UKC

Climbs 62
Rocktype Sandstone (soft)
Altitude 35m a.s.l
Faces all

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Vags evening Frogsmouth © steveboote

Crag features

Former quarry, up to 60ft high, quite steep.

Re-Bolted - September 2011.Most routes have been generously bolted with the majority of climbs having the new style 'Rams Horn' lower off's.

You can gain entrance to the quarry by walking to the rear of the Travellers Arms pub: (outside right back) is fence and path to the quarry, about 5 minutes walk. Nearest station is Runcorn (main) and also local town buses about 1/2 a mile away. Follow signs for the Runcorn hill. You can find Travellers arms about 300 yards up western point road...

There is a free car park up the hill, which is signposted. You'll know you're in the car park when you see tennis courts below.

Be warned! - Lots of glass on the floor at the base of the walls and sometimes on the wall itself.

For up to date local climbing information follow the friends of Pex facebook group

For the "By The Iron Bridge" buttress, walk to the right, past all of the routes, and keep following the path to the right until you get to the green iron bridge. Walk down the path and the routes are in front of you. Bring a bouldering mat.

Approach notes

From the dual carriageway around Runcorn, take the exit on the NW corner, over the road and up the hill to a T-junction. Take the second R. The crag is on the hill on the W side of Runcorn, near The Traveller's Rest pub.

The second R from the T-junction should lead to the quarry in about 300m, on the R. (More precise details welcome; 1989 description.) There is a car park situated jut above the tennis courts here between the two covered reservoirs. From this car park , there are three or fours paths. If you follow the path that has the sign next to it saying "Cliff edge 90m" you're on the right track. Follow this along to the right and then drop down and you'll be at the furthermost side of the quarry.

Be sure to read any BMC access notes on this crag.

Checked A1 Wall (2 routes A1 & Prodigal Sway) to see if the wall could be rescued from its current neglect. Came to the conclusion that the holds on the starts have been rounded off to the verge of impossibility (the 1st bolts are high up!) and the rock above is rotten. Should never have been bolted.
Pekkie - 25/Mar/22
Ive been added at moderator to this crag, as mentioned to the logbook editor that the grades were well off the current guidebook&old moderators not been responding. If anyone has issues with me changing the grades let me know. Also is there anyone more local who would be interested in taking the crag on?
sideshow84 - 20/May/15
A pleasant surprise - called in on the way to Wales expecting little and its really quite good in parts - better than the Gallery!
Bulls Crack - 26/Aug/13
Received several comments recently that Frogsmouth is a 'sandbagger' for newbies so thought I'd add some notes to help first time visitors. Dogsbody Arete - often the first to be tried. This is 6a if you go right to the big pockets from the last bolt. Direct it is 6b. On the Couch - this is more like 6c/7a than 6a+ depending on what holds are used. Wall Street- not 6a+, more like 6b+. Zest - this is 6a if you climb diagonally right from the base of Agony Aunt. A good first route here. The direct is 6b. Horoscope - this is 6b - if you are less than 5ft 1O then the start is desperate. Perfumed Garden (the corner) - desperate start for 6a - stone to start or a shoulder seems reasonable. Chaturanga Dasana - impossible start if you are less than 6 ft 4. Keep clear. 6a my axse. Just Another Fifty - awkward start but nice 6a+ Savasana - 6b+? More like 6a+. Good. Apple Crumble (the right arete) - the loose areas on this have been given the 'Bridestones stabilisation treatment' and it is now a good 6a. To the left of Dogsbody the next arete is Orgy of Ruin which has also had the treatment and is now a good 6a+. To the right, Assassin Bug has a tough move to the crack but is also 6a. Also, well to the right is the Green Slab which has a 4 (centre of slab), a 5 (corner) and a 6a (flake on left). Enjoy your climbing!
Pekkie - 30/Mar/12
Pretty much every route has been rebolted now (thanks to Pete Trewin, Bob Hastings and others). The bolts are all nice new resin ones and easy to use rams horn lower offs are in place on most routes. The quarry is therefore one again a great little venue for mid grade sport climbing. A handful of new routes have also been added in the previously untouched first two bays on the left. Oh yeah, its also bone dry at the moment (27th Feb 2012).
Ben Farley - 27/Feb/12
A word of warning for anyone planning on climbing here. We left our gear hidden in bushes at the top of the main wall while we went to check out the routes from below. On our return 15mins later someone had been through our bags and stolen my friends mobile phone. Luckily we had all other valuables on us and our climbing gear was not touched. We didn’t see anyone hanging around as we arrived to arise or suspicions but the fact that it was done so quickly makes me think that it wasn’t the first time it has happened.
danielisler - 05/Jun/10
Have popped into take a look at this place today (18/05/10) and its had some of the trees cleared and been rebolted on a few routs, walls look clean enough and i'll be back tonight to do some climbing.. will post some pics.
themax16 - 18/May/10
A topo can be found athttp://www.bluedome.co.uk/Climbing/frogclim/frogclim.html
DaveWarren - 04/Oct/09
How can I find some topos for this venue? cause the megagrip site doesn't seem to work anymore..
SIMAS - 18/Sep/07
Thought I'd pay this place a visit in the sunshine yesterday. It doesn't look like it's been climbed for a while given the amount of dirt, debris and cobwebs over the faces. Some of the sandstone is more brittle than other bits. Didn't have chance to look at all the bolts in place, some look more stable than others (echoing the other comments of use at your own risk). There was a lot of broken glass around the base of the faces and comparing it with the 2002 photo's here, it's a lot more overgrown. It'd be nice to tidy this place up and get it used more often over what's left of summer. The small plaque mounted to the wall in the corner makes for interesting reading too.
powderedegg - 13/Aug/07
only seems to be one wall on here - but i remember another wall around the corner with longer and harder routes on it or maybe i am just going senile
mr.sheen - 22/Aug/06
I am adding details of climbs at Frogsmouth as seen in Jamie Light's topo guide, an improved version of the old hand drawn topo. The grades have been included as sports grades due to the presence of bolts and mallions. However, this does not mean that all bolts are safe. A lot of climbs also have their bolts starting a long way from the ground, probably to stop the local scals ripping them out. Runouts can be very large with groundfall potential. All this said, do not take Frogsmouth to be an entirely Sport destination. The dangers just mentioned are serious, especially the age and questionable integrity of the bolts. If in doubt, please put a top rope on the climb and enjoy it that way.
will Hunt - 08/May/06
5th July 2003 Gear is very old and there are signs warning of erosion....and the plaque to Wayne O'Donell sums up the obvious danger.
Noosarabbit - 07/Jul/03
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