UKC

Climbs 251
Rocktype Limestone
Altitude 39m a.s.l
Faces W

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Nick and Dan, Coral Sea (VS) - Trowbarrow © PJRead

Crag features

Trowbarrow has always been a popular climbing venue and over the last decade has been managed carefully and is now a very pleasant place to visit. Trowbarrow Quarry fulfils a number of functions being a good local evening crag, an excellent destination from further a field to sample its best pitches and as a reliable wet weather alternative to those washed out from the Lake District.

Approach notes

Nature conservation area (SSSI) -  requests to climbers to stop loss of fossils on all buttresses. 


Anyone climbing on Red Wall, ensure that you throughly check top-outs and any anchors used at the top. Some of these are definitely not as solid as you might hope (it's been there 40 years and always been solid isn't a good assumption). Loose rock has been removed from the left end of the crag upto Mugwump and there is a suspect block above this route. Some trees at the top are also dead or hanging over the edge/shallow routed. Don't just hope that all is safe, conduct a proper check. Info added 13 Jul 22. 

No Access Issues

Trowbarrow was acquired by Lancaster City Council in 1997 following a fund raising appeal organised by the Arnside and Silverdale AONB Landscape Trust. The crag lies within a Local Nature Reserve and has a management committee (including local BMC representation), that meets to discuss site management. The following guidelines have been agreed for use of the crag:

  1. No abseiling, top-roping or lowering-off Main Wall - climbers should walk down after completing routes. This arrangement is to protect geological features on the face, part of a geological SSSI designation.
  2. Group use is not permitted.
  3. No bolts placed in the quarry.
  4. No camping or fires.

Thank you for supporting these access arrangements.

A project monitoring the stability of the Main Wall has indicated it is slowly rotating in a clockwise direction due to localised faulting. While the face is unlikely to suffer a catastrophic collapse, the rotation is destabilising rock around Warspite Direct and other routes in this vacinity - hence the stepped roofs and fallen blocks.

Red Wall - please be aware that there are some loose blocks at the top of Red Wall, in particular at the top of Mugwump. A number of the trees at the top are also dead, shallow rooted or overhanging the edge and will be unsafe.

There has also been a small rockfall at the south west end of the quarry on the right immediately before the first rise in the quarry floor when entering from Storrs Lane. There is a poor rock climb known as Baby Walker situated about five metres left of the rockfall, but it is very rarely climbed and can be reached without going below the rockfall. The area is best avoided at present.

There is an accessible albeit longer route into the quarry from Moss Lane to the West. From the bottom of the dip go through 2 regular gates and follow the well surfaced track till it enters the quarry near the Shelter Stone. It's about 400m from the road. You will need too park elsewhere or do a drop off.
Holdtickler - 20/Jan/23
Jules, yeah it is mega polished. Good training for solid footwork ;D you get used to it!
daftendirekt - 01/Apr/14
Went here on 31st May 2013 to boulder on Red Wall and it seemed mega polished and under graded...no-one else concur????
jules699 - 02/Jun/13
Some of these climbs are not in the right sections (e.g. Barnicle, Acid Drop, Drop Acid, Earth Eater) Anyone know how to change/ add them to other sections or create another section. Believe more sections are needed for example Yellow Wall and ideally the others Diamond Wall, Suspension Wall, Washday Wall, Lower Wall though Chossy Area could cover the last 4
Sol Armer - 31/Mar/13
Redwall makes a great morning wall climb as the sun reaches it first warming it before the rest of the quarry.
Sol Armer - 31/Mar/13
Has anyone found a Petzl harness at trowbarrow since Monday 30th May? Either at the bottom of barrier reef or by the shelter boulder? Thanks in advance.
carlc75 - 05/Jun/11
I did a few routes here on a rainy morning, and am astounded at how fast this venue drys... Red Wall is also dry nearly all the time, and has some very good quality bouldering.. I didn't do much on the large boulder, since it's all very high grades- but the venue overall is a great one, that I shall be returning to!
Evilllamas - 30/Apr/11
From a bouldering point of view Trowbarrow is very handy, the red wall stays dry in the most miserable conditions. And there are some good problems on the shelter stone. Check out Lakesbloc for topos.
Mike Binks - 10/Feb/06
Part of the crag has fallen away over the last few years. This has made some of the climbing quite dangerous as all protection points on some routes have a good chace of falling out or bringing the rock out with it.(i know its happened!). I now top rope this crag even though your not supposed to. If the wrden sees you you'll get a slap on the wrists and that about it. Make sure you find a strong ancor points when climbing this and a helmet could save your life at this one!!
James Hall - 27/Sep/05
The Red Wall in the trees opposite Main Wall is also well worth a look, I only did one route there but it was surprisingly fun despite the polished start and very well protected so I wouldn't go with the "usually top-roped" nonsense. Also, more bouldering info at Lakesbloc.com.
Fiend - 07/May/04
Bouldering info about this crag can be found on nwbouldering.co.uk
beardy - 28/Mar/03
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