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Solo bouldering locations ~5c

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 Pete_Mosely 18 Feb 2017
Can I please get some recommendations for places to go for solo bouldering, with lots of mileage under font 5c (or, even better, three or four good 5c's) with nice landings? Preferably Peaks/Lancs/Yorkshire.

In short, tying to rebuild outdoor confidence after a falling-related injury.

Was considering Almscliffe if anyone can chime in how decent/safe that place is. Thanks.
1
 bouldery bits 18 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

If you make it up to the South Lakes:

http://www.lakesbloc.com/crags/south-east/201-brant-fell.html

Loads of easy problems.
Easy walk in.
Great landings.

Great views too!

Best of luck with coming back,

BB
 Jon Stewart 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

Nicest place in the peak is cratcliffe top and robin hoods stride. See the video with grimer and ed Byrne. Burbage south is the other obvious venue, but its often swampy in winter.
 zv 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:
Have you ever bouldered at the Buckstone at Stanage High Neb?

It has about 10 easier routes sub 6A, all in a very pleasant setting, all with reasonable height and with easy top outs and without the crowds of the plantation.

Doing all of those in a day would be a lovely day out and if you have some energy left you can check out the 6a slabs or drive for 3 minutes down to the plantation and tick all the easy stuff on the Business Boulder.

Enjoy and good luck!
Post edited at 15:06
 adam clarke 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

Curbar is another one to try. From Curbar Gap/roadside parking, the Trackside Boulder and Little Quarry are within 5 minutes or so and offer a good selection of nice sub-6A problems; not particularly high with nice landings. There are lots more nice problems scattered along the edge itself, and in the Curbar Field area just above Trackside Boulder
 Offwidth 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

Almost any major venue will do. Yorkshire tends to be a bit nicer than the Peak as the best problems are less busy and less damaged but I do like Cratcliffe/Robin Hoods Stride as there is good variety and something sheltered from any wind direction.

A less major venue I'd strongly recommend is Woodhouse Scar... 1 minute walk-in, sunny pm, sheltered and fast drying in winter and excellent in your range.
 plyometrics 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

Brownstones, niche but loads of classics around 5c, great landings.

Thorn Crag, just a stunning spot.

Almscliffe, great venue, mostly great landings, but can get busy.

Brimham, loads of choice, sweet landings.

Widdop, one of the most compact, quality venues for that kind of grade. No bad landings!
 C Witter 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

A place I really enjoyed, with loads of easy problems, is The Bull Stones. Landings are mostly good. Maybe 1hr walk in from the car. Fantastic natural grit stone and a pretty place to be.

Thorn Crag is also lovely - often with really good landings. Windy Clough is good too, though not the landings. All three of these places are natural grit.

For something very different, Newbiggin Crag and Fairy Steps both offer a good day of limestone bouldering. At Fairy Steps many of the routes are short (6m) trad routes, so there are lots of easy solos (e.g. at VDiff, Severe) as well as fairy high-ball bouldering.

One other thing: if you're trying to rebuild confidence, maybe climbing with a friend would be more enjoyable than climbing solo. Solo climbing is always a bit of a mind-fk, especially when you're on moor somewhere, miles from anyone else, wondering whether you'll make the hold or maybe smash your ankle. More positive vibe with others about.

Enjoy!
 C Witter 19 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

p.s. if you're based in Manchester and still looking to lead VS, Nozag (VS 4c) at Castle Naze is very much recommended! Was a bit of a breakthrough climb for me.
 Oogachooga 20 Feb 2017
In reply to bouldery bits:

Where do you approach this crag from, park ect...? There's no notes on the logbook page.

Cheers
 bouldery bits 20 Feb 2017
In reply to Oogachooga:

http://www.lakesbloc.com/crags/south-east/201-brant-fell.html

The Lakes Bloc guides are generally very good.
 Offwidth 20 Feb 2017
In reply to Morty:

Bridestones is a poor choice... often scary and very worn (so much so the latest guides no longer describe the problems to minimise further damage). Locally Hugencroft or a bit further.. Buckstones or West Nab are much better choices.
 Monk 20 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

Burbage South has to be an ideal venue. Loads of problems with great landings and never too high.
 Oogachooga 21 Feb 2017
In reply to bouldery bits:

I can see the PDF now at the bottom of the page, thanks.
OP Pete_Mosely 21 Feb 2017

Thanks for all these suggestions. It was Cratcliffe that put me on crutches for a couple of weeks not long ago; the plan was to complete the Lincoln Green Circuit, got as far as 3 boulders before game over. Ankle ligaments sprained. So I need to return Cratcliffe, obviously.

The reason I ask for solo bouldering places, is that I have a load of annual leave to use up and arranging weekday climbs will be problematic to arrange, with most people working and wotnot.

The other reason for bouldering is that I'm cacking my pants leading VD trad at the moment, so I need a confidence boost before unnerving another belayer. Not to mention numb hands from cold. So, no Nozag or any other VS for the time being.

I'll check out the suggestions in a guidebook and see where the weather takes me. Didn't expect to Curbar on the list though, assumed that place was quite hardcore.
Post edited at 23:38
 dunnyg 22 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:
Might be worth having a browse of https://unknownstones.com/ , there are quite a few easier circuits with loads of stuff, landings obviously vary from crag to crag but there are definitely a few crags on there with loads of sub 6a stuff and good landings. These are all in yorkshire.
Post edited at 09:58
 afx22 22 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:
It's worth visiting lots of venues to see which you like. I find the best ones draw me back to re-try stuff that I failed on.

- South Burbage Boulders - most problems are around 5c and low enough. Really safe landings and an nice place to be.
- Burbage Bridge (North end) - as above but quite different climbing.
- Almscliff - great variety of climbing. I didn't like it at first but the more I go, the more I find. I love it now.
- Curbar - little Quarry is brilliant, as are the boulders in the Trackside area. Also well worth seeking out a climb called Curbar Corner.
- Widdop - stunning place with great climbing. Floor gets a bit damp but it's well worth going.
- Buckstones - loads of easy climbing but with a few gems thrown in.
- Shipley Glen - massive range of climbing but well worth a trip.
- Harborough Rocks - looks good but I've not been yet.
Post edited at 13:16
OP Pete_Mosely 23 Feb 2017
In reply to afx22:

Thanks for the further suggestions. These look great.

Was gonna check out Craig Y Longridge and the surrounding Finlandia, etc, tomorrow arvo. Going biking on the trails at Gisburn in the morning, so near enough to try Longridge. Any words of warning; does it get bog-ridden and seeping after a day like today?

If anyone fancies joining on the off-chance, I'll be knocking around there from 1400 for a few hours, if you want to PM me.

 plyometrics 24 Feb 2017
In reply to Pete_Mosely:

Some of longridge might be seeping but it definitely doesn't get boggy!

Great training venue.

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