LANCASHIRE ROCK

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

Left Wall

  • 1 - Tweedledee

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1963
    Rating: 0

    A hard layback gains a faint groove which leads to the top.

  • 2 - Rattle

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1975
    Rating: 0

    Climb to a small square-cut corner at two metres and finish direct.

  • 3 - Blusher

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1985
    Rating: 0

    The faint blocky arête just left of A Whiter Shade of Pale leads to a short wall.

  • 4 - A Whiter Shade of Pale

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1971
    Rating: 0

    Climb the slab to a ledge. Follow the groove over the overhang to the top, taking care to place some protection.

  • 5 - Crozzle

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: (1970/1972)
    Rating: 1

    Climb up to a leaning shot-hole with a thin crack. Make hard moves past an old peg to stand on a small ledge. The top lies just above.

  • 6 - Perganum

    Grade: 5a | First Ascent: -1963
    Rating: 1

    Start as for Crozzle but continue up a corner just right to an awkward move to gain a `Thank God` ledge just below the top. An easier start is possible by gaining the small corner from Numbug.

  • 7 - Numbug

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 0

    Climb straight up to a butterfly-shaped overhang. Layaway and bridge, then reach for the top.

  • 8 - Bugsy

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

    A groove on the blunt arête leads up and left to slabby ledges, then a short crack points the way to a little groove and strenuous pulls to the top. Sustained and thought-provoking.

  • 9 - The Pretty Thing

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: (1963/1971)
    Rating: 2

    The obvious diagonal crackline leads to a ledge at six metres. Reach up the wall, then step right to regain the line and hopefully the top. Excellent, steep and bold.

  • 9a - Direct Start

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1974
    Rating:

    The wall below the ledge gives a desperate problem.

  • 10 - Red-Green Eliminate

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

    Go up easily to a large ledge. Pull up the middle of the red/green wall, then go rightwards to a large foothold. Move up and left to finish. Graded for side-runners, as otherwise it is unprotected.

  • 11 - T.F.G.

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1963
    Rating: 0

    As for Red-Green Eliminate but continue and gain a small ledge in the groove above by a `somehow` move. Finish direct or (harder) go out right then up.

  • 12 - Apology

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 0

    Climb direct to the right-hand end of the large ledge of T.F.G. Step right to the groove (which can be reached direct, harder) and go up to its top. Pass the overhang on its left and continue in muscular fashion. Sustained and serious.

  • 13 - Pull and Go

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 0

    From the low ledge follow a steep thin crack to gain a ledge, then move up and go left to good holds. Continue steeply to the top. Graded for side-runners in Parrot Crack, otherwise there are none where it matters!

  • 14 - Parrot Crack

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1963
    Rating: 0

    A short blocky groove leads to the ledge on Pull and Go from the right. The obvious corner crack leads steeply upwards.

  • 15 - Cynical

    Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1978
    Rating: 1

    Climb the wall on its left side. A scoop-cum-groove leads above the overhang to the finishing wall.

  • 16 - The Cynic

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1974
    Rating: 1

    Follow the wall on its right side, at a thin crack; the bulge is overcome at an obvious shot-hole. Continue in the same line to reach the top.

  • 17 - Ginger

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

    The classic route of the quarry; clean and continuously thought-provoking. From the foot of Parrot Crack descend the grass rightwards. Traverse across to below a groove. Follow this weakness to a move right at an old peg, then continue past two mantels to a heathery finish. A direct start is possible from the sludge below the groove – ugh!

  • 18 - Brandy

    Grade: 5b | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 1

    An excellent climb; bold and poorly-protected. Gain the grassy terrace. From its left-hand end then step left to below a triangular overhang. Go up to and over this with difficulty, trending slightly right then go direct to finish. The line may also be started directly from a slabby boulder.

  • 19 - Red Revolution

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1971
    Rating: 2

    Gain the grassy terrace. Above its left side is a bow-shaped depression which is followed to a bulge (strenuous). A pull or two then lead to the top. A good, sustained route.

  • 20 - The Gouk

    Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 1

    A thin crack system above the right-hand side of the grassy ledge provides the route.

  • 21 - Tweedledum

    Grade: 4c | First Ascent: -1962
    Rating: 1

    Go up right of an overhang on the arête. Climb a groove past `old-timer`s protection` to a roof. Pull out left to stand on a slabby block, then step right and finish direct.

  • 21a - Variation Start

    Grade: | First Ascent: -1982
    Rating: 1

    The groove left of the arête gives sustained climbing up to the slabby block.

  • 22 - Ledge Way

    Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1970
    Rating: 0

    Climb the broken corner on the right for four metres, step left then go back and up rightwards. Continue over heather for belays. Usually wet with spray from the waterfall.