Kentmere Valley Bouldering

Kentmere Valley
Bouldering
LakesBloc - By Greg Chapman
Introduction & Access
Badger Rock
The valley of Kentmere has never been rich in climbing history or nostalgia with its
crags being on the whole scrappy and broken in nature, and a far cry from their
Langdale and Swindale counterparts. In spite of this the boulders in the valley are of a
much higher standard and the rock is a compact high friction rhyolite, and it is for
this reason (coupled with the lower bracken growth) that the spring and winter
months provide the best climbing conditions.
Aspect: One of the original Lakeland venues. There is no doubt that Badger Rock (or
the Brock Stone) makes an excellent port of call for those seeking convenient access,
an easy circuit and a child friendly situation, yet make no mistake, the thin traverses
and walls hosted by the south face are crimpy test pieces by anyone's yard stick.
The valley is only a short hop from the automotive corridors of the M6 (J36). Follow
the A591 to the Stavely turn off and follow the signs for Kentmere - all roads up the
valley are dead ends thus this is the only method of approach by car.
Approach: Stroll gently uphill through the latter part of the village to where the road
finishes, at this point the Garburn Pass is clearly signed on the right. Follow the pass
for approximately 100m to parallel gateways, the left gate accesses Badger Rock.
1. Layback Flake (3) - The flake line
is straightforward but very good. *
2. Badger Arête (6C+) - SDS Climb
the superb arête on the right. The
left side is less good and easier.**
The stand up is 5 and worthwhile.
3. The Scoop (5) - The scoop and
wall above.
4. (5) - Hard to start, eases higher.
5. (4) - Cracked groove on the left. *
6. (6B) - The right side of the
groove bearing right around the
overlap. *
Limited parking can be found in front of the church (G.R.455 041) in the centre of
the village, once parked please despatch the appropriate coinage in the honesty box
provided. Badger Rock is approximately 10 minutes walk from here. At weekends
these spaces are filled early-doors and it is usual practise for the field on the
immediate left (on entering the village) to be opened by the farmer as an extra
parking option, again for a nominal fee.
The valley hosts four main sectors all of which offer something different, although if
you’re after a quick hit or it has been very wet in the preceding days Badger Rock is
probably you’re best bet. For harder terrain head for Little Font or better still the
Garburn Pass boulder. The Valley of the Kings is the most esoteric sector in the valley,
although it does offer some great high fell blocs and is worth a visit if you find the
Garburn Pass boulder a little on the stern side.
Conditions: With the exception of Little Font all areas receive plenty of ventilation and
as such dry quickly after rain, although some of the landings at the Valley of the
Kings can remain boggy after prolonged precipitation. Little Font is sheltered beneath
a larch coppice and can remain dry during showery weather (especially the Giant
Stone which rarely gets wet) but after heavy rain the area can take some time to fully
dry out.
1
*No Dogs
6a. (7A+/B) - A cool eliminate which climbs the wall between P6 & P7, avoiding the
big holds in the groove. *
7. Brock Stone Wall (7A) - Classic old-school wall climbing. Hard! **
8. (6A) - Coming in from the right and up the quartz ridden groove.
9. (3) - The bounding rib is easy but high.
10. (6A) - From the break use edges to gain
the top of the block.
11. (4+) - Again use the break to gain the top.
12. (4) - SDS Blocky arête. Eliminate the
break and it’s 6B+.
13. (5+) - SDS Wall right of the arête.
14. (6A) - SDS Using every thing is good but
eliminating the break is better and harder. *
14a. (6B) SDS As per P14 but at the break
take a diagonally leftward trending line to the
top of the block.
15.(3+) - The green and clunky arête.
16. (3) - Wall leading in to a broken crack.
17. (3+) - A slightly more compacted wall.
18. (3) - The leaning corner.
19. (7A) - SDS A thin traverse of the break. *
20. (7A+) - A low super thin break traverse.
21. (7C) - Link problems P19 &P20. Superb! *
22. (6B+) - SDS Traverse LtoR and finish up
the corner.
2
Little Font
Little Font
Aspect: An interesting if slightly chaotic sector in which presides the hardest boulder
problem in the British Isles! As is often found in Lakeland this is essentially a jumble
of closely knit blocks strewn into a vague gully on a hillside, unusually however, time
and the elements have conspired and seen fit to bless many of these blocks with good
landings and reasonable top-outs. Due to the jumbled and less communal feel of the
sector it is less suited to the casual boulderer and is much more the realm of the big
game hunter. Obvious beeline problems include the crimpy and dynamic The Karma
of Trees, the rough slopes of Common Trolls, the technical intricacies of Negative
Reality Inversion and the mind bogglingly difficult Shadow Play.
Pine Stone
1. TransAlp Boys (3+) - The surprisingly interesting slab right of a block.
2. (4+) - Through a small greenish overlap, direct on side-cuts.
3. (3) - The narrow wall on edges.
4. Blow Yer Ballast (6B) - SDS Give a
hearty heave-ho up and round the
bulge.*
5. (6B) - SDS Start right of the bulge and
skirt around it to finish.
6. (4+) - SDS The short arête on the
right, starting with your hands low.
7. Middle Earth (7A+) - SDS Perhaps a
slightly overly grand title for the obvious
crimpy wall. From a pod and poor
footholds move left and up on sharp
holds. Worth a punt.
8. Common Trolls (6B+) - SDS From the
left side of a small cave climb the offand-on ramp on slopes leftward to the
top of the block. *
9. H’s 5c Eliminate (4) - SDS A short problem starting on the right of a small cave.
10. Pine Stone Fly Boy (6B) - A smart traverse taking in all the faces of the block. Start
at P1 and traverse rightward keeping consistently low to eventually rock onto the top
of the boulder at a notch equidistant between P6 and P7. *
Approach: Located immediately to the rear of Badger Rock in a small larch coppice.
Please do not climb over any dry stone walls to get to the area.
Low Stones
11. (6A+)- SDS A right to left traverse of the right-hand block, initially not much in
the way of footholds. A good warm-up.
12. Ian’s Slap (6B) - SDS A one move affair from an undercut and slopey edge up the
small wall right of the short arête.
13. Sheep Flies (3) - Neat wall
direct.
14. The Way (6A+) - SDS The
arête started on the left swing
into the crack on the right to
finish.
15. Bass Line Venom (7B) SDS Pump up the jam and blast
your way to victory through
this eye-catching feature via a
mono and a trick! *
16. Dynosore Eliminate (6B) SDS The left side of the wall
starting as low as possible and
direct past a good edge.
Left: Badger Arete (6C+)
3
4
Little Font
Little Font
Leaning Stone
17. Negative Reality Inversion (6C+) - The blunt
arête on its right side is a great line, on fantastic
holds, incorporating cool moves. Go to it!
The sitter is 7A+. *
18. The Karma of Trees (7C) - The immaculate clean
wall stands out as one of the best problems of the
sector. Using a high finger slope (LH) and crimpy side
pull, pull on and up to a small edge and spring to a V
notch. Continue up the crack and rib above. A low
start has been climbed from the obvious mono (down
to the right) swing in to the centre of the face and
finish as per the stand. This is 8A/+. **
19. Stegosaurus (5) - Arête climbed on the left, which
eases quickly.
20. (3+) - Climb the mossy slab on excavated holds.
21. (3) – The highball-rounded arête on the left is a
good, if slightly mossy, problem.
Weasel Stones
31. Runs on Weasel (7A+/b) SDS From a crystal encrusted
vertical slot get butch and climb
the steep bulging wall direct,
finish by busting out dynamically left to a jutting flat jug. *
32. Weasel Power (7B+) - SDS
A contrived but obvious line
starting as for Runs on Weasel.
At half height grapple right into
the prow and climb direct to a
committing final move. *
Cave Stone
22. Postman Pat (7A) - The alluring yet unfortunately often wet crack is climbed on
the left, from low, with a dynamic move for a vertical slot, drop off or scuttle right for
a highball finish; although eliminate a worthy inclusion. The crack climbed direct is
less satisfying and easier at 6A+.
23.Lougin’ (6A) - SDS The undercut arête. Eye catching but not great.
24. Elven Claw (6B) - SDS From below a shallow corner move up and left into a
Toblerone shaped pocket, slither onward and continue up the arête. *
25. Pre-empted Strike (6B) - SDS Start just right of Elven Claw then follow the lip up
onto the face finishing on the ledge, or better still up the juggy arête. Good.
Giant Stone
33. Source of all Weasel (7A+)
- SDS Technical hurley burley
up the right side of the prow
connecting into Resident Weasel to finish. *
34. Resident Weasel (7A) From the left side of the recess
traverse the wall on super
sharp holds finishing up the
right side of the prow.
35. (4) – Short green arête.
36. (3) – Bulging wall.
Giant Stone
Descriptions below:
Two good problems inhabit the small open topped cave, which is an interesting
feature in its own right.
26. The Hole (7A+) - SDS The central wall has a long powerful move from a side-pull
and undercut to a slopey shelf, finish boldly up the airy headwall or step off on to the
grassy ledge.
27. Suzi’s Laughing (7A) - From a good chest high hold at the back of the cave an
involving tussle leftward across the face and into the upper echelons of The Hole.
Suzi was obviously laughing at the grade of 7C+ originally given to this problem.
28. Cave Grave (6C) - SDS The shattered looking wall on the right side of the open
cave is climbed centrally moving right to finish.
Hundred Acre Wall
29. Shell Fish (3) – The right side of a vague groove on the left of the sunken wall,
slithering past a large shell-like feature.
30. Bravery Award For Piglet (7A) - Right of the unpronounced rib is climbed on
dirty holds, has a bad landing and isn’t worth your time.
5
Weasel Stones
6
Little Font
Valley of the Kings
Giant Stone (continued)
43. One Dirty Minute (6A) - Start off the block on which the Giant Stone rests.
44. Little Women (8A+) - SDS In the cave itself the most obvious line starts from a
reasonable hold down and right and takes a direct line toward the light at the rear of
the cave via some big moves on poor holds.
45. Little Women RH (8B/+) - SDS From the base of Shadow Play somehow traverse
in to and up Little Women. Nails!
46. Kylie (7C) - From two low crimps rock right to a pinch and slap up the arête to
gain the top. The SDS is 7C+.
Approach: From Little Font follow the Garburn pass for around 650m to where it levels out. From a small ford in the track break off rightward up the hillside via a small
path. Boulder 1 can be clearly seen (behind a tree) from the ford.
Peripheral Blocks
47. Excavated at a Later Date (6B) - SDS The obvious small roof starting on the right
and trending left and up to finish, with a dirty top out.
48. Weasely Missed (6A+) - The undercut block has an air-kickingly infuriating start
and a highball feel due to a tapering landing zone.
49. Ent Hug (6A) - SDS Climb the wall left of a blocky step direct.
50. Imaginary Roads (5+) - SDS Arête started on the left.
51. (6C) - Highball death on a stick wall left of a rocky shelf. Just don’t!
Valley of the Kings
Boulder 1 (some lines may need a brush)
1. Cynfarch the Dismal (6B) - SDS A short
slopey line sure to bring a smile to even
Cynfarch’s sombre face.
2. (6A) - SDS Starting from more positive
holds climb direct.
3. King Arthur (6C+) - SDS From below a
small overlap a tough move allows you to kick
right.
Patio Boulder
4. Highball Arête (6A) - The, err, highball
arête tackled direct usually has a boggy
landing.
5. The Crack (5+) -The crack is improving
with traffic, also fairly highball.
6. Owain the Giant (6A) - Fee! Fie! Foe!
Fum I smell the blood... etc. *
7. (3) - The slabby wall.
8. Noggin the Nog (7A) - A fine low
traverse from P4 linking into and up P10.
9. (6A) - SDS The difficulties lie at the start, once
established the main slab is straightforward and
entertaining.
10. (5+) - SDS The arête on the right.
11. Orien of Rheged (6B+) - SDS Off the mini
quagmire [“Gigadee!”] elevation and up the wall
direct on brushed holds. *
Aspect: In isolation the scattered nature of this aesthetically beautiful area would
probably mean few visitors, but combined with a session at one of the valley’s more
concise sectors it can make for a great hour or two’s entertainment. The area also has
a real high fell feel, in spite of its relatively accessible situation. As suggested by the
areas less than modest handle, many of the problems have been named after ancient
kings of North Albion… that’s ye olde Northern Britain to you and me!
7
Last Stop Sector
This area is documented in the Lakes Rockfax Bouldering
guide and has a number of problems [4 Blocks &10
Problems] from Font 3 to 6B. We are not documenting the
sector here as it offers the poorest quality lines in the
valley - they are generally dirty, fragile or very short. If
you do decide to checkout this sector please do so after you
have you have been to all the other areas in the valley.
8
Valley of the Kings
Garburn Pass Boulder
Boulder 2
12. (5) SDS A hard start leads to easier
climbing.
13. (6C) - SDS A heinous pull to the lip
is subsequently followed with
easier moves.
14 (6A) - SDS From a slot go straight up
and finish flowing slightly left.
15 When We Were Kings (7B) - Dance
like a butterfly across this really good
left to right traverse of the slight lip.
Finish up the right side of the block *
Aspect: Thanks to it’s great landings, concentration of problems and sunny aspect, this
ancient toupee sporting valley resident is without doubt one of the best individual
blocks in southern Lakeland; especially for the 7A to 7B+ climber. Amazingly, the
block was virgin territory until 2003 when, in the space of a couple of months, it was
grappled into submission and finally gave up a fantastic array of problems. Be warned
the rock is mighty rough and many of the problems are fingery and technical in the
extreme so make sure you not only bring plenty of skin but also your thinking cap.
Quality lines are in abundance but the real standout gems are Release the Pressure
without doubt the best crack problem of its grade in the Northwest, Phantasmagoria
and it’s un-lapable technicalities, and finally the complex Equipoise.
Boulder 3
16. The Rib (4) - SDS The vague rib from a
good edge to the apex of the stone.
17. Coel Hen (5) - SDS Tricky climbing on
good grips leads into the rib and a soulful
of merriment… maybe. *
18. Triangulum (7C) - SDS A focussed but
obvious line up the crack system without
the use of the right arête, finishing with a
hard move to a square cut notch. Superb
training for escaping from lifts! *
19. (5) – The arête on the left.
Boulder 4
20. (6A+) - SDS The down hill face of the small but solid block starting off a fin-like
flake flowing gently left to finish.
Boulder 5.
21. Lion Heart (7B+) - SDS Gut-bustingly good moves on a plethora of pinches,
slopers and a weird v-shaped crimp. Start on the far left of the downhill face and
follow the undercut lip rightward via a series of drop-downs onto the north face
block, from here easier moves ensue for the final straight, finally rock onto the top
where the block meets the ground. *
Boulder 6
22. Cwrast the Ragged (6C+) - SDS Funky cut out
shapes hold the key to a technical sequence finishing up the left wall. *
23. (4+) - SDS Just left of a block move up into the
shallow gully.
24. (5) - SDS Off the block moving right to finish
at the highest point possible.
25. Mierchion the Lean (6A) - SDS The arête/nose.
Approach:
From Little Font follow
the Garburn Pass for
650m to where the track
levels off. From here the
Valley of the Kings can is
the hillside up on the
right and the Garburn
Pass boulder can be seen
flanking the bridleway a
further 300m up the hill
to the left. There is a
hawthorn tree roughly
level with the block,
walk 10m past this and
take a direct line across
the hillside for the least
amount of rock hopping
and bog
dodging.
Right: Tom Burns
sending Paradigm
pre-hold loss. This is
now one of the sternest
7C’s in the Lakes.
9
10
Garburn Pass Boulder
Garburn Pass Boulder
East Face
North Face
South Face
1. Ocelot (3) - The slab immediately right of the arête. *
2. Recusant (5+) - SDS) The decent rough arête climbed on the left.
3. (6B+) - SDS A powerful move from a two-handed undercut to the juggy ledge
(without the arête) is followed by a more delicate sequence leftward across the lip and
up the centre of the wall on small side-cut holds. *
4. Paradigm (7C) - SDS From a low skin grating side-pull make a
series of powerful moves up the slight groove to the lip, continue
into the shallow scoop and on up the right arête. An alternate finish
has also been climbed; from the lip surmount the headwall to the
left, this is slightly harder but still 7C. *
5. Strongbone Tactics (7B) SDS From a good low side-pull (LH) and
a tiny crimp climb direct on thin holds - the good hold on the lip,
out to the left, is out of bounds. [Image right]
6. (6A+) - A stiff pull on via undercut side-pulls leads to the lip and
some sharp holds on the wall above.
7. Azimuth (7A) - SDS Starting just right of the corner of the block,
make a signature hard pull for the lip, continue rightward along the
lip on rough holds and sparse foot dinks eventually reaching and
finishing up the scoop. *
7a. (6C+) - SDS Start as per P7 then climb direct up the wall.
8. Equipoise (7B) - SDS There is no lack of holds on the brilliant but vague bulging
arête, and as you might guess numerous grips lead to various sequences though bizarrely each is as perplexingly difficult as the next. Start as low as you can. **
9. (6A) - The blunt rib has a hard starting move and small holds all the way.
10. On the Skunt (7B+) - SDS Starting left of a small shadowy recess execute some
hard moves rightward on low holds into and up Equipoise. Awkward but worthwhile.
11. (6B) - The thin crack system.
12. Cynosure (7A/+) - SDS Burly moves from undercuts allow an upward wrestle to
a good flatty, match this with difficulty and continue up P11. **
11
13. Release The Pressure (6B) – This is one of
the best crack problems anywhere, and
although a bit of a sandbag it’s well worth the
effort! *** The sitter is 6C+.
14. Phantasmagoria (7A+) - SDS Another tough customer, from a low shelf swing left
then back right for a thin finish the stand-up is only marginally easier. **
15. The Symbiant (6B+) - SDS From low slots climb the shallow corner.
16. (5) - From left of a large low notch, traverse R into the easy arête. Boggy landing.
17. (5) - Slabby wall on good holds with a crux and a heather grappling finish.
18. Tonsure Wall (7C+) - Start 1m right of the arête pull on and climb direct on
small holds but good rock to an easier top out. Good but also often has a wet landing.
19. Quixotic Arête Fnt6A+ - The arête keeping to the right as much as possible. *
The next two problems are situated on separate blocks in the immediate and obvious
locality of the Garburn Pass Boulder.
20. Knife Traverse (6C) - SDS From the northern tip of the boulder (and to the
immediate right of Recusant) traverse the lip
leftward toward the wall (south) and up
where traversing is no longer an option.
21. Vertex (6A+) – This problem is situated
on the south facing wall of the small cove just
up from the Knife Traverse. The centre of the
wall on small edges direct. The sitter is 7C. *
22. Hungry Fish (6C) - SDS To the rear of the
Vertex block is a small fin shaped block, the
right side of the central wall (facing away
from the Garburn Pass) is a surprisingly tough
cookie!
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