Carrock Fell - Voyage of Discovery

Written by LakesBloc Sunday, 21 November 2004 00:00

Recent information from Tim Carruthers, Jim Arnold, Kit Wilkinson, Trev Suddaby, Duncan Booth, Adam Hocking and Dan Varian (as well as useful snippets from numerous others) have helped us unravel most of the complex history of climbing at Carrock Fell, and this information will be indispensable in the production of the forthcoming LakesBloc Carrock fell guide. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the above for the info the have donated and any future pearls of wisdom they care to pass on.

On the climbing front yet more superb winter conditions over the weekend saw the South Lakes trio of Tom Burns, Neil Kershaw and Greg Chapman descend on Carrock fell for another voyage of discovery. This lead to the cleaning and climbing of a number of probable new lines, the best of which was the strikingly obvious sit start to Kits Grooved Arête, on Kits Boulder. Greg grabbed the send of this coveted prize in some truly icy conditions to leave us with Ghetto Style (7b/V8).

A spot of backdated news for you now, which was left unreported while the history of the area was researched. A number of problems have been climbed on the Kirk Stone, which is the first large bouder reached from Mosedale. It turns out that the old school gnarlers seemed unimpressed with this large block, and left its plums un-plucked for another generation - thanks guys! Around five problems have been climbed, although the best of which are on the North face - The imaginatively but appropriately titled Captain Kirk climbs the wall left of centre from an obvious side-pull to a dynamic and committing finish, next up is Buck Rogers a slightly harder but more satisfying proposition. This goes to the right of centre from sitting off a good undercut with your right hand, then up to and obvious crimp with your left and again a dynamic move to a slot finishing in a more straight forward fashion to the left.