longridge and clova from Boulder Britain

Gill Peet on Push to ythe Prolapse, 6C+, at Craig-y-Longridge (page 172, problem 13). Photo: David Simmonite.

Adam Lincoln on Super Submarine, 8A+ (problem 12). Photo: Lincoln collection.

Craig-y-Longridge A coal face of pump for Lancastrians who come to mine for stamina. A workmanlike crag where you clock in and go to work in the hope of getting some fitness in your paycheque at the end of the month. Nice legs, shame about the face.

Wars are not won or lost when one side kills all of the other. What happens is that when such level of pain – casualties, moral or financial anguish – is inflicted on one player, they capitulate. In the same way do climbers fall off at Longridge. Watch them, see their faces after they drop off, a scene of horror and agony stretched across the face, the look a mixture of disappointment and phenomenal relief. Were it a war then Longridge will always be the one who drops the atomic bomb on the Hiroshima of your forearms. // Climbing: Almost a hundred recorded up-problems

and one monster traverse which is conveniently broken into six or seven fairly natural sections of varying degrees of desperation. Despite a huge number of up-problems, they are not so popular and for the first-time visitor, a few will usually suffice. Once you are up-sated then you get to work on a traverse section of your choice. The full

3

53.839171 -2.583311

traverse is F8b+ route grade. The holds are mainly big flat slopers or small flat crimps with a variety of sidepulls, undercuts, cracks and flakes thrown in too. Can be a bit wearing on the skin. The up-problems are often quite highball, as are some sections of the traverse but the landings are perfect. Still, bring lots of pads. The bottom line is that you are here to get fit and fit you will get. // Conditions: Longridge is almost limestone-like in its fickleness. Seepage comes through in winter and after spells of heavy rain at other times. However when it is dry it does offer weatherproof climbing. It gets the morning sun, is very sheltered, but it can feel humid.

The setting is odd, with an estate of holiday cottages within spotting distance of the climbing. // Approach: Follow the maps. The entrance is

through a wooden gate 65m up from the entrance to the Green Bank Park holiday village. // Access: Longridge has had troubles in the past as far as access goes. Since the BMC purchased the strip of land below the situation has settled. However it is important that there is no music, no dogs and no climbing before 10am or after sunset. // Info: Lancashire Rock (BMC) has traditional English tech grades for almost all the problems here best referenced to their numbers.

North West / Craig-y-Longridge

7 1

3

2

10 8

5 6

4

9

Left End

15 17

12 11

13

17

18

19

16

16

20

24

21

exposed

14

25

Right End shelter

A6 A508 5

Preston

A59

A59

J35 M6

A677

Blackburn

by

M61

sl

Longridge PH

d

12

6

The Longridge

seepage

12

3

9

6

Green Bank Park 3 9 Beacon Fell View holiday village

3

A680 A666 A6119

6

12

3

9

PH

J7

3

9

3

24

B6

North West / Craig-y-Longridge

3 6

B6245

B62

B6

24

6

9

500m 43

White Bull 12

B5269

6

0

12

M65

P

proof

6

A671

J6 M65

roofs

ab

p ee

A59

roofs

3

9

rain

A6

M6

12

3

6

9

3

6

12

9

B6246

B6243

Grimsargh

12

9

Craig-y-Longridge

Ro a

B5269

6B - 7B

12

A59

seepage

shelter

r

J35

3 6

he

M55

B6245

12

9

3

9

6

ig

M6

A6

B6243

best from

Clitheroe Clitheroe A671

12

3

6

1 min

B6243 Longridge

12

9

4 - 8A+

5km

Craig-y-Longridge

The high starting hold is gained from the ladder.

rain Rug Thug 6A+ (58) In Excess 6A+ (59) Sit start 7B+. proof exposed Fertile Delta 7A Porridge Gun 6C (60) New Stone Age 6A (63) Unknown Arete 5 (64)

80 probs

Sit start off crimps is Super Submarine 8A+ see map on page 148 0

Push to Prolapse 6C+ (56) Pot of Gold 8A Dyno to Rainbow’s starting jug.

Bend in the Rainbow 7A

st

13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21

H

Kiss the Razor’s Edge 7A Black Jake 4+ (18) Timothy’s Route 6A (19) Wobblebottom 5+ (20) Bomb Squad 6B Central Icefall Direct 4+ (23) Tarot Plane 6C Thirty Feet of Pain 6C+ (26) Pump Til You Jump 6A+ (29) Cruel Country 6C+ (28) Smeg City 6A (52) Big Marine 7B (54)

vertical

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

5

4

Wolfcrag bouldering. Photo Fraser Harle.

Wolfcrag see map on page 406

j11

Wolfcrag 0

98

B9

A9

A84

A9

PH

S 56.15953 -3.951436

Popular quarry bouldering with easy access and reliable conditions. A great collection of easy/midPP grade problems that will be to your arms what a ten-mile cycle does to your legs. A nice place. // Climbing: Quarried greenstone (like a fine-grained grit).

Bridge of Allan

B823

M9

2km

C

YH

A91 A90

7

Stirling

Problems are mostly all vertical. Problems go part-way up the walls where you jump off or traverse to easy ground. The ground is flat and hard. Mats very useful for jumping onto.

Axxx Crimpy, Good for training and mileage. Good for eliminates. sometimes chipped. The classic problem is the traverse of the entire quarry at 7A. // Conditions: Mostly south facing. Leafy. Climbable year round although it can get very hot, humid and midgy in summer. Sometimes dank in winter. Best in spring or autumn. Very sheltered. Lots of problems can stay dry in the rain. The setting is urban and the quarry sometimes graffitied, but this has little impact on the senses of even more delicate souls. // Approach: Bridge of Allan is easiest reached off junction 11 of the M9 and following the A9. Follow this to the bridge in the middle of town. (The train station is just on the east side of the river.) On the west side of the bridge, at the miniroundabout, follow signs for the golf course. Carry on uphill on Blairforkie Drive then forkie right up Ferniebank Brae, still following for the golf course. At the top turn right and park: the quarry is just in the trees.

N // Info: Bouldering in Scotland (SCP); scottishclimbs.com 12

12

3

9

6

12

Wolfcrag

e ki or rf e ai riv Bl D

A9

exposed

6

P

Su nny law

12

3

9

6

12

3

3

9

6

6

shelter

exposed

12

12

3

9

1 min

Scotland / Wolfcrag

5 - 6C

12

9

3

shelter

ab by

4 - 7A+

rain

12

9

sl

50 probs best from

6

p

Bridge of Allan Allen

3

9

6

st ee

B823

500m

vertical

0

5

3

9

12

9

Rd

3

9

6

6

6

proof

12

3

9 6

rain

seepage

3

roofs

A9

j10

BH

Glen Clova

56.866194 -3.165436

see map on page 406

P

Glen Clova hotel

12

12

3

9

6

12

6

12

B955

12

3

9

3

9

6

Dykehead

6

roofs

3

6

exposed

roofs

by ab

sl ab b

9

A90

12

Kirriemuir

3

9 6

A926

A926

A beautiful and wild valley with a dozen blocks scattered around its base and on the scree below a crag. These provide a bunch of testpieces in the mid grades and plenty of mileage for the lowershelter grade climber.

12

3

9

Memus B957

12

sl

p

roofs

te ep

ee

st

roofs s

p

by ab

ee

6A - 7A

sl

4 - 7B+

vertical sl ab vertical by

70 probs

st

p

ee vertical

3 min

st

vertical

y

B955

best from

10km

3

9

6

Adrian Crofton on John Peel, 6c. Photo: John Watson.

0

12

3

9

3

9

6

roofs

6

12

3

9

Forfar

A928 roofs

roofs

6

A94

roofs

12

3

9

6

The Hollow area has about 35 problems on four main boulders, mostly in the 6s. Further up the valley is the Peel Boulders area, lying under the Red Craigs crag. This is the most popular area.

The Stone Country guide covers this area with 10 testpieces from rain 6A to 7A+, all within 150m of the road. // Climbing: Diorite boulders. Generally steep climbing from sit starts. Plenty of slabs and walls too. Boulders are oftenproof above grass but lots too above scree. Can be sharp. // Conditions: Plenty of sun although some are sunless in winter. Some boulders climbable year round but a few stay green.

Potentially very midgy. Family friendly. seepage 12

3

9

6

12

3

9

6

12

3

9

// Approach: Follow the maps and get onto

the B955. Follow this as far as the hotel at the end of the loop. Carry on the single track road.

The Hollows parking is 250m past the white house and the Peel area parking is under the crags. Each of these has space for 3 cars. If these are full do not park on the verge: carry on to the spacious quarry parking area. // Info: Bouldering in Scotland (SCP); scottishclimbs.com

6

N

0

quarry lots of spaces

P

250m Red Craigs Peel Boulder Area

The Hollow

P

3 spaces

Glen Clo va

P 3 spaces

hotel 3km

white house

Scotland / Glen Clova

6