Sampson's Stones Additions

Written by Greg Chapman Monday, 28 March 2011 18:08

I have added a few nice additions to the superb circuit at Sampson’s Stones, in Upper Eskdale.

The first new problems are located on a previously undocumented barrel sided block, situated next to the approach track (on the right as approached), around 250m before you reach the Cosmos Boulder. Black Arrow (5/V1) is the arcing lip traverse, starting sitting at the left end of the face, and is a fine warm-up on fabulous slopers. The best problem on the boulder is Prospero X1 (7b/V8), which climbs the appealing bulging wall immediately right of the central crack from sitting, and involves fantastic moves on great rock! The crack itself can also be climbed on its left side (again at 7b/V8) but this is awkward and a bit bunched, but for the record is Ariel.

Image right: Prospero X1 (7b/V8).

Over at the main circuit, I shifted five or six large blocks from under the northern overhang of Boulder 1, which opened up another cool new line. Magnetar (7b+/V8) starts sitting under the roof with a large side-pull flake for your right hand and a notched edge for your left. Pull on, and take a direct line to the sloping lip, before mantling onto the slab and up toward the top of the block. Starting matched on the side-pull flake and making a hard move to the notched edge is Magnetar Low, and bumps the grade up to 7c/V9.

Image left: Magnetar (7b+/V8).

In other news: Ben Freeman has been doing what all good locals should, and mopping up repeats of a number of classic harder lines across Lakeland. Perhaps most noteworthy were his ascents of Grand Unification (7c+/V10), at the Rolling Rock Threshthwaite Cove, and Where the Wild Things Are (hard 7c/V9), on the Eskdale granite. Both these lines are stunning, and until now had remained unrepeated. Good effort Ben!

Finally, I have recently discovered a potentially 'new' venue somewhere in the Lake District (no clues I’m afraid), so keep tabs on the site and/or Facebook page, as once all the best stuff has been bagged a topo-guide will be put together for any keen Lakes bouldering enthusiasts to utilize. Watch this space...

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