The Secret Garden & Private Press

Written by Greg Chapman Monday, 28 February 2011 21:07

Well as this is the first piece of actual news I’ve had to report for 2011, it’s nice to have a couple of absolutely classic looking new lines to report, albeit at opposing ends of the LakesBloc realm.

First up comes a highball North Lakes corker from Pete Gunn and Nick Halbert. The Secret Garden weighs in at around the 7a/V6 mark, but to be honest the grade of this astounding looking rock climb should be low on the list of reasons to seek it out when you consider the stunning location, fantastic position, line and quality of the rock, this is surely set to be a modern classic and must-do tick for all Lakes bouldering aficionados.

Below: Pete Gunn digging The Secret Garden, whilst set against a magnificent backdrop. Photo: Davina Mouat.

It was Nick who discovered the line, and after Pete had inspected the line on a rope, the pair returned for a joint first ascent of what, from the pictures, looks one of the best problems of its style in the Lakes.

So, where is it I hear you cry. Well, this King Line is situated on the brow of a small coll by the name of Jopplety How, which itself is positioned on the northern flanks of Brund Fell, around 1.5km west of Watendlath Tarn and National Trust car park – grid reference 264 163.

Sadly, there are not too many more lines in the vicinity, although a number of arête and shorter wall problems make for a few good warm-ups.

Next up, at the southern most tip of the LakesBloc zone, Tom Newberry has left his metaphorical mark at that most pleasant of venues, Thorn Crag. The new problem in question tackles the central eye-catching line up the middle of the Diamond boulder, which can be clearly seen perched on the hillside between the Crag and Crag Boulders. In truth the climb actually starts just right of centre (due to the rising overlap which makes pulling on almost impossible in the middle of the slab) from where you traverse into a central position before tackling the face direct on some rather dubious smears and do-or-die footholds.

Below: Tom Newberry makes delicate progress up the intricate slab of Private Press. Photo: Emma Taylor.

Tom has tagged his fine creation, Private Press, and due to its rather conditions and height dependent nature offered a grade approximation of somewhere around the 7a+/V7 to 7b/V8 mark. Whatever the grade ends up settling at, as with The Secret Garden, it looks like another truly classic highball. Also of note, Tom climbed an easier but equally obvious line on the same face. This starts as per Private Press, but rather than questing up the centre of the slab continue traversing left to the opposite arête and finish up this. This is around 7a/V6.