Carrock - Another 8A, Cleaned Lines & Broken Holds

Just a link to the latest news report, which describes some landing improvements (resulting in a new 8A), grade readjustments due to broken holds and cleaned up lines.

http://www.lakesbloc.com/news/340-metronome.html

Badger Rock Access

There has been an incident at Badger Rock (Kentmere) whereby a group of individuals were witnessed endeavouring to climb over the dry stone wall which surrounds the field in which the block sits.

Apparently one of the individuals was climbing over the wall when it completely gave way and badly damaged the boundary between the Garburn Pass and the farmer’s field. One can only surmise they were coming from Little Font and trying to avoid the massive (irony intended) 100m walk to the gate which accesses the field. Access to the boulder has always been a bit delicate and this could cause a problem with the landowner.

I have emailed the BMC access rep for Kentmere asking if he could pre-empt the situation and try to diffuse any possible problems. In the meantime I think it would be wise to stay clear of the boulder, at least until the BMC have had a chance to contact the landowner.

RIP Hold X

The infamous X-hold on the Bowderstone's Ladder Face has finally gone to a better place, after the years of strain finally caught up with it and it exploded whilst in foothold mode recently. This grip is best known as the 'off limits' handhold on the original eliminate sequence to Power Pinch, however it is also used on the popular Impropa RH and many of the links that cross this section of wall.

Local ‘Styan’ regular, Dan Turner, has been to the block since the demise of the hold and reports the following:

I repeated Impropa RH (via Power Pinch,) probably goes at hard V9/7c now. I also did all the moves to get you into the link ups (Lateral into Impropa, Lateral into Grand and TheLlink). Doubt it will change the grade but it will probably make them all fairly hard for the grade.

So in real terms, it sounds like Impropa RH is now defunct but other than that no major disruptions to other problems/links.

X-Hold Scar (Photo courtesy of Pete Wilkinson):

Seathwaite Guide Updated

I have updated the popular Seathwaite Circuit guide to include some of the more recent additions, most notably the Fox Force Five (7c) and Screwball Scramble (7a+) blocks. I have also tweaked the accuracy of the map to help with locating boulders/problems.

The updated guide is available to download via the Crag Page here:
http://lakesbloc.com/crags/south-west/227-seathwaite-circuit-duddon.html