Rhys Whitehouse, Ben Roe and John Kettle have developed a compact sector in a small slate quarry 600m south of Hodge Close, on the northern slopes of Holme Fell.
Five minutes walk from Hodge close the quarry (described as Uskdale Quarry on UKClimbing) offers a small number of secluded boulder problems that are sheltered from even the harshest of summer temperatures. Equally the boulders may seep after prolonged wet weather. The problems go as follows:
- Pipe Dream (7B) Starting at the left of the clean cut prow move right with only the lip for hands to a jumpy finish. Slightly eliminate but worth it for the moves.
- Flip Flop Flash (7B) Hard to grade and easier for the tall. Start matched on the sloping edge on the right side of the block, pull on and make shouldery moves right to the apex.
- The Shank (7A) Starting in the middle of the wall with hands on the foot blocks. Make long moves to the aret and then dyno to the finish and rock it out.
Access Info: From the car park at Hodge close take the path to the right of the quarry through a wooden gate. Follow the path for a few minutes to a second gate. Just through this you will reach an open cleaning with the entrance to the quarry at the far side concealed by a large fallen tree (This quarry dose not appear on the OS map of the area). If you reach the tarn at the end of the path you have over shot the quarry by 100m.