UKC

Hi All, I'm driving to Scotland after work on Friday from Bristol - I reckon I can make it about as far as the lakes on Friday evening before stopping over and continuing the journey north the next day. Any recommendations for somewhere not too far out of the way and pretty accessible (0 min walk in) in the Lakes for half a days cragging HVS - E2/3? Or not worth it and best to just get back on the road?

In reply to fammer:

Whilst it’s not quite the lakes (in typical UKC style) Trowbarrow might fit your bill, particularly as you won’t have to navigate the National Park. Close to motorway, about 3 minutes walk from the parking. Lovely part of the world too.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/trowbarrow-467/

Have a great / safe trip. 

In reply to fammer:

Wilton

In reply to fammer:

Eden valley crags possibly, or Gouter ?

In reply to fammer:

Some other suggestions:

Mill Side Scar (Millside Scar) -- 15min from M6, short walk up hill

Gouther Crags -- also about 15min from M6 Shap junction, but at least a 15min walk in.

If you really hate walking in, then Wilton and Trowbarrow will be hard to top, but also at least 15min from M6..

Thanks for suggestions. I don't really hate walking in - OP should have said < 30 minute walk in, didn't mean to add the .  To be honest near to motorway is probably more important than short walk in, just don't want to be slogging up hills for hours when we'll have a lot of driving still to do that day. 

Gouther looks good, may go for that. How convenient would Armathwaite be as another option?

In reply to fammer:

Armathwaite a good option as closest option to M6, a beautiful setting and perhaps 15 minute walk in.

In reply to fammer:

Coudy Rock could also be worth thinking about. 20min from M6 but 1min walk in, bolted sandstone.

In reply to fammer:

I've done the same trip and stayed in the travelodge at burton in kendal services, left by the service road (https://goo.gl/maps/3vRtGjq1bGxr5JoS7) in the morning and was at trowbarrow in < 10 mins.

In reply to fammer:

Gouther is more like 20 mins walk in to the crag. 

Trowbarrow if you haven't done Cracked Actor.

In reply to fammer:

Trowbarrow a quicker hit than Gouther but Gouther has more of a mountain feel. 

Both great. 

If you want to be REALLY close to the M6 but aren't too bothered about route length, Farleton is about as close as you can get with a short walk in and even shorter routes but still really nice.  Farleton Crag

In reply to fammer: castle rock is only 20 minutes ( ish , coughs , looks at shoes ) from the m6 Penrith junction  . South crag is 10 /15 minutes walk , north crag slightly more  . Proper Lake District crag not the above wannabes. Also got bram crag for sport close by ( but that’s maybe a can of worms you might not want to open ) . In fact in half a day you could do a couple of three star trad routes at castle and then move down the road and do a couple of three star sport routes at bram .

In reply to fammer:

Gouther is a great crag at those grades if you've got time.

In reply to fammer:

If you get there the night before you can have a decent day in the Lakes anywhere then drive on up to the Highlands in the late aftenoon/early evening.

I've done this a number of times with my mate flying in to Manchester airport from Finland. One time he got a reasonably early morning flight, maybe 9 ish. I picked him up we drove to Langdale and did the Crack on Gimmer (Hard Rock tick I think!), walked down, had a pint in the ODG, drove up to and camped outside the Kings House (Glencoe) by late evening. 

Another time his flight got in early evening and there was a lot of rain forecast the next day, so we drove up to the Eden Valley, camped, got up early and got a few routes done at Armathwaite early on before the rain started, or really started, then drove up to the Braemar that afternoon ready to climb on Lochnagar the next day.

Coming back south at the end of the week we have dropped in to Lancashire crags to do a few more routes before I dropped Dave back at the airport, one time Trowbarrow and another Denham Quarry. While both are perfectly nice, when you've been climbing in the NW Highlands the day before, it has to be said they are something of come down! Maybe better to go before you've been in the mountains!