Carrock Fell Guide Updated

Carrock Fell Guide 2012 Version 1.1: I have updated the Carrock Fell guide. There's a number of grade/description alterations (the most notable being 'Hockstack & Two Broken Toothbrushes' going up to 7B) along with the addition of the Mint Wall sector and of course the crags hardest line, 'Home' (8B). There were a few other recent additions that I couldn't include without a major overhaul, these will get included in the next full re-write.

http://www.lakesbloc.com/guides/carrockfell-guide.pdf

Dow Crag Bouldering

I have just added various information pages to the website focussing on the recently developed bouldering circuit below Dow Crag, in the southwest Lakes. The area now hosts a fair circuit of easier lines and 10+ problems from 7A to 8A...

News Report: lakesbloc.com/news/supergene-a-full-dow-crag-roundup
Crag Page: lakesbloc.com/crags/south-west/dow-crag-boulders
Crag Gallery: lakesbloc.com/galleries/dow-crag-boulders-gallery

NEW Sampson's Stones Guide

The NEW Sampson's Stones bouldering guide is now complete and available to download. It includes between 15-20 new problems when compared with the last version and hopefully a generally cleaner easier to follow layout.

Right: NEW Sampson's Stone guide cover.

With plenty to go at for all abilities, I hope this guide inspires a few more people to make the effort and visit this magnificent venue.

Download the guide for FREE here:
LakesBloc Sampson's Stones PDF Bouldering Guide (5.05mb)

Bull Stones Bouldering

Many years ago I went to checkout the small gritstone escarpment of Great Bull Stones (GBS), in the heart of the the Forrest of Bowland. On that occasion I approached via Wolfhole Crag, a lengthy and arduous trek across some pretty wild moorland. The day was a bleak misty affair, and having reached the crag I was quickly underwhelmed by the potential climbing on offer. Having scoped the western portion of the crag (and mainstay of the crag according to the OS map) I decided I'd seen enough and headed home, quickly forgetting about the not so Great Bull Stones.

This past weekend, 12 years on, I returned to the crag for another recce, having been tipped off by Mike Binks (who visited the crag the week before) that the boulders of Little Bull Stones (LBS) - essentially the eastern continuation of GBS and a sector of the crag I had not previously visited - offered a better concentration of sizeable blocks and lines, which may be of more interest than the more scattered collection of generally small boulders provided by the GBS escarpment.

Having parked at the base of the Hornby Road (a historic Roman road come bridleway linking Slaidburn to Hornby) I followed this substantial track to the near summit of Croasdale Fell, before heading up the short slope to the western most rocks of Great Bull Stones - as per the described method in the basic topo Mike had acquired and kindly passed on. From here I stuck to the crag line, taking in GBS and the surrounding blocks, to eventually reach Little Bull Stones. I didn't climb anything at GBS but having climbed most of the topo's described lines at LBS, I climbed (added?) about 10 more problems which were not covered. For the benefit of anyone who's interested, the best of these were are as follows:

1: Stinger 7A+/7B (SDS) From two low crimps work up the wall to the top of the block. Bunched start.
2: Dream On Sit [?] - 6A+ (SDS) The excellent curving arete climbed on the right.
3: Toro Loco - 6A+ (SDS) Use low edges to gain the rib and follow it to its finish, then top out via a big juggy pocket.
4: The Scoop - 6A (SDS) As per p3 but once the rib is gained mantle into the scoop and up.

5: Cascadia - 7A/+ (SDS) Start under the small roof and climb a direct line through the left of side of the 'sloper cascade'.
6: Bully Beef - 7B (SDS) Climb the LH arete of the slab from sitting at the base of the arete on the left.

Cascadia & Bully Beef videos:





Overall, the area is certainly pretty esoteric, however its beautifully remote location combined with the small but compact bouldering circuit at LBS makes it worth a visit for those who like moorland areas, well off the beaten track.

Lancaster Bomber repaired

As you may know, if you've visited the Lad Stones in recent months, one of the crucial holds on the classic prow of Lancaster Bomber has been creaking.

Late last year I endeavored to bolster the hold by applying some glue around its edge, however it has become obvious that this was not going to be a long term solution as the hold continued to move. So yesterday I applied a more lasting solution,  by levering the hold off cleaning it up and fully gluing it back. Hopefully this will solve the issue.

Trowbarrow Gardening

The saplings, small trees and foliage around the two main Trowbarrow boulders have been fully cleared out, making both blocks much more easily accessible as well as ventilated.

On the small block in front of Red Wall the south face has been re-opened up, meaning that the small but worthwhile 7A+ of Mojo is now climbable again (although it may well need a brush).

Carrock: Repairs and Restoration

Lots of repairs and groundwork have been going on at Carrock Fell of late. Following on from Adam Hocking sorting out the landing of what became Dan Varian's new problem, Get a Grip, Dan returned the favour by shifting the the large block below Punks Life. This both makes the sit start project a better proposition, as well as opening up an off-the-deck stand up start - which also remains a project. The original version stepping off the block is unaffected.

Up on the Mint Wall I've glued the central hold back, re-establishing the quality 7C+, Mint Royale and the central 7A Orison . Thanks to Jon Freeman for collecting the broken hold and handing it on to me. Hopefully it will stay put - it does take a fair amount of weight.

Over on the Leopold Wall myself and Dan Varian (to be fair Dan did most of the work) completely shifted the big block to the immediate left of Leopold Von Buch making the landing far flatter and meaning you need less pads to try the problem.

Mint Wall Breakage

Unfortunately the useful obvious edge in the centre of Carrock Fell's Mint Wall has recently snapped off, rendering Orison and Mint Royale much harder/defunct.

Jon Freeman has rescued the hold so if possible it will be glue back in place at some point.