloping ledge.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1964/1966)
Rating: 1
Further right is a line of wood screws. Climb the smooth slab, trusting the rubber, to the break (old peg above). Finish direct.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1972
Rating: 1
A good series of moves up the wall to the left of Sandy Crack, with a runner in the crack.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 0
The crack left of the chimney is followed, starting awkwardly and easing off higher up. Step right to finish. Bridging to the chimney reduces the grade to 4c.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1981
Rating: 0
Climb Sandy Crack to the break, then traverse left.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 0
The obvious chimney gives good practice in wedging, squirming and `udging. A must for cavers.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 0
Gain the large ledge right of the chimney. Continue dynamically just right of the cleft, or make a long reach. Graded for tall leaders who will find protection. For smaller leaders it is a solo.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
Mantel or belly-flop on to the large ledge. Go up and right, stepping carefully, until it is possible to finish up Overhanging Crack. Unprotected where it matters.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 1
The obvious crack gives sustained climbing to an awkward finish.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 2
Obvious from the shape! Climb awkwardly to a horizontal break, then finish direct from the second crack, or harder (HVS, 5a) by moving left to follow a little groove to the top. Varied, interesting and testing.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1980
Rating: 0
The wall to the right of Z Crack. Ascend directly on small holds. No protection.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1972
Rating: 0
The arête has a problem start on its left-hand side, though it can also be gained more easily from the right. No runners.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1979/1981/1983)
Rating: 0
An extension of a previous route called Movo. Climb Romeo Error to its sloping ledge. Traverse right with difficulty to Sandy Crack, then cross the chimney to the large ledge, and follow Pavanne to Overhanging Crack. Go up and across to Z Crack, then continue more easily to Los Endos. Finish up the arête. Poorly protected on the first section (i.e. a solo).
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 0
Climb the wall to the slot. Pull on the slot and go for the top. The upper section is easier (5c) using the edge on the left. Sustained, unprotected and with a painful landing.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1976
Rating: 0
Climb the left side of the blunt arête until forced rightwards. Finish direct.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1964
Rating: 0
Start from a footledge right of the arête. Step up, surmount the little bulge and continue daintily.
Grade: 4c | First Ascent: (1980s)
Rating: 0
Start at a horizontal flake below a shallow groove. Go up and trend left to finish.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Start at a foothold and go up, then left and reach for rounded edges. Continue to the big ledge.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Climb the wall three metres to the left of the right-hand arête on `slopers` to reach a small protuberant fingerhold. Continue and pull for the finishing holds. Strenuous.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 0
The sloping, rounded horizontally-flaked arête is followed closely to one of those awful, sloping, rounded finishes. Sustained and usually, very frustrating.
Grade: | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Climb the shallow corner on the arête, moving rightwards. The angle then eases and the ascent continues leftwards over a nose.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1996
Rating: 0
Start below and left of the overhang. Climb a bulge, then go up left to a ledge. Make a difficult move to gain the large sloping ledge. Above and left is a flat flake on the finishing slab. Gain the flake and the finish is then close at hand.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1966
Rating: 0
Climb up on the right side of the roof. Move out left and go up past the roof to gain the break. Finish easily on large holds.
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1967
Rating: 0
Climb The Bijou, but avoid that intimidating leftward prospect and continue pleasantly up the breaks.