LARBRAX GR NW 967 608 Galloway’s newest venue has seen plenty of traditional action, but the bouldering potential has only recently been developed. It is a terrific summer venue as the beaches are ideal for the family if you want to mix bouldering and a day out for the kids. It is worth checking the Portpatrick tide tables online and timing your visit if you plan to boulder – the best problems have tidal starts. These thrilling pinnacles and rocky mazes lie on the west coast of the Rinns between Portpatrick and Portobello and the rock is a similar waveworn greywacke to Garheugh. To get there, skirt the shore road through Stranraer and head north along the A718 to the village of Leswalt. Take the first left turn in the village (Glen Road) and follow the B7043 for a few miles, past a loch on the left. Shortly after this, take a left, signposted Portpatrick, and after 2 kilometres of wooded driving watch out for an easily missed right turn along a farm track, signposted Meikle Larbrax. This track winds down through a farm and gates to the main beach and parking… watch your exhaust on the track! If the tide is well out, you can walk easily and pleasantly north along the shore to a beautiful hidden beach near Cranberry Point where the Cranberry pinnacle resides! This bold pinnacle has two excellent highballers on the ‘dark side’ - Julian Lines’ Waning Crescent - Larbrax Reach or Beach V3 which cranks up through obvious holds on the right side of the left arête – and Stuart Lampard’s Summit or Plummet V3 which takes the right wall of the pinnacle, aiming for a flake and earlier exit on the right arête. Both are bold affairs, and a safer combination is to link the two problems via a traverse along the horizontal break. The bulk of the best bouldering is to be had in the mazes of boulders and coves under the main slabs. There are short walls and wave-rounded boulders, mostly over shingle. The best problems so far are the Paint It Black Dyno, The Silurian and the excellent Waning Crescent on the Moon boulder. This is likely to see more additional development in 2006, so get down there and join in!
Craih Henderson on the Dyno wall, Larbrax