UKC

Just after a bit of advice from any Lancashire locals, I'm interested in visiting Houghton quarry driving from Sheffield (been once before a few years ago) on Sunday before it closes for the season but just wondering what condition the routes are likely to be in following today's rain and with more forecast for tomorrow. I'm particularly keen to do Boadicea which looked quite dirty last time I was there and on what looked like a slow drying wall (i'm prepared to clean it but i can't make it dry) The guide also states that the quarry needs a short dry spell to come into condition.

so what does everyone else think??

graeme

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

No idea of conditions at the quarry itself, but it pissed down overnight in the Leyland area, and the roads are soaking this morning. In fact it's been wet off and on since Thursday night. The forecast speaks of an improvement during the day today, and a fine day tomorrow, so it might be worth a chance, but the main buttresses are north facing and overhung by trees. If you make the journey and find it too damp to climb, Denham Quarry is nearby and dries quickly.

In reply to Graeme Hammond:

Saw these thread (one with comments on cleaning) recently.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=593710&v=1#x7838696

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=593710&v=1#x7838696

In reply to Graeme Hammond:
Hi Graeme
This might be a bit late but we visited on the 16th Aug. Rhododendron Buttress and Mandarin were clean enough and dry, even though there had been some heavy showers. I visited the evening before to clean the lower half of Boadicea and led it the next day.
The weather up to that point had been showery but like i said R.B and Mandarin were dry but the lower section on Boadicea was damp. It stayed dry overnight and was climbable the next day. Its a superb route with 2 crux sections, very well protected with both medium nuts and the in-situ pegs.

In reply to petegunn:

Thanks for the info everyone which will come in handy next year for deciding when to go as I ended up climbing on kinder today instead. Perhaps(hopeful?) Boadicea will be in a better state at the start of next year with all the cleaning people have done. Roll on 2015 or better access...

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

I think you need to sacrifice a goat, mentioning Houghton and Denham in the same breath is a crime against climbing.

In reply to 3leggeddog:


As are most disused quarries IMHO - though some are less bad than others. I'd rather be on a proper mountain or moorland crag any day of the week - though sadly there are few of those in Lancashire!

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

One of which is Dow of course, opposite Coniston Old Man, the highest point in Lancashire.

In reply to Ann S:


A fine crag -- had many a good day there (albeit chilly even in midsummer)

It was in Lancashire until 40 years ago before the creation of the county of Cumbria in 1974 which incidentally was the year I moved to Cumbria from Tyneside.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

Crossed over the River Duddon, ( the northern boundary of Lost Lancashire) on Saturday heading for Wallobarrow. The view back down the Duddon valley is stunning. We was robbed.

In reply to Ann S:


No way -- think of it as a trade off for getting rid of Barrow in Furness.