Simon Stone

Written by LakesBloc Monday, 05 September 2005 00:00

After a recent memory jogger from Mark Redmayne, we thought it was about time we spent a session seeing what the Simon Stone (Swindale) had to offer, and we were pleasantly surprised.

This angular block, partially shaded by two ancient trees, has a mysterious air and would certainly not look out of place in a Lord of the Rings movie. Situated on grassy knoll at the head of the valley it gets plenty of sun and has good flat landings, okay so there's only 10 problems and it is a 2.5km (flat) walk-in, but combined with a walk, run or mountain biking session it would make an excellent extended lunch stop.

Problems:
1. Simon Sez 7a+/V7 - (sit start) From an obvious jug traverse leftward past a crack and jagged flutings to finish up P3.
2. 6c+/V5 - (sit start) Start as for P1 but on reaching the flutings climb direct through these.
3. 4/V0 - The off-width crack.
4. 4/V0 - Easy crack taken to the right.
5. 6b/V3 - (sit start) The pleasant prow.
6. 5/V1 - (sit start) Start right of the clean cut arete on a lay away, move let to the arete and up this.
7. Moss Isley 4/V0 - (sit start) The excellent cleaned arete.
8. V? - The high arete climbed on the right looks a viable prospect.
9. 4/V0 - The licheness lay-back arete.
10. 6b+/V4 - The licheness wall climbed via a series of cleaned crimps.