UKC

I'm arriving at Lancaster Uni tomorrow and other than that quarry at Carnforth and the lumps of limestone around Ingleton what climbing is there? Oh, and if any of the guys from Rockfax can recommend a decent guide book that would be very nice. I could look it up myself, but you guys need to earn the cash i keep giving you everytime i lose my copy of your guide to the Lakes. 4 times in 2 years. I never thought people would leave a rocksack of gear, and steal a guide book. theves these days....

You fool! There are NO good crags in Lancashire, just a pile of gren chossy qurries full of burn-outs and used rubbers.

You have made a grave mistake.

Move to Leeds or Sheffield immediately.

There's shedloads of limestone round there - Warton (which I presume is the quarry you mean), Trowbarrow near Silverdale, bouldering at Hutton Roof and Woodwell, plus not far away you've got Chapel Head and Underbarrow Scar. Yorkshire Limestone is pretty accesible too.

You're also near the Lakes and if you head South you've got all the grit quarries near Preston and Bolton like Anglezarke and Wilton.

Best guides to get are the Lancashire Brick and the Rockfax Lakes guides.

You are the fool - Lancs is far better than Yorks for bouldering. Why don't you stay there!

Warton Pinicle area, some nice severes with 6a starts??????

Andy wrote:


Trowbarrow's a fantastic crag, with a couple of outstanding VS
and HVS routes, and some good bouldering hidden in the bushes.

When we were there, we thought we had the crag to ourselves,
until a long line of folk with bouldering mats emerged from
the aforementioned bushes, most with pads on their backs.
Looked like a team of porters from a Tarzan film.

It's also a top BMX venue, by the looks of things...


See ya,

al

Here's a quick list and my personal opinions:

Warton Main Quarry: Avoid
Warton Small Quarry: Good but polished, used to have access problems.
Warton Upper: Good in the lower grade.
Warton Wood: Good, possibly damp but undergraded.
Woodwell: Good bouldering
Fairy Steps: Used to be shady but tree felling has improved it.
Trowbarrow Qy: Some excellent and popular routes.
Farleton: Excellent extended boulder problems.
Hutton Roof: Excellent boulder problems.
Twistleton: The best low to mid grade crag in Yorkshire.

Guidebooks:
Lancashire Rock climbs. A real giant of a book!
Yorkshire Limestone

Cobblers, Robert - if you choose your route there's some fantastic stuff in Warton Main - Plastic Iceberg, Deceptive Bends, Third World, Real World etc - you're just a cowardy custard!

well lads
thanks for the response. i ended up at lancaster instead of sheffield because i'm not a straight A student, i prefer climbing to books. looks like i'll take the rack down then. cheers, maybe see you around on the white stuff (oh, i'm moving down from the lakes so know how far it is to real mountain crags... - none of that sport or bouldering crap.

ta

Within a single 10 mile radius:
Fairy Steps; good low grade bouldering, ideal for stamina training.
Woodwell;harder bouldering in an esoteric environment.
Trowbarrow;around 115 routes vdiff to E7.
Warton Main;addictive if intimidating, keeps the nancies at bay.
Farleton;60 or so 10m routes.
Fairy steps;pleasant evening venue, bouldering and short routes.
Chapel Head;sport venue,restrictions.
Scout Scar;retro bolted sport venue.
White Scar;climbing currently banned, but what a cliff?
Thorn crag;top class grit bouldering, toofar to walk for the grockles.
Hutton Roof;lots of short mid/low grade gems.
Warton Upper;as above.
Warton Pinnacle;as above.

More than enough for a three year stint at the uni. In the summer it is perfectly feasible to climb on the central Lakes crags in the evening, and still be back in town for last orders. Likewise for most of the Yorks crags west of and inc. Malham.
Maybe not the best climbing in the world, but it definitely offers a huge variety of styles, and includes some classic ticks right on your doorstep. The Kendal, Ingleton, and uni walls, although not in the Foundry league, are more than adequate during the winter.

No, it isnt Sheffield, but do you really want to have to deal with all that big city proximity crap.
jim.