This site is a digital copy of the 1997 BMC guidebook to rock climbing in Lancashire
Grade: F6c+ | First Ascent: -1996
Rating: 0
A route based around Half Life in its lower half and which finishes up the hanging groove that bounds the left side of the wall. Start at a short, clean flake three metres farther right, which forms the left side of Great Buttress and climb this until it is possible to step left to a ledge and a bolt. Tricky moves then lead to steadier climbing up the wall, leading leftwards to the hanging corner high on the wall. Follow this to the top. [E4 6a]
Grade: 4b | First Ascent: -1979
Rating: 0
Start as for Sad But True and climb the short, clean flake to a large yew. Move left into the steep, right-facing corner; go up this through a holly to a dead tree, then finish up the groove behind.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 0
Ascend to the large yew as for Rocinante, then climb a short wall to gain the horizontal break. Step left and move into a wide scoop. Climb this until it steepens then traverse right to gain an open groove which leads to the top. Bolt belay.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1984
Rating: 1
Retrobolted! A direct version of Half Life, which gives a fine, open climb, far better than the view from below suggests. Instead of stepping left at the horizontal break, step right and gain a stalactite (bolts). Go up this past more bolts, to join Half Life then finish up this. A slightly harder finish is possible at 6a, by following a line of bolts on the left.
Grade: 5a,5b | First Ascent: -1977
Rating: 1
Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:
From the break on Half Life, traverse eight metres right to a tree-strewn ledge, then straight up to belay in a round niche above.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:
Traverse right for six metres to a flake. Go up this, then tiptoe back left to a loose flake which leads to the top. Bolt belay. Abseil descent.
Grade: 5a,5c | First Ascent: -1979
Rating: 2
A superb, delicate traverse of Great Buttress which has a strenuous finish.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:
Follow Atomic Bong to belay on the tree strewn ledge.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:
A sustained pitch. Traverse right along the break to a flake on Wargames, step down and move across rightwards to a rest on Android. Move delicately right and go up to gain a rest and obtain runners on the hanging flake above. Traverse strenuously past several bolts under the roof to a hanging belay at the far right end. Abseil descent.
Grade: F7a | First Ascent: -1992
Rating: 1
Start six metres to the right. Stand on a tufa, then climb up to a bolt. Move left at a small overlap, then continue on clean rock to a bolt belay. Care is needed with holds at the top. Abseil descent. [E4 6a]
Grade: F7a+ | First Ascent: -1992
Rating: 1
Start two metres to the right at another tufa and climb up past bolts. Finish as for the previous route. Abseil descent. [E4 6b]
Grade: F7c | First Ascent: -1991
Rating: 2
A short, sharp crux requires strong fingers and a tough skin. Four metres right climb the forked tree then step on to the rock below a bolt and continue to a flaky tufa. Move left at the top then go back right over the bulge. Continue to a bolt belay. Abseil descent. [E5 6c]
Grade: F7b | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 1
Grasp the tufas and go, hopefully gaining the chain belay below the bulge. If you are still going well, finish over the bulge of Agent Provacateur via a razor-edged pocket. Start three metres right of the forked tree and climb the `rice crispie` flutings past two bolts then step right to a bolt belay under the shattered roof. Short, but powerful; classic tufa. Either lower off at this point, or continue up: [E5 6b]
Grade: F7c | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 1
The continuation line of Electric Warrior, climbing directly through the bulge via a painful one-finger pocket. [E6 6c]
Grade: 6b,5a | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 2
An entertaining low traverse of Great Buttress.
Grade: 6b | First Ascent:
Rating:
Start up Electric Warrior to the belay, then traverse right past a tape on Wargames and reverse part of Android to a bolt belay on La Mangoustine Scatouflange.
Grade: 5a | First Ascent:
Rating:
Climb to the second bolt on La Mangoustine Scatouflange and slide across right to Super Dupont. Ascend this to its bolt belay then go right along the roof to a bolt belay at its right-hand end.
Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1999
Rating: 0
A superior and more amenable start, which traces the line of the curving archway. Start as for Gilbert Cardigan. From the third bolt, traverse powerfully right on tufas towards Guloot Kalanga. More moves right lead to a span into the bell tufa of Electric Warrior just below the lower-off chain. Finish as for Cosmic Dancer.
Grade: F8a | First Ascent: -1990
Rating: 1
Start behind a holly and gain a curious fluting, then continue past six bolts to the awkward finishing bulge. Bolt belay on left. Abseil descent. [E6 6c]
Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 3
Retrobolted! A steep and pumpy start up tufas, then easier, but still sustained, wall climbing on excellent rock, makes this one of the best pitches of its grade anywhere in the UK. Start immediately to the right, below a tiny yew eight metres left of Android. Go up to the yew and crank up past bolts, then move right into the hanging groove to gain a rest above. Climb just right of the very shallow groove above to a good hold and move out left to a corner that leads up to the roof. Just over this is a line of jugs, swing right along these to a niche. Pull up to a hanging belay. Abseil descent.
Grade: F7b+ | First Ascent: -1992
Rating:
A slightly harder direct start to reach the hanging groove of Wargames, taking a direct line four metres right of the tiny yew.
Grade: F7b+ | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 1
Start six metres left of Android and climb boldly to the first bolt above a prominent tufa at five metres. Move leftwards on undercuts to gain a squashed-up position beneath the roof (bolt). Pull over this, slapping wildly, and climb the wall above to a junction with Android. Traverse right and finish up The Perverse Pépère. [E6 6b]
Grade: F7b+ | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 1
Climb to the first bolt on Stretchy Perineum, then move right and go up to a bulge. Surmount this and continue to the junction with Android. [E5 6c]
Grade: 5c | First Ascent: -1979
Rating: 3
A great trad route, that finds the easiest way up this impressive buttress. Unfortunately, it is a little neglected in this age of clip-ups. Start up the ash tree at the centre of the foot of Great Buttress and climb it to just above the overlap, then move left along a branch, clip a low bolt on the left and pull into the small scoop above (bolt). Continue to a peg, then step down and across left to a larger scoop and a peg. Climb the steep thin flake above until it eases – junction with Chain Reaction. Move delicately right and go up to gain a rest below the hanging flake; climb this to its top, and traverse off rightwards to a hanging belay (this avoids the loose top wall). Abseil descent.
Grade: F7c | First Ascent: -1992
Rating:
A direct start to Android is possible without using the tree, by starting at a tufa immediately left of the tree. [E6 6c]
Grade: 5c,5b | First Ascent: -1979
Rating: 1
A poor finish, but the route is still worthwhile.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:
Follow Android to the junction with Chain Reaction then traverse left along the break to belay on a tree-strewn ledge – part of Chain Reaction in reverse.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
Rating:
Move back right along the break for six metres, pull directly over the bulge past two tree stumps, then go up to a flake – junction with Atomic Bong. Move left to another flake to finish.
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 2
Retrobolted! A fine direct on Android, requires a dynamic approach. Follow Android past the first peg to a bolt, then crank up and dyno for a jug (bolt). Climb delicately up to the top flake on Android, and ascend this to belay on the right.
Grade: F7b+ | First Ascent: -1989
Rating: 3
Excellent tufa climbing, and even better when combined with For When the Tree Falls. From the bolt above the large scoop on Android, use tufas to climb an obvious boltline to the left of a corner. [E6 6b]
Grade: F7a+ | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 3
Quality climbing that takes a direct line up the wall above the tree. A few thought-provoking moves test on-sight skills. Climb Android to the scoop on the left, then go up and right past a bolt and make a hard move past a second bolt for a good hold. Pump up the fluting above (bolt), to the bolt belay at the left-hand end of the long roof. Awesome territory. [E4 6b]
Grade: 6a | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 1
From the tape belay on La Mangoustine, pull over the roof above and climb the wall to a bolt belay. Exciting!
Grade: F7b | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 2
A Lakeland limestone classic. Boulder problem moves above a small tree require tenacity. Then contrasting climbing through the bulges leads to a Grand Finalé on the upper wall. Start at a holly three metres right of Android and climb this to gain the rock at a bolt. A difficult sequence past two more bolts gains a rest in the scoop. Move out left through bulges (bolt) to a ledge. Climb the shallow groove above past a fourth bolt to a bolt belay on Chain Reaction. [E5 6c]
Grade: F7b+ | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 3
A world-class route. The line of the wall, with climbing to match. Follow Super Dupont to the scoop then climb the exhausting right-curving undercling to make a desperate lunge past a bolt to gain a ledge; standing on this brings an end to the difficulties, a peg and a belay suspended from this. [E6 6c]
Grade: F7c+ | First Ascent: -1988
Rating: 2
Slightly overshadowed by its neighbours, but you`ve still got to do a route that is `merely` excellent. From the first bolt on Super Dupont, climb the right side of an overlap, then continue in a slightly rightward line to a larger overlap. Surmount this, then continue straight up to the bolt belay on Super Duper Dupont. Abseil descent. [E6 6c]
Grade: F7c+ | First Ascent: -1991
Rating: 3
Probably the best route on a wall of brilliant routes. Start two metres left of the large yew growing out of the rock and climb the wall above, trending steadily leftwards to the roof at the top. Surmount this and move left to the bolt belay on Mangoustine. Abseil descent. [E6 6c]
Grade: F6c | First Ascent: -1992
Rating: 1
Start up parallel tufas two metres right of the yew and follow a right-leading weakness past four bolts. Pull left through the bulge above to a bolt belay. Abseil descent. Good route; awful pun. [E3 6a]
Grade: F7a+ | First Ascent: -1985
Rating: 1
A little wandering in line, but still well worth doing. Start five metres right of the yew and climb directly up to some tufas to a bolt below an overlap. Traverse left, across Tufa King Hard, past another bolt to a ledge behind the yew (bolt), then go up left to a dubious bolt. Power through the bulges above to easy ground. Either traverse left to belay or climb the rotten wall above. [E5 6b]
Grade: F7b+ | First Ascent: -1987
Rating: 1
A variation finish to Driller Killer. Hard and a little scary. From the overlap, move up and left to a ledge, then traverse back right (bolt) to small undercuts. Continue to gain a flat hold and a bolt, then make more moves up on undercuts to enter a faint groove. Bolt belay on the left. Abseil descent. [E5 6c]
Grade: F6b+ | First Ascent: -1986
Rating: 0
A short problem four metres right of Driller Killer. Stand on the big hold at three metres then continue past bolts to the overlap. Bolt belay. Abseil descent. [E2 6a]
Grade: 6b | First Ascent: -1991
Rating: 0
Retrobolted! Start two metres to the right and use small tufas, then follow vague cracks past three bolts to reach the overlap. Move left through the overlap and continue for three metres to two bolts. Abseil descent.
Grade: F6c | First Ascent: -1993
Rating: 0
Start behind the tree at the right end of the wall and climb past three bolts to a peg at the overlap. Abseil descent. [E3 6b]
Grade: 5b,5c,5c,4a | First Ascent: -1979
Rating: 1
A high right-to-left traverse of Great Buttress. A horrible approach – walk along the base of the crag to the right-hand end, find and climb a network of yew roots on the steep ground to a second yew. Climb this tree for three metres until a traverse left along a painfully thorny ledge can be made to a peg and a rotting hanging rope belay.
Grade: 5b | First Ascent:
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Follow the ledge leftwards to a short corner and a tree. Move round a detached rib and reverse layback down to a traverse line at foot level (peg). An awkward move leads to a hanging belay.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
Rating:
Go left to the top of the flake on Android and continue under a narrow roof past a hanging belay on Wargames and descend to a good footledge. Move left to a junction with Atomic Bong and reverse the traverse to belay in the niche.
Grade: 5c | First Ascent:
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From the left of the ledge step down and traverse the superb horizontal break (two old tape runners) to the corner. Dead tree belay on The Rocinante.
Grade: 4a | First Ascent:
Rating:
Finish up the groove above.