Action from all Corners

Written by LakesBloc Tuesday, 08 June 2010 15:19

The previous couple of weeks have generated a number of worthwhile snippets of news from across the LakesBloc coverage zone.

First up, Mick Adams has made a swift repeat (one session) of Dan Varian's sit down start to Clash of the Titans, and St. Bees Head – North. Mick managed to refine Dan's original beta making the climbing fractionally easier on the link. This superb problem is still considered 8a/V11, and should be a first port-of-call for any hardcore visitors to the crag.

Also on the repeats front, Tom Newberry has made the second ascent of Greg Chapman's new problem at Sampson's Stones, The Ergosphere (7c+/V10), confirming the quality and grade. Whilst up there Tom also added another link to the main face of the Asteroid boulder, by combining MACHO Man and Doctor Manhattan, to make for a long, involved, but more to the point, quality 7c/V9.

Image right: Tom Newberry on the The Underground Butler (7b/V8).

In the southwest Lakes Mr. Newberry has been busy adding a couple of quality mid-grade additions to the Lad Stones of Tilberthwaite. Bar the addition of Jordan Buys “super groove” problem, Groove Armada, in March 2009, this venue has been somewhat overlooked in recent times – despite hosting, in Traci Lords, one of the best lines in the Lakes! For this reason it was good to hear that not only Tom was visiting the crag that day, but also the prolific Mick Adams, who repeated and confirmed the grades and quality of both Tom's new lines: Smoking Guns (7b+/V8) is situated on the 'Bothy' boulder and climbs a steep line out of the cave, starting on slots as far back a possible. Three burly moves then lead into a crux throw for a huge jug on the lip, this is followed by a high but relativly easy top out, and is apparently “amazing”. On the 'Panorama Stone', Tom went on to climb a sitter to the classic 5/V1, The Dry Tooling Underground. This goes at around the 7b/V8 mark, looks fantastic and has been named The Underground Butler.

Image left: Tom Newberry on Smoking Guns (7b+/V8).

Finally, Chris Clements has taken up the gauntlet and documented the morass of scattered gritstone craglets and boulders on the south facing ridge of Clougha Pike, just up the hillside from the recently documented Windy Clough, in the near vicinity of Lancaster, Lancashire. Chris's guide for the area can be found via the Windy Clough page...

All photography © Andy Smith.